Alcor GNU/Linux ALPHA 3 PRE-RELEASED

Alcor GNU/Linux Alpha 3 Pre-release

Alcor Alpha 3 is an Arch-based installer focused on profile-driven deployment and an isolated Algol tool environment.

Alpha 3 is a testing release. Use a virtual machine or a disposable test system and keep backups of important data.

Alpha 3 Features

• Calamares-based installation
• PyQt6 profile-selection frontend
• Host kernel selection
• Host display-manager selection
• Pentest, Daily, Carma, and Expert profiles
• Expert package profiles: None, Pentest, Daily, and Carma
• Individual package checkbox selection
• Algol Distrobox environment on first boot
• Automatic BlackArch repository setup inside Algol
• Selected packages installed inside Algol
• Installed-system initramfs generation
• Alcor first-boot systemd service
• Alcor deployment validation script

Installation Architecture

Alpha 3 uses three stages:

1. Live preparation
2. Calamares target installation
3. Installed-system first boot

Live preparation

The preparation script:

• Enables BlackArch in the Live environment when required.
• Installs python-pyqt6.
• Installs Calamares if it is missing.
• Disables Live os-prober.
• Installs the Alcor frontend and backend.
• Installs the Calamares backend module.
• Installs the single supported desktop launcher.

Calamares target installation

The backend:

• Installs the selected kernel into the target host.
• Installs and enables the selected display manager.
• Removes inherited ArchISO mkinitcpio files.
• Generates a normal installed-system initramfs.
• Copies the Alcor selection and Expert configuration.
• Installs the first-boot service.

First boot

alcor-firstboot.service runs once and:

1. Creates the algol Distrobox container.
2. Adds the BlackArch repository inside Algol.
3. Refreshes package databases.
4. Installs selected packages inside Algol.
5. Creates /var/lib/alcor/initialized.

The host kernel is shared with Algol. A kernel is never installed inside the container.

Profiles

AlcorPentest

Security package groups:

• Reconnaissance
• Web testing
• Wireless and network analysis
• Passwords and exploits
• OSINT and traffic tools
• Cloud and container security
• Forensics and reverse engineering
• Privacy and social testing

Default kernel: linux

AlcorDaily

Daily-use package groups:

• Gaming
• Workspace and media
• Development
• Communication and files
• Terminal utilities
• Virtualization
• Monitoring and hardware

Default kernel: linux-zen

AlcorCarma

Combines the Pentest and Daily package groups.

Default kernel: linux-lts

AlcorExpert

Expert mode provides independent controls for:

• Kernel
• Container engine
• Firewall
• Desktop
• Filesystem
• Security profile
• Bootloader
• Network profile
• Display manager

The Expert package profile controls the available package groups:

Package profile	Result
None	No Algol packages
Pentest	Pentest groups
Daily	Daily groups
Carma	Pentest and Daily groups

Packages remain individually selectable after choosing a package profile.

Default kernel: linux-hardened

Display Manager

Every profile asks for a display manager:

Selection	Recommended desktop
LightDM	XFCE
SDDM	KDE Plasma
GDM	GNOME

The selected manager is installed and enabled on the host.

Live Setup

Copy the project:

sudo mkdir -p /home/alcor
sudo cp -a ./alcor-installer /home/alcor/alcor-installer
sudo chown -R alcor:alcor /home/alcor/alcor-installer

Make launchers executable:

chmod +x /home/alcor/alcor-installer/*.sh
chmod +x /home/alcor/alcor-installer/alcor-install

Install the desktop launcher:

mkdir -p /home/alcor/Desktop
cp /home/alcor/alcor-installer/alcor-install.desktop \
   /home/alcor/Desktop/alcor-install.desktop
chmod +x /home/alcor/Desktop/alcor-install.desktop

Run the preparation flow:

/home/alcor/alcor-installer/alcor-install

The launcher opens a terminal, runs install-alcor-calamares.sh, and starts the frontend after successful preparation.

To run the preparation script directly:

cd /home/alcor/alcor-installer
sudo bash install-alcor-calamares.sh

Algol Verification

Check the first-boot service:

systemctl status alcor-firstboot.service

Successful completion:

status=0/SUCCESS
Active: active (exited)

Check the completion marker:

test -f /var/lib/alcor/initialized && echo "Alcor firstboot completed"

Check the container:

distrobox list

Check BlackArch:

distrobox enter algol -- \
    grep -n -A3 -B1 blackarch /etc/pacman.conf

Check selected packages:

distrobox enter algol -- pacman -Q nikto
distrobox enter algol -- pacman -Q gobuster
distrobox enter algol -- pacman -Q vlc
distrobox enter algol -- pacman -Q firefox

Alpha 3 Test Requirements

For reliable testing:

• Use an x86_64 Arch-based Live system.
• Use UEFI when possible.
• Provide at least 4 GB RAM.
• Provide at least 30 GB of disk space.
• Provide network access during preparation and first boot.
• Use a clean VM snapshot for each installation test.

Large Carma and Expert installations can require additional disk space and download time.

Troubleshooting

Frontend does not start

sudo pacman -S --needed --noconfirm python-pyqt6
python3 /home/alcor/alcor-installer/alcor_frontend.py

First boot fails

sudo journalctl -u alcor-firstboot.service -b --no-pager
df -h
distrobox list

BlackArch is not visible

distrobox enter algol -- \
    grep -n -A3 -B1 blackarch /etc/pacman.conf

The package installation must not be considered successful unless the [blackarch] repository is present and the service exits with status 0.

Display manager is wrong

cat /etc/alcor/selection.txt
systemctl list-unit-files | grep -E 'lightdm|sddm|gdm'

Alpha 3 Limitations

• Alpha 3 is not a production release.
• Package availability depends on current Arch and BlackArch repositories.
• First boot requires network access.
• Large package profiles take time to download.
• Expert infrastructure settings are stored for deployment configuration, but some settings may require additional desktop-specific integration.
• The current workflow targets x86_64 Arch-based systems.