Arch Linux

AcousticBruce

Member

Registered: 2015-03-03

Posts: 64

Installing Arch Linux base and base-devel WITHOUT network access.

This sceneario uses a laptop with nonworking network ability. I want to use the Arch Linux live iso and instead of using pacstrap to get base and base-devel, I want to use pacman and install them from another location. Forgive me if I should wiki this, but I am confused. I see repo, i see change root and cache directories. I just do not know what is the best approach. SO here is what I have:

I have a usb stick with 2 folders one contains base and the other folder contains base-devel.
I did this to get the files.

sudo pacman -Sw --cachedir /mnt/usb-stick/base  base
sudo pacman -Sw --cachedir /mnt/usb-stick/base-devel  base-devel

I tried to do this as a test before I caried on to the laptop and this is what I tried.

sudo pacman -U --root mnt/fake-system /mnt/usb-stick/base/*

My hypothesis: pacstrap creates all the folders and databases you need. I have to manually do them because I am not useing the pacstrap wrapper.

I am thining I need to make a database file with the current version of downloaded files I have. Am I correct?
If I am correct. How can I do this? Is there a way to get pacman to create the database based off my current files?

I also saw something about a keyring and I am completely oblivious to that. Is this something I would need also?

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,688

Re: Installing Arch Linux base and base-devel WITHOUT network access.

Create your own offline repository and add it to the mirrorlist.

or

Google-fu mastery lvl 1: "arch offline install". The first page alone should give you three links with hints, one tells you about Archboot.

or

Your hypothesis is correct. pacstrap (a script you can read), does a lot of things. Read the script and emulate the steps you`d miss offline.

or (the clever way):

Install Arch on a machine with net access to a folder using arch-install-scripts and move it to the offline computer. You can update and extend the system this way, too.

Edit: What are the error messages?

You can extract pacman and its deps to the new root, chroot into it and install with -U. Disable the keychecks in pacman.conf. Don't forget to install pacman with pacman.

Last edited by Awebb (2015-05-25 06:40:00)

AcousticBruce

Member

Registered: 2015-03-03

Posts: 64

Re: Installing Arch Linux base and base-devel WITHOUT network access.

Create your own offline repository and add it to the mirrorlist.

hmm.. I will have to look into that.

Google-fu mastery lvl 1: "arch offline install". The first page alone should give you three links with hints, one tells you about Archboot.

Sometimes it is all in the keyword, I was typing "no network", and "local install". I think this wiki alone will help me.

Your hypothesis is correct. pacstrap (a script you can read), does a lot of things. Read the script and emulate the steps you`d miss offline.

I didnt realize I can read it. This is so awesome! I cannot wait till tomorrow

(the clever way):
Install Arch on a machine with net access to a folder using arch-install-scripts and move it to the offline computer. You can update and extend the system this way, too.

The problem with this "clever way" is it does not make me more clever
I really like to learn things by doing them, even the hard way sometimes.

Edit: What are the error messages?

error: failed to initialize alpm library
(could not find or read directory: /mnt/usb-stick/var/lib/pacman/)
I believe it is looking for a data base.

You can extract pacman and its deps to the new root, chroot into it and install with -U. Disable the keychecks in pacman.conf. Don't forget to install pacman with pacman.

Not installing pacman is definately something I would have forgot. lol! All of your advice is awesome and I will look into this tomorrow.

Last edited by AcousticBruce (2015-05-25 15:56:04)