IS YOUR COMPUTER READY FOR LINUX?

BIOS – UEFI – MOTHERBOARD SETTINGS

When you boot up your computer, every pc lets you get into the BIOS or SETUP. Be sure you have set everything correct so you can install Linux on your computer.

You should be able to boot from the USB via a keyboard shortcut  for example F8 and if you are planning to install virtual box or any other similar application you need to enable virtualization.

Here you can find everything you need to know about install Linux on your computer.

Here you can find various articles about BIOS and UEFI settings on different computers.

VIRTUALBOX OR REAL METAL

Before installing a Linux distribution, you can first try it out in VirtualBox or other virtual machines.

As a matter of fact ArcoLinux is fine-tuned to work smoothly on VirtualBox. All packages are pre-installed.

You need to use the proper settings in VirtualBox.

You can end up with a unresponsive system (not enough RAM, not enough cores, not enough hard disk space).

You can end up with the wrong resolution (wrong choice of the graphics controller).

Here you can find all our articles about VirtualBox and virtual machines in general

PLANNING TO COMBINE WINDOWS WITH LINUX

Check out videos about combining Windows with ArcoLinux on Youtube. Check out the Arch Wiki guide too.

YouTube Playlist

BURN ON USB

We recommend using a USB to install ArcoLinux.

Here you can find our article about burning an ISO to USB.

HOW TO INSTALL ARCOLINUX

It takes several screens to install ArcoLinux and will take approx. 15 minutes to install on newer hardware.

Thanks to Calamares you will have a simple and clean graphical interface.

Calamares is changing with every release. Every new release of ArcoLinux will be using the latest Calamares installer.

Over time you will see some changes in our Calamares installer.

You can always report issues on the github of Calamares. It is the only way to improve calamares.

Calamares is not an ArcoLinux product.

ArcoLinuxB gives us desktops

Minimal software installed

OLDER SETUP

See that you know your (graphical) hardware – inxi -b, probe, neofetch will give a summary of what you have. Laptops often have labels of AMD/ATI or Nvidia on them.

Virtual Machines or hardware with Intel and Amd graphical cards use option 2 as a first choice or option 1.

Hardware with newer Nvidia cards use option 3 or option 4.

Hardware with older Nvidia cards use option 1 or option 2. If they want they can install lateron Nvidia 340, 390 or 470.

If all of the above fails, then you use the nomodeset option.

NEW SETUP

Major change is no xf86-video drivers present on iso.

See that you know your (graphical) hardware – inxi -b, probe, neofetch will give a summary of what you have. Laptops often have labels of AMD/ATI or Nvidia on them.

Virtual machines or hardware with Intel and Amd graphical cards use option 1.

Hardware with newer Nvidia cards use option 2.

If all of the above fails, then you use the nomodeset option.

To ease the transition we added first some “commentary”  without xf86-video drivers.

Both images will do exactly the same thing.

If you want less software we have ArcoLinuxS, ArcoLinuxD and ArcoLinuxB for you.

Our flagship becomes a cruiseship – install more packages or desktops from Calamares

Internet connection is required

With the latest version of Calamares you have the freedom to choose what packages to install on the fly.

You can select if you want a different kernel or decide to install nvidia packages.

You can decide to install the microcode.

You can decide to install any of our desktops.

You can decide to install any of our display managers.

You can select any of the additional software from the list.

We have created an ArcoLinux-meta-steam package to install steam the efficient way.

We have created an ArcoLinux-meta-fun package to install all the packages. Previously our fun script.

Choose either Libre Office Fresh or Libre Office Still.

Choose either Virtualbox for linux or linux-lts kernel.

If you change the language in Calamares, you will also change the language of Libre Office.

HOW TO SWITCH THE DESKTOP ON THE LIVE USB

Log out from the current desktop.

Follow the correct sequence:

1. Type in the user : liveuser
2. Click on password and leave it empty – it disappears
3. Choose your desktop at the top right
4. Press enter