# Simple, modern and secure installation of Arch Linux with KDE Plasma.

**Load the preferred keyboard. In my case it's "de" for Germany.**  
$ loadkeys de  
  
**List devices to make sure you partition the right device.**  
$ lsblk  
  
**Partition the device using gdisk (assuming /dev/sda).**  
$ gdisk /dev/sda  
  
**Create GPT and EFI-partion.**  
_# Creates new GPT-partition table._  
$ o    
_# Accept._  
$ y  
_# New partition._  
$ n  
_# 512 MB should be plenty for /boot._  
$ +512M  
_# Mark as EFI._  
$ ef00  
_# New main partition, accept all the following using "y"._  
$ n  

**Print and check your partitions.**  
$ p  
  
**Write partitions to device.**  
$ w  
_# Accept._  
$ y  
  
**Encrypt primary partition.**  
$ cryptsetup -c aes-xts-plain -y -s 512 luksFormat /dev/sda2  
$ YES  

**Open encrypted partition, map as "root" and create filesystem.**  
$ cryptseup luksOpen /dev/sda2 root  
$ mkfs.fat -F 32 -n UEFI /dev/sda1  
**-F specifies the type of file allocation tables used (12, 16 or 32 bit).**  
**-n sets the volume name (label) of the filesystem to "UEFI".**  
  
**Create ext4 filesystem on primary partition.**  
$ mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/root  
  
**Create mountpoints and mount partitions.**  
$ mount /dev/mapper/root /mnt  
$ mkdir /mnt/boot  
$ mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot  
  
**Optionally update mirrorlist using reflector.**  
**In this case use the latest 10 mirrors from Germany, that have been synchronized within the last 24 hours and sort the by download-rate and write them to the pacman mirrorlist.**  
$  reflector --verbose --latest 10 --country Germany --age 24 --sort rate --save /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist  
  
**Install base system and basic packages (network, editor, sudo).**  
**The package base-devel is not necessary but recommended.**  
$ pacstrap /mnt base base-devel linux linux-firmware networkmanager nano sudo  
  
**Generate fstab.**  
$ genfstab -Lp /mnt > /mnt/etc/fstab  
**-L = Use labels for source identifiers (shortcut for -t LABEL).**  
**-p Exclude pseudofs mounts (default behavior).**  
  
**Chroot into your installation.**  
$ arch-chroot /mnt  
  
**Set your hostname.**  
$ echo mycomputer > /etc/hostname  
  
**Generate locale.gen for your preferred language (and preferribly english).**  
$ nano /etc/locale.gen  
**Uncomment your language, e.g. de_DE.UTF-8 UTF-8 (and en_US.UTF-8).**  
  
**Generate the locale.**  
$ locale-gen  
  
**Add necessary HOOKS and MODULES.**  
$ nano /etc/mkinitcpio.conf  
  
**MODULES=(ext4)**  
**HOOKS=(base udev autodetect modconf block keyboard keymap encrypt filesystems fsck shutdown)**  
  
**Create mkinitcpio.**  
$ mkinitcpio -p linux  
  
**Start NetworkManager for automatic network access on next boot.**  
$ systemctl enable NetworkManager  
  
**Set a root-password.**  
$ passwd  
  
**Install systemd-boot bootloader.**  
$ bootctl install  
  
**Create the bootloader config.**  
$ nano /bootloader/entries/arch.conf  
  
**Add the following:**  
```
title    Arch Linux
linux    /vmlinuz-linux
initrd   /initramfs-linux.img
options  cryptdevice=/dev/sda2:root root=/dev/mapper/root rw lang=de init=/usr/lib/systemd/systemd locale=de_DE.UTF-8
```
  
**Create a fallback config.**  
$ cp /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf /boot/loader/entries/arch-fallback.conf  
  
**Edit the fallback config.**  
$ nano /boot/loader/entries/arch-fallback.conf  
  
**Change it to the following:**  
```
title    Arch Linux Fallback
initrd   /initramfs-linux-fallback.img
```
  
**Edit loader config.**  
$ nano /boot/loader/loader.conf  
  
**Change it to the following:**  
```
timeout 1
default arch.conf
```
  
**Exit and reboot.**  
$ exit  
$ umount /mnt/boot  
$ reboot  
  
**Enter encryption-password and login as root.**  
  
**Set the keyboard to your preferred language permantently.**  
$ echo KEYMAP=de-latin1-nodeadkeys > /etc/vconsole.conf  
  
**Create a user with a /home-directory.**  
$ useradd -m myusername  
  
**Set password for your user.**  
$ passwd myusername  
  
**Add $myusername to group wheel for sudo access.**  
$ gpasswd -a $myusername wheel  
  
**Edit sudoers-file for sudo access.**  
$ nano /etc/sudoers  
  
**Uncomment „%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL“.**  
  
**Logout as root.**  
$ exit  
  
**Login as you user.**  
  
**Install SDDM and a minimal KDE Plasma.**  
$ pacman -S sddm sddm-kcm plasma-desktop  
  
**Install KDE terminal for easier installation of packages in Plasma.**  
$ pacman -S konsole  
  
**Enable and start SDDM to login to Plasma.**  
$ systemctl enable sddm  
$ systemctl start sddm  
  
**Now you are logged in to your Plasma desktop environment and ready to configure and use your Arch Linux.**  
  
**Suggested packages to install.**  
  
- microcode (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Microcode)
- kde-gtk-config (Adds graphical settings for GTK apps.)
- kdeplasma-addons („All kind of addons to improve your Plasma experience.“)
- kscreen (Adds screen section to graphical settings.)
- ksystemlog (Graphical system log viewer)
- partitionmanager (Graphical partition manager)
- plasma-nm (Network manager applet)
- plasma-pa (Audio manager applet)
- powerdevil (Adds energy manager to graphical settings.)
- spectacle (Graphical screenshot tool.)
- systemd-swap (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/swap#systemd-swap)