2025 Arch Linux Install with COSMIC | Full Step-by-Step Guide [BTRFS, Encrypt, Zram, Timeshift]
In this step-by-step Arch Linux tutorial, I’ll help you replace your spyware-ridden OS with a tailored, minimalist, and secure Arch Linux install.
Get your USB drives ready, Ladies and Gentlemen! It's time to embrace the most glorious Linux distro - Arch (btw). You’ll walk away with a battle-tested system featuring:
🌌 COSMIC: the latest and greatest Desktop Environment (Alpha 7)
🔐 Disk Encryption: Protect your data from the feds!
💾 Timeshift + BTRFS: snapshots for when you screw things up.
🧠 Zram: Get back your memory (in memory compression)!
All this and much more for a stable linux system. Let's go!
First step! Get your bootable Arch ISO (instructions here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/USB_...)
Timestamps:
00:00 - introduction (BTRFS, cryptsetup, zram, timeshift, COSMIC)
03:00 - booting into the Arch ISO
05:00 - setting the root user password
07:32 - connecting to the internet with iwctl
10:40 - SSH into the target machine
11:58 - set locale, keymaps, timezone
15:14 - partition the target disk (efi, btrfs)
20:02 - encrypt your disk
20:45 - open encrypted disk & create BTRFS subvolumes
22:54 - mount partitions & BTRFS subvolumes
29:20 - install base packages with pacstrap
29:45 - generate the filesystem table (fstab)
30:45 - chroot into the install
34:34 - network configuration
35:30 - users & groups
38:14 - update the mirrors with reflector
39:29 - install mission critical packages
41:41 - install additional packages
43:06 - install microcode (intel/amd)
43:43 - configure the GRUB bootloader for BTRFS
44:15 - generate initramfs & mkinitcpio.conf
45:59 - setup GRUB for BTRFS
49:02 - enable services with systemd
50:33 - boot into the system
51:59 - connecting to the internet
53:13 - installing Paru for the Arch User Repository (AUR)
54:28 - installing & configuring timeshift snapshots
58:25 - installing & configuring zram-generator
1:01:19 - installing the ly display manager
01:02:04 - installing the COSMIC Desktop Environment (Alpha 7)
01:03:15 - demo & thank you for watching! (Please Subscribe!)
Links:
All commands in the tutorial are documented here: https://github.com/radleylewis/arch_i...
Arch Wiki Installation Guide: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Inst...
COSMIC Desktop Environment: https://system76.com/cosmic/
BTRFS: https://btrfs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
Cryptsetup: https://gitlab.com/cryptsetup/cryptse...
ZRAM: https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v5.9/...
Timeshift GitHub: https://github.com/linuxmint/timeshift
Keyboard Parts (affliliate links):
People keep asking about the keeb with that thoccky sound! Remember to pack the case with carboard/bubble wrap or the like to really get the nice sound.
Keyboard (GMK67 in Wine Red): https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_omA...
Keys (Japanese MDA Keycaps PBT): https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_okn...
Switches (GATERON Oil King V2): https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ooG...
Please note that I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase through these links. Thanks for supporting the channel!
Thank you to all of the maintainers who make this system and GNU/Linux possible!
#ArchLinux #LinuxTutorial #COSMICDesktop #Timeshift #BTRFS #DiskEncryption