Arch Linux

So, you researched some alternative OS and came across Arch. Whilst there may be a bit of a learning curve, have no fear, it isn't nearly as difficult as people make it out to be. Before you make the decision to permanently switch your OS, here's what to expect.

Why should I use Arch?

Arch provides a DIY operating system. Out of the box you get nothing but the absolute basics. It is then up to you to configure and install everything. What this gives you is an OS specifically tailored to your needs and your needs alone. You can have it as secure (or insecure) as you like, you can switch kernels, have multiple desktop environments to switch between, and do everything you can do on any other OS.

I will pre-warn, if you want to use this for gaming, I personally would not recommend it. Whilst you can indeed get it working with an NVIDIA GPU it is a hassle, the third party switching tools don't get updated often, NVIDIA are often behind the curve with updates rolled out by Arch on their rolling release model. Overall, you end up gaming less and less because you are busy fixing your GPU drivers. Arch also has some optimisation issues. Whilst you can run Linux compatible games and use wine to run windows programs, there is a cost, and the cost is ease-of-use with other technologies (KVMs, multiple monitor setups, wireless controllers etc.). There can also be imaging issues (flickering etc.) with some monitors, along with a performance drop from Windows gaming if you are playing online multiplayer games where FPS and smoothness are critical.

So, what can you do instead? If you only care for casual gaming, or none at all, and just want a daily driver, then Arch is a great choice. I personally love the control Arch gives me, but also the amount I get to learn by using Arch. If you didn't understand how your OS and kernel interact fully before, spend a bit of time with Arch and you will soon understand more about UNIX systems than ever before.

Recommendations

I know, you are probably eager to dive in. First though, if you have never installed Arch before do yourself a favour and practice in a Virtual machine first. I know, this means you'll have to do it twice or more, but the more practice you get the better you'll understand what you are doing exactly. In this guide I will provide details on setting up a virtual environment to work in, don't worry it's all free.

By first setting up Arch in a VM you will learn the basics, and if you mess up it is far less of a concern than it is on your live system. Whether you are going to be partitioning a dual-boot on your existing drive, or simply installing it from scratch as your main OS, I'd recommend some practice first.

I'm not going to hold your hand too much. I will fill in the blanks where some of the docs are a bit hazy for first-timers, but I presume you are a competent Windows or Mac user who understands basic IT functions and terms such as installing programs. If not, then you are going to have a bad time with Arch and I suggest you learn the basics via an OS like Windows or Ubuntu first.

Note Your PC must be set up to enable Hardware Virtualization in the BIOS before you can attempt to follow this guide.

Contents

1. Linux Philosophy and Filesystem
2. Setting Up Your Virtual Machine
3. Wiping Drives
4. Installation
5. Desktop Environment
6. NVIDIA DKMS and Suspend Troubleshooting
7. Snapshots and Restore
8. Virtual Labs
9. SSH Agent Setup
10. Wacom Cintiq and Multi-Display Configuration
11. Hardening Your Arch System
12. Programming an Arduino from VSCode
13. Disabling Android System SafetyCore from Arch

See also: Study Guide for a wider learning roadmap, and the scripts folder for helper scripts referenced by the chapters.

Resources

• Arch Documentation
• Arch Wiki
• VirtualBox

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