ez-arch-install

ez-arch-install is a streamlined wizard to simplify the installation of Arch Linux.

Features

• Guided installation:
     Designed with interactive steps to simplify the Arch Linux installation process.
• Disk management:
  • Manage disk partitions.
  • Format disk partitions (guided).
  • Mount disk partitions (automated for GPT disks).
• Bootloader setup:
  • Automated grub configuration for MBR partitioned disks.
  • Automated systemd-boot configuration for GPT partitioned disks.
  • Choose between a GUI, CLI, or mixed environment during installation.
• Package installation:
     Configurable list of packages to be installed (defined in the /setup folder).
• GUI environment installation:
     Install and customize a desktop environment (defined in /setup/gui-environment.txt)
• User management:
     Manage user accounts, groups and sudo permissions.
• Service management:
     Configure services to start at boot (defined in /setup/systemd-services.txt)
• System configuration:
  • Assisted locale, timezone, and keyboard layout setup.
  • Enable or disable the multilib repository.
  • Set the system's hostname.

Planned Features

The following features are planned for future updates to ez-arch-install:

• Firewall configuration:
     Add the possibility to enable and configure a firewall.
• Driver installation:
     Installation and configuration of hardware drivers (graphics cards, printers, etc).
• Express installer mode:
     Introduce a express_installer.sh script for quick and fully-automated installations with minimal user input.
• Performance tuning:
     Provide options to optimize system performance (kernel parameters, caching, etc).
• Backup configuration:
     Add support for setting up and configuring backup tools.
• Power management:
     Include options to manage power settings for laptops.
• Custom script support(?):
     Allow users to include and execute their own scripts during installation.

Preview

Main menu

Disk setup

Mid installation

Timezone setup

Keyboard setup

User management

Usage

Prerequisites

• A stable internet connection.
• A bootable Arch Linux installation medium (USB, DVD/CD, or ISO).
• A storage medium to hold the ez-arch-install folder (can be the same as the bootable medium).

Steps

1. Prepare the installation files
   Copy the ez-arch-install folder to a storage medium (USB, DVD/CD or ISO) that will be accessible from the Arch Linux installation environment.

2. Boot into the Arch Linux installation
   Boot your system using the bootable Arch Linux installation medium.

3. Mount the installation wizard
   Run the following commands to make the ez-arch-install folder accessible:

   mkdir /install
   lsblk -o +LABEL   # List connected storage devices
   mount /dev/{STORAGE_DEVICE} /install
   ls /install       # Verify the wizard files are accessible

   Replace {STORAGE_DEVICE} with the device identifier of your storage medium.

4. Start the installation wizard
   Run the following commands to start the arch_installer.sh wizard:

   cd /install/ez-arch-install
   chmod +x arch_installer.sh
   ./arch_installer.sh

5. Follow the installation wizard
   The wizard will guide you step-by-step through the installation process. Follow the on-screen instructions and prompts to setup and configure your system.

Post-Installation

After completing the "Install Arch Linux" step, the wizard offers additional configuration options:

1. System Configuration:

   • Set the system's locale.
   • Adjust the timezone for accurate system time.
   • Configure the keyboard layout to match your keyboard.
   • Enable or disable the multilib repository (for 32-bit package support).
   • Assign a hostname for your system.

2. User Management:

   • Configure additional users.
   • Create and manage user groups.
   • Set up sudo for administrative privileges.

3. Post-Install Tasks:

   • Install development packages (defined in /setup/dev-packages.txt).
   • Install GUI application packages (defined in /setup/gui-packages.txt).

Contributing

Contributions to improve the wizard or its documentation are welcome. Feel free to:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Make your changes.
3. Submit a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. For more details, open the LICENSE file in the repository.

Disclaimer

This wizard is provided as-is, without warranty of any kind, as outlined in the LICENSE.

Always back up important data before proceeding with any installation or system modification.

The author takes no responsibility for any issues that may arise from its use. Proceed at your own risk.