View source for Talk:Installation guide

== Read this first before add new suggestion ==
* Point of this page is to ''not'' become another Beginner's guide. It's meant to be a ''concise'' checklist of things to be done. So detailed install instruction should go to [[Beginners' Guide]]. 
* If there is something to discuss which should also affect the Beginner's guide, then do it on [[Talk:Beginners%27_Guide/Installation]]. An advanced user will find this page less bloated and easier to read, so let's KISS.

==Change link do syslinux install==

The line 
 See Syslinux configuration
sould point to installation:
 See [[Syslinux#Installation|Syslinux installation]]
Because in the configuration section, there is nothing about : "mark the partition active with the boot flag and install the MBR boot code". 

== Change section "Connect to the internet" ==

Since the installation guide is now part of the iso image, I'd like to see a few references to the manpages of the necessary tools here, since you cannot open the network related wiki pages. Maybe something like this would be acceptable:
   Assuming a wired ethernet connection, running dhclient or dhcpcd is 
   sufficient to get a lease. Otherwise set up the connection manually
   using ip add, wpa_supplicant (WLAN with WPA), pppoe-setup (DSL), etc.
   You can also create and use netcfg profiles. Read more in the manpages:
   ip(8), wpa_supplicant(8), pppoe(8), netcfg(8), netcfg-profiles(5)
A reminder to install the packages for the internet connection in the pacstrap section would also be nice. -- [[User:progandy|progandy]]

== Suggestions to update this guide as part of ISO ==
Since this guide is now being included as 'install.txt' in the ISO, it might be beneficial to incorporate the following changes:
* Entirely remove the '''1. Download''' section and move it to the Download area of the archlinux.org page. This document here is about installing, not downloading, checking, burning discs or dd'ing. The majority of users reading this have likely already booted up the install medium.
* Begin or end the document by mentioning the new archlinux(7) man page which explains the location of important system configuration files
 # man archlinux
* Slightly expand the '''6. Connect to the internet''' section to include the most basic examples of setting up a private network using a dynamic and static IP address. (Right now it's only a single paragraph/line.) It's a vital installation step and should actually be moved to the top as one of the first actions during system setup. This fact should be emphasized.

Obtain dynamic IP 
 # dhcpcd

Set static IP
 # ip link set dev eth0 up
 # ip addr add 192.168.1.2/24 dev eth0
 # ip route add default via 192.168.1.1
 # echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" >> /etc/resolv.conf

--[[User:MajorTom|MajorTom]]

:* I can agree to all your suggestions, I wonder why no one is modifying the wiki. Internet connection setup is the most important part and should be covered more extensively. In addition to your changes, mention the manpages and configuration templates for netcfg and pppoe-setup/connect. The boot medium must at least contain easy accesible information in order to read all pages referenced in the installation guide. There should also be mentioned that elinks is installed and can be used to access the wiki.  --[[User:Progandy|Progandy]] ([[User talk:Progandy|talk]]) 21:50, 24 August 2012 (UTC)

:* The {{ic|dhcpcd}} network daemon is started automatically: [https://www.archlinux.org/news/install-media-20120804-available/], [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners%27_Guide#Network_setup], so there's no reason to start it manually. --[[User:DSpider|DSpider]] ([[User talk:DSpider|talk]]) 08:17, 25 August 2012 (UTC)

== add a step: setting the clock ==

Lots of things care about the clock being more-or-less correct, e.g. pacman-key will not work at all if the clock is too far out. Lots of brand new computers come with the clock set to something in the distant past, which causes weird problems during the install. [[User:Thetrivialstuff|Thetrivialstuff]] ([[User talk:Thetrivialstuff|talk]]) 23:14, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

I agree, the instructions in "Installation Guide" leaves you without a /etc/adjtime file.
The following should be added (taken from beginners guide, but shortened):
Set the hardware clock and generate a {{ic|/etc/adjtime}} file with {{ic|# hwclock --systohc --utc}} or {{ic|# hwclock --systohc --localtime}}
[[User:Bwid|Bwid]] ([[User talk:Bwid|talk]]) 08:03, 3 March 2013 (UTC)
:There's no need for an adjtime file, but it does make sense to have people use {{ic|timedatectl}} from the live media to set the clock correctly. -- [[User:Thestinger|thestinger]] ([[User talk:Thestinger|talk]]) 03:30, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

== pacman-key --init / populate? ==

Isn't this a required step? pacstrap does not seem to do it on its own. [[User:Thetrivialstuff|Thetrivialstuff]] ([[User talk:Thetrivialstuff|talk]]) 23:15, 31 July 2012 (UTC)
:Edit: Ah; I think this was related to the "set the clock" step -- I see that there is a pacman keyring init in the boot sequence of the latest media, but it (silently?) fails if the local clock is wrong.
::https://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-releng/2012-July/002708.html --[[User:Bluewind|Bluewind]] ([[User talk:Bluewind|talk]]) 09:10, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

== Link to UEFI Bootloaders page ==

Instead of telling the user to install GRUB(2) alone in case of UEFI, direct the reader to the [[UEFI_Bootloaders]] page which provides info about all the UEFI bootloaders capable of booting linux kernel. Also how can I edit the guide, there is no "edit" tab shown on top of the page. Is this page restricted to few authors only? -- [[User:The.ridikulus.rat|Keshav P R]] ([[User talk:The.ridikulus.rat|talk]]) 15:31, 19 August 2012 (UTC)

==Proposed changes to Beginners' Guide and link to Post-Installation==
Some major changes are under discussion in [[Talk:Beginners'_Guide#Guide_restructuring]]: some of them would require adjustments to this very guide, see for example [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?title=Talk%3ABeginners%27_Guide&diff=224578&oldid=224567 this post].

Please reply in the linked discussion, '''not''' here.

-- [[User:Kynikos|Kynikos]] ([[User talk:Kynikos|talk]]) 12:15, 22 September 2012 (UTC)

:I've added the steps in [[Beginners' Guide/Post-Installation]] to this guide, which now directly sends users to [[Beginners' Guide/Extra]].
:If however [[Talk:Beginners' Guide#Guide restructuring]] will be implemented as planned, the [[Beginners' Guide]] will have a slightly different installation procedure than this guide, unless this one is updated too.
:-- [[User:Kynikos|Kynikos]] ([[User talk:Kynikos|talk]]) 14:08, 24 September 2012 (UTC)

::Shouldn't the information be added ''before'' "Unmount leftovers and reboot" ? By the way, the title should mention rebooting, because most likely a kernel update was involved. --[[User:DSpider|DSpider]] ([[User talk:DSpider|talk]]) 14:41, 24 September 2012 (UTC)

:::The link to Post-Installation was the last step of the guide, so that's the line I've replaced with the instructions from Post-Installation.
:::About rebooting in case of a kernel upgrade, I don't think it's necessary to state that since this guide is aimed at experienced users.
:::In any case, any reordering or modification of the various steps should better be approved by a Developer, and probably the forum or the mailing lists are better places than this talk page to involve them in such discussions.
:::-- [[User:Kynikos|Kynikos]] ([[User talk:Kynikos|talk]]) 14:59, 24 September 2012 (UTC)

::::Yeah, but at this point, you were instructed to reboot. In order to edit {{ic|pacman.conf}}, you need to mount the root partition. And to update your system, you need to chroot into it. It would be better if "Unmount leftovers" was renamed "Unmount leftovers and reboot", and added at the end (before the suggestion to read the instructions from '''Extra'''). --[[User:DSpider|DSpider]] ([[User talk:DSpider|talk]]) 15:07, 24 September 2012 (UTC)

:::::You are still instructed to reboot, aren't you? The "Unmount leftovers" section currently tells you to ''"reboot and then login into the new system with the root account"''. In the "new system", the correct partition is already mounted at /.
:::::Whether or not configuring pacman, updating the system and adding a user would be better done in the chroot before rebooting, it's something that should be discussed with a Developer. I too think that it would make more sense, requiring one less reboot in case of a kernel upgrade.
:::::-- [[User:Kynikos|Kynikos]] ([[User talk:Kynikos|talk]]) 15:18, 24 September 2012 (UTC)
:::::Renaming "Unmount leftovers" to "Unmount leftovers and reboot" is safe anyway, so I've done that. -- [[User:Kynikos|Kynikos]] ([[User talk:Kynikos|talk]]) 15:37, 24 September 2012 (UTC)
:::::@DSpider: you're quite active on the forum, why don't you propose your idea there? I think it would be interesting to discuss it. -- [[User:Kynikos|Kynikos]] ([[User talk:Kynikos|talk]]) 14:11, 25 September 2012 (UTC)
:::::Ok, after reading [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?title=Talk%3AInstallation_Guide&diff=226203&oldid=225070 this] I realize that maybe I haven't been clear enough, so I'll try to explain everything more thoroughly.
:::::#The current procedure makes you [[Installation_Guide#Configure_the_system|configure the system]] in the '''chroot''' environment from the '''live''' system.
:::::#Then, still in the '''live''' system, it [[Installation_Guide#Unmount and reboot|asks]] you to '''exit''' the chroot, unmount the partitions for the '''new''' system, '''reboot''' and login into the '''new''' system. Now, I refuse to write more explicitly in the guide that you should boot into the '''new''' system, and not again in the '''live''' system, in order to login into the new system.
:::::#Since you are now into the '''new''' system ('''not''' the live system), the root partition is mounted at {{ic|/}}, not at {{ic|/mnt/}}, so you should be able to configure pacman, update the system and add a user wihtout chrooting. Now, if you've tested the procedure and really noticed that for some obscure-to-me reason you still need to chroot to /mnt in order to do those operations, please ask for clarifications in the forum because I wouldn't be able to answer any more.
:::::Last thing, and I think this is the 3rd or 4th time I write it, I '''agree''' with you that configuring pacman etc. could easily be done in the chroot environment at step 1, but you should '''propose''' that change '''in the forum''' first, since it would be a change in the official installation procedure and I won't take responsibility for that.
:::::I think this is the best I can do here, the next step to explain all this could be making a movie or a five-act play, but I hope it's not necessary :)
:::::-- [[User:Kynikos|Kynikos]] ([[User talk:Kynikos|talk]]) 05:56, 30 September 2012 (UTC)

== Mounting the Swap partition. ==

Just a note to clarify the swap partition is '''NOT''' mounted.
You will get an error message if you try.

Turning on the partition with ''swapon'' command will have the desired effect of having it activated before you add it to /etc/fstab.
--[[User:CaptainK|CaptainK]] ([[User talk:CaptainK|talk]]) 07:56, 12 June 2013 (UTC)

== <s> Rank mirrors exact command </s> ==
Would be convenient to add exact command to rank the mirrors by speed:
    rankmirrors /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist -n 5 >/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.ranked
    mv /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.ranked /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
--[[User:Oreolek|Oreolek]] ([[User talk:Oreolek|talk]]) 08:05, 1 July 2013 (UTC)
: The command here is to specific. Link to [[Mirrors]] is added instead. -- [[User:Fengchao|Fengchao]] ([[User talk:Fengchao|talk]]) 13:39, 3 August 2013 (UTC)

== Hardware compatibility List ==

The Installation Guide should refer to the Hardware compatibility List at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/HCL in case specific kernel parameters are needed for the mainboard. --[[User:Qqqqqqqqq9|Qqqqqqqqq9]] ([[User talk:Qqqqqqqqq9|talk]]) 09:32, 1 August 2013 (UTC)
: -1. The info in HCL is quite out of date so it should not be linked.  -- [[User:Fengchao|Fengchao]] ([[User talk:Fengchao|talk]]) 13:13, 3 August 2013 (UTC)