Install Arch Linux with LVM on LUKS Btrfs root

Drawing from this nice guide. When in doubt, always consult the wiki.

Download the image from https://www.archlinux.org/ and format a USB drive:

on Linux:

lsblk -f # make sure you choose the right path! dd if=archlinux.img of=/dev/sdX bs=16M && sync disk

on macOS:

`diskutil list`
`sudo umount /dev/disk2`                         # again, choose the right path!
`dd if=archlinux.img of=/dev/rdisk2 bs=1m`       # notice the path is /dev/**r**disk2 - this will transfer more quickly
# you'll get a notification from macOS like "the disk format isn't recognized" - no worries: simply remove the drive and proceed

Boot from the USB.

If the USB fails to boot, make sure that secure boot is disabled in the BIOS configuration.

Set keymap:

By default, the US keymap is loaded. Otherwise, consult the wiki to find your desired keyboard layout: loadkeys sv-latin1

Update the system clock:

# timedatectl set-ntp true Verify with timedatectl status.

Connect to WiFi:

wifi-menu

Create partitions:

This will be the partition scheme:

1 512MB EFI partition   # Hex code ef00
2 250MB Boot partition  # Hex code 8300
3 -rest Root		# Hex code 8E00

gdisk /dev/sdX

• Zap the drive

x z

• Write a new GPT table

o

• Partitioning

n (Add a new partition)
Partition number 1
First sector 2048 (default)
Last sector +512M
Hex code EF00

n (Add a new partition)
Partition number 2
First sector 1050624 (default)
Last sector +512M
Hex code 8300 

n (Add a new partition)
Partition number 3
First sector 2099200 (default)
Last sector (hit Enter to use remaining disk space)
Hex code 8E00

• hit p to view the partitioning scheme, then confirm with:

w Y

Encryption and LVM:

• LUKS formatting:

cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/sda3
Are you sure? YES
Enter passphrase (twice)

• Open the container:

lvm is the name of the decrypted device - use whichever you prefer: cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sdX3 lvm

• Create LVM:

pvcreate /dev/mapper/lvm vgcreate lvmvg /dev/mapper/lvm lvcreate -L 8G lvmvg -n swapvol lvcreate -l 100%FREE lvmvg -n rootvol

Format the partitions:

mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sda1
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda2
mkfs.btrfs -L btrfs /dev/mapper/lvmvg-rootvol
mkswap /dev/mapper/lvmvg-swapvol
swapon /dev/mapper/lvmvg-swapvol

Create and mount btrfs subvolumes:

mount /dev/mapper/lvmvg-rootvol /mnt
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/root
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/home
umount /mnt
mount -o subvol=root,ssd,compress=lzo /dev/mapper/lvmvg-rootvol /mnt
mkdir /mnt/{boot,home}
mount -o subvol=home,ssd,compress=lzo /dev/mapper/lvmvg-rootvol /mnt/home

Mount remaining partitions:

mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/boot
mkdir /mnt/boot/efi
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi

Edit pacman.conf:

vim /etc/pacman.conf

• uncomment Misc. Options entries and add:

ILoveCandy

Install the system and include stuff needed for connecting to WiFi when booting into the newly installed system:

pacstrap /mnt base base-devel btrfs-progs grub grub-efi-x86_64 sudo zsh zsh-completions vim git efibootmgr dialog wpa_supplicant grml-zsh-config xdg-user-dirs wget

Generate and edit fstab:

genfstab -pU /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

• Make sure to include -pU!

vim /mnt/etc/fstab

• Change relatime on all non-boot partitions to noatime (reduces wear if using an SSD)

Make /tmp a ramdisk (add the following line to /mnt/etc/fstab):

tmpfs /tmp tmpfs defaults,noatime,mode=1777 0 0

Change root into the new system:

arch-chroot /mnt /bin/bash

Setup system clock:

ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/US/Central /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc --utc

Set the hostname:

echo bikini-bottom > /etc/hostname

Update locale:

echo LANG=en_US.UTF-8 >> /etc/locale.conf
echo LANGUAGE=en_US >> /etc/locale.conf
echo LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8 >> /etc/locale.conf

Set password for root:

passwd

Add normal user (remove -s flag if you don't want to use zsh):

useradd -m -g users -G wheel -s /bin/zsh MYUSERNAME
passwd MYUSERNAME

Configure mkinitcpio with modules needed for the initrd image:

• Consult the wiki for any necessary modules you might need:

vim /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

...
MODULES="i915 crc32c-intel ext4"
...
HOOKS="base udev autodetect modconf block encrypt lvm2 btrfs resume filesystems keyboard fsck"
...

Regenerate initrd image:

mkinitcpio -p linux

Install and configure GRUB:

grub-install

• Find the persistent UUID pathname for your root partition:

The encrypted LVM you made, not the btrfs subvolume:

NAME          FSTYPE      LABEL              UUID                                   
sda                                                                                 
├─sda1        vfat                           294C-3908                              
├─sda2        ext4                           3d02045e-aa03-4cb5-9503-7eea54bdedc8   
└─sda3        crypto_LUKS                    d362beea-62e8-41de-90a6-eab3c70f2ce0   <--- this

Use blkid to find it:

blkid
(find your encrypted root partition's uuid)
echo /dev/disk/by-uuid/<UUID> >> /etc/default/grub

• In /etc/default/grub edit the kernel parameters:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet transparent_hugepage=never"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="cryptdevice=/dev/disk/by-uuid/<insert encrypted root UUID here>:lvm:allow-discards root=/dev/mapper/lvmvg-rootvol rootflags=subvol=root resume=/dev/mapper/lvmvg-swapvol"

# save, exit and:

grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

• Ignore any lvmetad warnings, they won't interfere with the conf setup

Drop out of the system:

exit

Unmount all partitions:

umount -R /mnt swapoff -a

Reboot into the new system - make sure to remove the USB:

reboot

Rejoice and / or troubleshoot :)

System setup:

• Login as root

• Connect to WiFi with wifi-menu

• Add normal user to sudoers:

visudo Uncomment username ALL=(ALL) ALL

• Populate home directory with familiar directories and prepare Builds directory:

cd ~
xdg-user-dirs-update
mv Public ./Builds

• Install and configure Xorg and Gnome:

pacman -S xf86-video-intel xorg-server xorg-xinit gnome 
# (will also install gdm)


# maintain authenticated session:
vim ~/.xserverrc
# add (note that the first line is not one of my comments, include it WITH the #):

#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/Xorg -nolisten tcp "$@" vt$XDG_VTNR

# Exit and:
cp /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc ~/.xinitrc
vim ~/.xinitrc

# Edit and add:

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
    for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
        [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
    done
    unset f
fi

# add this to the bottom of the file:
exec gnome-session


# start X at login:
vim ~/.zprofile (or ~/.bash_profile if you prefer)
# add:
if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && [ -n "$XDG_VTNR" ] && [ "$XDG_VTNR" -eq 1 ]; then
  exec startx
fi

Deep breath and reboot again.

Assuming all goes well, you should be ready to start setting up your userland. I usually enable gdm and NetworkManager to get the ball rolling, then install Chrome from the AUR, etc.

btrfs issues

INFO: task btrfs-tranacti:191 blocked for more than 120 seconds. See this forum topic for info. Also try clearing out ~/.cache.

btrfs Backups to external USB with snapper and snap-sync

Install snapper and create snapshot configs

pacman -S snapper
snapper -c root create-config /
snapper -c home create-config /home
# You'll need to delete the automatically-generated subvolumes,
# as they are inherently flawed and shouldn't be relied upon (See [1])
btrfs subvolume delete /.snapshots
btrfs subvolume delete /home/.snapshots
# Now, create new subvolumes and mount them at the mountpoints snapper expects:
mkdir /snapshots
mkdir /.snapshots
mkdir /home/.snapshots
btrfs subvolume create /snapshots/root_snaps
btrfs subvolume create /snapshots/home_snaps
# Lookup subvolume ID for root_snaps and home_snaps,
# and mount them to their respective snapshot mountpoints
btrfs subvolume list -a /
mount -o compress=lzo,subvolid=<ROOT_SNAPS_ID> /dev/mapper/lvmvg-root /.snapshots
mount -o compress=lzo,subvolid=<HOME_SNAPS_ID> /dev/mapper/lvmvg-root /home/.snapshots
# Enable automatic snapshots
systemctl start snapper-timeline.timer snapper-cleanup.timer
systemctl enable snapper-timeline.timer snapper-cleanup.timer

1

Install snap-sync and backup to btrfs-formatted USB volume

mkfs.btrfs -L Backups /dev/sdbX
mount -o compress=lzo /dev/sdbX /mnt
pacaur -S snap-sync
sudo snap-sync
# Follow the directions to backup to the USB.
# It's possible you might have to create a 'Backups' directory at /mnt
# (I did for some reason, but can't remember why -.-')

Add pacman / pacaur alias to .zshrc

echo 'alias -g pac="pacaur"' >> ~/.zshrc

Install neovim

pacman -S neovim
echo 'alias -g vim="neovim"' >> ~/.zshrc
# copy to system clipboard by putting this in init.vim:
        noremap <C-y> "+y

Slightly hacky method to make Powerline fonts work:

Add to your .zshrc:

export LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8

Better method:

Edit /etc/locale.conf

Remap Caps Lock to Control, Control to Escape (Macbook 12,1)

~/.Xmodmap
clear lock
clear control
keycode 66 = Control_L
add control = Control_L
keycode 37 = Escape NoSymbol Escape

Also ensure that you're prepending the .Xmodmap conditional check:

setxkbmap -option apple:badmap

if [ -f $HOME/.Xmodmap ]; then
    /usr/bin/xmodmap $HOME/.Xmodmap
fi

Otherwise it'll swallow your "<" / ">" keycodes