💻 Xero Install Scripts 💻
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Note
Distro is Back : If you want to skip all this, you can just Donate and grab the XeroLinux KDE pre-built ISO from 👉 Re-Release Post
What these scripts do¶
The intention of these scripts is not to replace ArchInstall but to fix some of its profiles while extending them further nothing more. Most features of the Toolkit can be used on any DE or WM it's agnostic.
These scripts are subject to change over time, so please treat the video above as a general reference rather than an exact guide. As updates and improvements are made, some steps or options may differ from what is shown. Keep that in mind while following along, and always refer to the most recent version of this guide for the best results.
Finally, before we begin, none of these scripts will install a customized/riced version of the DEs keeping them Vanilla. It's all about the freedom of choice, leaving final setup up to you. I just included the tools you might need while taking care of all the dependencies, making it a little bit easier to setup your system.
.// The Wiki \\.
Installation Guide¶
System Preparation¶
Let's start off by knowing what we need to get started. First off, we will need the latest version of the >> ArchLinux ISO, a USB stick to burn ISO onto, we can either use >> Balena Etcher or the highly recommended >> Ventoy.
Those are the essentials. As to my Plasma Install script will get to that a bit later down the line. Once we got everything, we shall begin...
Installing ArchLinux¶
Ok, so now that we have burned the ISO to the USB using either tools, boot the system we want to install it on using it. Am not gonna go through showing you how, you should know that by now lol.
Note :
Warning
This guide expects you to be connected to the internet via ethernet. If you aren't and need to connect over WiFi, you can follow guide on the ArchWiki
- Remote Install via SSH
Now, unlike other guides out there, I will be showing how we can use SSH to do the installation remotely, which will make things much easier. All we need is a secondary PC running Linux. If none is available, this part can be skipped.
Ok, first things first, we need to set a password to the root user. We do it by typing the following command in the TTY, like this :
Now we type our temporary password & confirm it. Once that's done, we need to get the machine's IP Address, we do that by running this command :
Once we have it, all we need to do to connect to the machine is the following command :
We confirm by typing yes. That's it, now we are connected to the machine remotely, so we can now easily copy paste comands for a much simpler install...
- ArchInstall Script
Once connected, first thing we will have to do is, make sure we have latest version of ArchInstall. We do that by running the following command :
Now some of you might be asking me, "why the --advanced flag ?", to which I answer, simply because devs still hide the parallel downloads behind it for whatever reason. It's fine at least now you know.
Ok, now that we have the installer running, am not going to go through each and every option one by one, just the important ones. Those are explained in the video. Am also not gonna bother with manual partitioning since the guide is intended for single OS easy install.
That's why we will be using the Best Guess option, carefully selecting the correct drive we want install ArchLinux onto.
Warning
User Data : I will not be held responsible for any data loss resulting from selection of the wrong drive. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE.
Anyway, let's make sure we skip the parts I mentioned in the video, like Profiles, Drivers, Extra Packages and Extra Repos, since everything will now be done Post-Install via my Toolkit. Don't forget to set parallel downloads to as many as you like for faster downloads. Also as mentioned, we do not need to enable any extra repos like multilib since my script will do that for us later on.
Now once everything is configured and set, hit install, sit back, grab a cup of Tea/Coffee and watch it do its thing. Might take a while it all depends on Internet connection...
Installing Desktops¶
Once that's all done, we will be prompted if we want to chroot into our new install, we answer with yes of course since we still have no DE yet.
Tip
Inspection. We do not recommend to blindly execute scripts without inspecting them first. Check out the code >> Plasma, Gnome or Cosmic-Alpha
Once you trust it/them, you can move on. Now, depending on the method that was used, ssh or not, we either copy paste one of the commands below or type it manually :
🚀 KDE Plasma¶
👣 Gnome (WiP)¶
🪐 Cosmic-Alpha¶
Warning
The script shared herein is work-in-progress. Cosmic is still in Alpha stages; so it needs time to reach full maturity. Might contain major issues. Please do not use it on your production machine. If you want to test in a VM, for best performance I would highly recommend ProxmoxVe.
The Cosmic group on Arch does not include the xdg-user-dirs package which creates the Documents, Music, Pictures, Downloads & Videos folders in your home & system76-power is missing which the Cosmic Settings will prompt you for; so I added them.
These scripts will perform several checks and then prompt you to confirm the addition of the XeroLinux and Chaotic-AUR repositories, along with my recommended configurations. If you agree, simply follow the prompts. The script will exit if you choose not to proceed.
The exec Blockers¶
I have also implemented some checks making sure script is being run in chroot and on ArchLinux blocking execution anywhere else. This helps me in the long run not having to bang my head against the wall trying to provide support in case it was run on Distros I have no control over.
So to avoid the headaches, I decided to block the execution. Better for everyone. This will allow me to concentrate on the distro and other current/future projects, with support being limited within XeroLinux.
While I've meticulously reviewed all packages and groups to ensure the best experience via my Curated list, you are free to choose any of the other options. You will also notice that the multilib repo was enabled. I made sure of that since most newcomers forget to do it. It's an essential repo required for the likes of Steam, and various drivers.
Now, installation might take a while, it all depends on the speed of your Internet connection. I have included quite a few quality-of-life packages which should make your experience as Seamless as possible.
Finally, for now at least, once script is done, we will be prompted to exit and reboot the system. We do that by typing exit then reboot, and that's it for this part anyway...
System Configuration¶
If all went smoothly, we should now be greeted with the login page. Once logged in, open Terminal, and update the system. Done !
Then we launch the XeroLinux Post Installation Toolkit from the App Launcher. That's it.
It's up to you to discover all the options. The whole point of this guide is how to get included DEs installed the right way while expanding them a little, not to set up the system from A to Z. For more info, check out the Toolkit Wiki
Install Issues¶
If you encounter any issues or have questions directly related to these scripts, feel free to reach out to me on Fosstodon or Discord. All relevant links are provided in the footer, and I'll do my best to assist you.
However, if your questions are related to your specific hardware, I may not have the answers you're looking for, as my knowledge is limited to what works on my own systems. For hardware-specific queries, your best resources are the ArchWiki, or our custom ChatGPT A.I. available on Discord.
Final words¶
That’s it, boys and girls, we’ve successfully installed our system! 🎉 The rest is in your capable hands now. Dive into the toolkit, poke around, and see if there’s anything that catches your fancy. Who knows, you might even stumble upon something that’ll make your setup sing! Just don’t blame me if you get lost in the endless sea of tweaks and options, consider it part of the adventure.
😄 Happy tinkering! 😄