ArcoLinux 24.05

Calamares – GRUB – SYSTEMD-BOOT – REFIND

The effort to support multiple bootloaders—Grub, systemd-boot, and rEFInd—on the ArcoLinux project involved a detailed and critical review of the Calamares installer’s configuration. Using the latest code as of April 1, 2024, the team managed to streamline the boot process. Specifically, they achieved a significant reduction in boot time (by 10 seconds) when booting from the ISO. This improvement was realized by optimizing the handling of the Nvidia driver installation, opting to remove it mid-installation rather than before the desktop environment loads. Such a change suggests a strategic shift in the installation process, prioritizing a quicker transition to the user’s desktop.

The ArcoLinux project has seen substantial growth, incorporating a wide variety of applications, modules, settings, and scripts. This expansion has necessitated a reevaluation and reorganization of the configuration files and settings to maintain clarity and efficiency. The complexity and scale of the project underscore the importance of transparency and orderliness in its configurations to ensure that it remains manageable, customizable, and user-friendly.

This initiative demonstrates ArcoLinux’s commitment to improving user experience, system efficiency, and the adaptability of its distributions. By focusing on the intricacies of the installation process and the system’s initial load time, the team not only enhances the practical performance of the distribution but also showcases its dedication to addressing the technical challenges associated with supporting a wide range of hardware and user preferences.

Timeline – mid April we remove the hooks from the arcolinux(d)-system-config package leaving you exposed to possible bootloader issues IF you did not install the correct new package

Introduction:

ArcoLinux is taking significant strides towards enhancing the flexibility and user control over its bootloader configurations. In a recent update, the ArcoLinux team announced a series of changes aimed at improving the installation and booting process. These adjustments come with a focus on providing users with the ability to choose and switch between different bootloader options, specifically GRUB, systemd-boot, and the soon-to-be-available Refind. This article aims to dissect these updates, explaining their implications and how users can navigate through them.

Key Changes and Their Implications:

1. Install Refind Button NOT in April ISOs: The upcoming April release of ArcoLinux ISOs will NOT have the ‘Install Refind’ button. The Mays will have this bootloader option. We need to set the stage for the broader bootloader customization options to be introduced in May.
2. Splitting Pacman Hooks: A critical component of this transition involves the moving of Pacman hooks into three separate entities. This division allows for a more targeted application of these hooks based on the bootloader choice—GRUB, systemd-boot, or Refind. Each set of hooks is designed to ensure the smooth operation and reliability of its corresponding bootloader.
3. Enhanced Bootloader Flexibility: Starting May, users will have the option to switch between GRUB, systemd-boot, and Refind seamlessly. This flexibility, however, comes with a cautionary note. The ArcoLinux team emphasizes the importance of understanding your system’s setup before making any changes. Switching bootloaders without a clear understanding of your system’s configuration could lead to complications.
4. The Importance of Pacman Hooks: Pacman hooks play a pivotal role in maintaining system stability, especially during updates that affect the bootloader. By automating critical processes such as rebuilding the GRUB configuration, these hooks prevent potential boot issues. The upcoming changes aim to retain this safety mechanism while allowing for greater customization.

How to Navigate the Changes:

• Understanding Your Current Bootloader: Before considering any changes, users should determine their current bootloader configuration. Knowing whether your system uses GRUB or systemd-boot is crucial for a smooth transition.
• Preparing for the Transition: Users are encouraged to stay informed through ArcoLinux’s communication channels for updates and detailed instructions on how to adopt the new bootloader configurations. The phased implementation ensures users have ample time to understand and prepare for the changes.
• Safety and Precautions: While the flexibility to switch between bootloaders is a significant advancement, it comes with responsibilities. Users must acknowledge the disclaimer regarding potential system risks and ensure they have a clear understanding of their system’s architecture before making any changes.

Conclusion:

The forthcoming changes to ArcoLinux’s bootloader configuration represent a significant step towards giving users more control over their systems. By introducing the ability to choose and switch between different bootloaders, ArcoLinux is not only enhancing its system’s flexibility but also ensuring that safety mechanisms like Pacman hooks continue to protect users. As we approach these changes, it’s crucial for users to stay informed, understand their system’s configuration, and proceed with caution to make the most of these new options.

Switch between bootloaders – better not – danger zone!

Start with a clean slate – what does it mean – how do I do that

Starting with a “clean slate” when installing ArcoLinux refers to the process of preparing your computer’s hard drive to be completely free of previous data, configurations, and partitions. This ensures that there are no existing software conflicts, file system errors, or partition layout issues that could affect the installation of ArcoLinux. It’s particularly important when installing a new operating system to replace an existing one, or to set up a dual-boot system.

To start with a clean slate, it’s often recommended to use a tool like GParted. GParted is a powerful partition editor that allows you to delete, resize, and manage disk partitions on your computer.

What to do after a clean install

1. Installing Additional Packages: The speaker mentions using the command velow (for wayland) and velo (for x11) as a shortcut to install personal favorite applications like Sublime Text, Thunar, OBS Studio, and VLC.
2. System Updates: Post-installation, it’s crucial to update the system to ensure all packages are current, using commands like pacman to update the system’s databases.
3. Kernel Management: The discussion includes managing multiple kernels present in the system. The speaker explains the importance of removing unnecessary kernels to simplify updates and system management, specifically mentioning the removal of the Broadcom and Realtek drivers if not needed. Type remove and press TAB TAB.
4. Decision Making: A decision needs to be made whether to keep the Zen kernel or the Linux LTS kernel, depending on which one suits the user’s needs better.
5. Script Usage: The video mentions using scripts to automate the removal of all kernels except the desired one, demonstrating the command to remove all kernels but keep Linux Zen and its headers. Type remove and press TAB TAB.
6. Customization and Personalization: The speaker also talks about installing specific setups and configurations that meet personal preferences through a script, ensuring that the system reflects personal workflow and aesthetics.
7. Software Management Tools: Lastly, there’s mention of software management tools like Sofirem, which help in managing installations and removals of packages, especially if something was missed during the Calamares installer phase.

The video essentially outlines a thorough approach to tailoring a fresh ArcoLinux installation to meet personal needs and preferences, optimizing both the system’s performance and the user experience.

Need help – type ‘sudo use’ and share with us

1. ISO and Customization: The speaker explains the use of a specific ISO for installation and highlights the customization options selected, emphasizing the importance of documenting these choices to assist with community support via Discord.
2. Kernel Management: A script is mentioned that assists in managing kernels, notably keeping one and removing others to streamline system operations.
3. Terminal Commands: The video discusses the sudo use command, which clears the terminal and displays detailed system information, useful for troubleshooting and community assistance.
4. Installation Specifics: The system setup described focuses on Wayland sessions without any X11 sessions like XFCE or Mate, and the use of systemd-boot as the bootloader.
5. Hardware and Drivers: The speaker mentions using an Intel driver setup without Nvidia packages, despite the machine being capable of running Nvidia, to simplify the setup and avoid common issues with Nvidia drivers.
6. Nvidia Specific Scripts: For users with Nvidia hardware, there’s a mention of a script (arcolinux-nvidia-drm-toggle) that helps manage Nvidia DRM settings, making it easier to handle driver configurations across different bootloaders.

Change the default kernel in Grub, Systemd-boot and Refind

Changing the default kernel in bootloaders such as GRUB, systemd-boot, and rEFInd is a common task for users who manage multiple kernels. This might be necessary for testing different kernel versions, addressing specific hardware support issues, or optimizing system performance. Here’s how you can change the default kernel in each of these popular bootloaders.

REMOVE ONE OF THE KERNELS

The different Linux kernels available in ArcoLinux provide specialized benefits tailored to varied user needs, ensuring enhanced system performance and reliability. Here’s a brief overview of each:

1. Linux Kernel: This is the default kernel that ships with most Arch-based distributions, including ArcoLinux. It is well-suited for general use, offering robust performance and broad compatibility with a wide range of hardware and software.
2. Linux-lts (Long-Term Support): This kernel is designed for stability and extended support, making it ideal for enterprise environments or users who prioritize system reliability over cutting-edge features. It receives updates for a longer period, ensuring security and stability without frequent changes.
3. Linux-zen: Optimized for desktop and multimedia use, the Zen kernel provides a smoother and more responsive experience. It includes performance tweaks and enhancements that benefit interactive applications, making it a great choice for gaming and media production.
4. Linux-cachyos: Specifically optimized for performance, this kernel incorporates advanced schedulers and patches to enhance responsiveness and efficiency. It’s particularly beneficial for applications requiring high processing power and minimal latency, such as gaming, real-time data processing, and other performance-sensitive tasks.

Each kernel serves distinct purposes, allowing users to customize their ArcoLinux installation to match their specific performance needs and usage scenarios. Whether it’s for everyday computing, professional stability, enhanced multimedia experience, or high-performance tasks, ArcoLinux provides a kernel to optimize the experience.

Arcopro – easy – back to Arch – create your own scripts to install …

We explain the process of setting up and customizing an ArcoLinux system using the ArcoLinuxD scripts, specifically focusing on a Plasma desktop setup. Here are the key points:

1. Starting with arcopro: The speaker begins by describing their morning inspiration to install a Plasma desktop (“get-plasma”) using a script, highlighting the use of scripts available on GitHub for streamlined installation.
2. Scripted Installation Process: They detail the use of specific scripts for installing just the Plasma desktop and the display manager (SDDM), emphasizing the simplicity of skipping other desktop environments via these scripts.
3. Customization and Configuration: The video covers how to customize the Plasma installation using configurations available on GitHub, showcasing how to modify these settings using Sublime Text to streamline the process.
4. System Management and Clean-up: The speaker discusses removing unnecessary packages and kernels to keep the system lean and more manageable, using scripts to automate these tasks.
5. Building and Testing New Setups: The creation of a new ArcoLinux version is shown, with emphasis on testing and tweaking it in a virtual machine, ensuring everything works as expected.
6. Practical Advice on System Management: There is advice on handling common issues like ensuring compatibility with Nvidia hardware, and using Pacman hooks to maintain system stability.
7. The Modular Nature of Arch and ArcoLinux: The speaker elaborates on the modular design of Arch and ArcoLinux, encouraging viewers to personalize their setups by adding or removing components as needed, akin to building with Lego.
8. Final Thoughts: The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to be creative and use the tools provided by ArcoLinux to create their own unique system setups.

Overall, the video serves as a comprehensive guide to customizing an ArcoLinux installation, showcasing the flexibility and user control inherent in using ArcoLinuxD and its associated scripts.

https://github.com/arcolinuxd

Install Arch Linux and end up in ArcoLinux

In this video, we explore the flexibility and personalization of creating your own ArcoLinux setup using ArcoLinux scripts, focusing specifically on a Plasma desktop environment.

But we start with an Arch Linux ISO that we have built with our own ArcoLinux Application Glade (AAG)!

Here’s a summary of the process and insights shared:

1. Starting with a Custom ARCH ISO: We begin by discussing the possibility of creating a personalized Arch-based ISO using AAG, emphasizing the advantage of having up-to-date kernels and configurations.
2. Installation Process: The video walks through the process of installing Arch Linux, highlighting the use of scripts to automate and customize the installation. We demonstrate how to modify download settings in Pacman for faster downloads due to a fast internet connection. Change the parallel downloads.
3. System Configuration: Key system settings, such as selecting the appropriate mirrors and configuring system locales and keyboards, are adjusted to suit our specific needs. Systemd-boot is preferred over GRUB in virtual environments for better compatibility.
4. Minimal Installation: We choose a minimal installation path, focusing on installing only essential packages and avoiding unnecessary ones. This approach is exemplified by the selection of minimal audio drivers and network configurations during the setup.
5. Script Usage: After the base installation, we clone our custom scripts from GitHub to install the Plasma desktop. This approach emphasizes modularity and the ability to easily add or remove features according to personal preferences.
6. Post-Installation Customization: Post-installation, we highlight the ability to further customize the system by adding specific packages like Firefox, showcasing the ease of extending functionality through Pacman.
7. Reflection on Flexibility: The video concludes by reflecting on the flexibility offered by Arch and ArcoLinux, encouraging viewers to experiment with different setups and configurations to truly make the system their own.

In this video, we continue from a previous session where we installed a Plasma desktop and manually added Firefox. Here’s a brief summary of what was covered:

1. Updating and Installing Scripts: We start by discussing the importance of updating the system and then using Git to clone and run scripts that enhance the system with additional packages.
2. Exploring ArcoLinux Tools: We highlight tools available on the ArcoLinux website, such as the Tweak tool and Spices application, which can be used to install ArcoLinux packages on any Arch-based distribution, including Garuda and others.
3. Script Management: We discuss managing script numbers to avoid confusion and ensure the right scripts are run without conflicts, which improves system setup processes.
4. System Customization: After running the necessary scripts, we delve into system customization, which includes installing Bash completions and setting up the system with the desired configurations and aesthetics.
5. Philosophy of Flexibility: We emphasize the flexibility of starting with a basic Arch installation and transforming it into any specialized setup, using ArcoLinux or other distributions as a base. The goal is to educate on system management and customization, encouraging independence and adaptability.
6. Final Touches: The video concludes with adjustments to the desktop environment and applications, showcasing the adaptability of Arch-based systems and promoting a deeper understanding of system management.

Throughout the video, we focus on teaching how to effectively manage and customize an Arch-based system, demonstrating the broad capabilities and flexibility of Linux distributions.

To build or not to build

We have removed all the packages to build the ArcoLinuXL, XS, D and all the B ISOs from our repositories.

From now on you can only build:

• arconet
• arcopro
• arcoplasma

You can also use our building app the AAG to build any of our three ISOs + Arch Linux ISO + Ariser ISO + Sierra ISO

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARCONET AND ARCOPRO

About 300MB worth of packages.

ARCHLINUX TWEAK TOOL OR ATT

We’ve introduced both Hyprland and Wayfire, experimental Wayland desktop environments, to the ArchLinux Tweak Tool (ATT). It’s important to note that these desktop environments are still in experimental stages and may encounter issues inherent to Wayland.

ARCOLINUX DESKTOP TRASHER OR ADT

As Hyprland and Wayfire can be added using the ATT, it’s essential to have the capability to remove them as well using the ArcoLinux Desktop Trasher.

GNOME EXTENSIONS

We have explored several gnome extensions while we were developing our new ISOs.

https://www.arcolinuxd.com/gnome-extensions/

To emphasize once more: Should you run into complications during the advanced installation due to Pacman errors, it’s advisable to switch to the easy installation method.

It’s important to note that these issues stem from Pacman, not the Calamares installer.

The easy installation process is dependable and will ensure a successful setup.

After restarting your system, you’ll find three options for managing your software:

– Sofirem: Provides an easy-to-use interface for installing or uninstalling software, mirroring the capabilities found in the advanced mode of Calamares.
– Custom Scripts: For those seeking a tailored setup, you can adapt the arcolinux-nemesis scripts to customize your system further.
– Pamac or Octopi: These tools offer a straightforward way to search, install, or remove software with just a few clicks.