LinuxClub@UCU

Manjaro installation manual

Manjaro Installation Guide🔗

You'll need an Internet connection, laptop with some spare disk space, and a USB flash drive.

  1. Download Manjaro .iso file with desktop manager of your choosing (XFCE, KDE Plasma, GNOME)

  2. Burn an .iso file to a USB drive:

    1. Windows
      1. Using rufus
        1. Download and install rufus.
        2. Choose an .iso file and a USB drive, burn it and accept the 'format' dialog.
    2. Linux
      1. CLI using dd
        1. Check the list of your drives using lsblk before inserting your USB and after, remember its name.
        2. Run sudo dd bs=4M if=<iso_file> of=<device_name> conv=fdatasync status="progress". dd is a utility that allows to copy and move files, with if representing input file, and of - output file. bs represents the number of bytes to write at a time, and conv allows for safe finished file transfer.
      2. Using etcher
        1. Choose the file to burn, choose the drive and let it do its job.
    3. MacOS
      1. Have no idea. Is anyone using it anyway?

  3. Free up some space (can skip this step if you have an empty drive)

  4. Create a new partition with all the free space (if you want to have a dual-boot)

    1. Shrink your Windows partition with the native 'Partition' app

  5. Install the operating system on the new partition

    1. Turn your laptop off and insert the USB drive, enter BIOS mode (by repeatedly tapping esc or f1-f5 keys) and boot from the USB drive.

    2. Press enter and wait for the system to load, open the install manager, select all the settings you require.

    3. On the partitioning stage, choose manual partitioning and create a new GPT partition table, if needed. Afterwards, split the free space into:

      1. Create a boot/efi partition. File system: FAT32, Mount point: /boot/efi, Flags: boot, Size: 512mib
      2. Create a root partition, all your main programs are going to be located here. File system: ext4, Mount point: /, Flags: none, Size: 20-30gb
      3. Create a swap partition. File system: linuxswap, Flags: swap, Size: the same size as your RAM
      4. Create a home partition. File system: ext4, Mount point: /home, Flags: none, Size: all the rest of the space, for a minimum of 20gb

    4. Choose next and proceed with the installation. After it asks to restart, accept and pull the USB drive out once your laptop turns off.

    5. Install necessary packages for AUR usage

    sudo pacman -Syy
sudo pacman -S fakeroot binutils patch
    1. Update the system (we recommend you do that at least once a week)
    sudo pacman -Syu
    1. You should be all set! Proceed to programs list, resources and useful links docs.