Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

Zack89 · 2008-09-24 03:14:04

Hi! Im a brand spanking new Linux user in the sense that this is the first Distro ive SUCCESSFULLY installed after trying other distros. It took me a while but I did it.. but to my horror.. after HOURS of working on it.. THERES NO GUI!!!! How do I set this monster up on a gui >_>

Odd-rationale · 2008-09-24 03:19:39

There is no gui on an Arch Linux install...

To find out how to install one read the Beginners Wiki page: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide

Arch Linux isn't the easiest distro for new beginners to install. So much congrats to you!!

Edit: Might be interested in this as well: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/FAQ … se_Arch.3F

Basically, for a new linux user to start using Arch, he/she must be willing to learn... we all started somewhere...

Last edited by Odd-rationale (2008-09-24 03:22:53)

Allan · 2008-09-24 03:19:41

Have a look here: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide

Zack89 · 2008-09-24 03:21:03

Lol thanks and thank you for the help! Heh i was about to give up.. i set this up under Vbox on my Mac and was about to give up hehe

wirenik · 2008-09-24 03:53:18

Reading the wiki would have been a really good idea before you even considered installing Arch...

Zack89 · 2008-09-24 03:59:05

I actually was following the wiki and that caused me to fail i dont know how many times.. What gave me problems the most was the actual partitioning of the drive.. and what REALLY threw me is that i was like "ok im dumb.. i dont think i should be doing this maybe i should use auto prepare" and with autoprepare it wouldnt work either.. I finally got this thing to work by only setting up 2 partitions a Swap and Root partition (ehh boot or root whatever it is) instead of 3, a swap boot and root.. So ill dismiss your remark

jacko · 2008-09-24 04:15:29

So ill dismiss your remark

The beginners guide is the most comprehensive tutorial around for installing arch linux. Thanks for saying thanks to all it's contributors for dismissing it so easily.

Your issue with the three partitions is an easy one to solve. So maybe you should dismiss your failure on your noob-ness instead.

Personally I don't use a /boot partition, I don't think the wiki insist you use one either.

wirenik · 2008-09-24 05:30:03

Zack, with all due respect, you don't sound like the sort of person who's quite ready to be using Arch, or really any Linux distro for that matter.

You say you followed the wiki. If that's true, then you should have been reading the Beginner's Guide the whole time and following it to a tick. But as soon as someone gives you a link to it, you say your problem is solved, which makes me think that you WEREN'T reading the wiki, or at least not thoroughly enough.

Like jacko said, the Beginner's Guide is the absolute best piece piece of documentation for installing Arch Linux. If you did read it, I am very surprised that it resulted in so many problems for you. Can you explain them, so that it can be fixed?

In all honesty, I don't think it was the wiki that caused your problems; I think it was you. I don't mean to flame, and I know I sound mean, but the only reason I say that is because the wiki explains things so clearly that few people would be unable to grasp it. Unless you had really weird or brand-new hardware or something.

"ehh boot or root or whatever it was"? Can you really not remember? Was it / or /root or /boot or what? Things like that are kind of important

If autoprepare "didn't work," don't forget to file a bug report, or something, instead of just walking away assuming that it's a crappy bit of software. Otherwise it will never get better.

Always remember to search the web, the wiki, the FAQ's, and the forums - really put some effort into finding the answer without someone holding your hand - before posting your own question. Chances are it's already been answered.

Edit: In fact, I recommend that you read this. Sure, it's long, but it's worth every word.

Have fun with Arch, and welcome to the forums!

Last edited by wirenik (2008-09-24 05:33:05)

Zack89 · 2008-09-24 11:06:05

Whoa whoa I think we have some misunderstandings here.. me saying "Dismissing your remark" was what wirenik said about it being a "good idea" to follow the wiki. It came off as a lil sarcastic. I dont know what it is wirekik but i was following the installation wiki and i dont know it wouldnt run. The hole ehh boot or root or whatever it was didnt work, i DO remember. I Just get them confused since originally I thought BOOT was just all I needed and Root was like "hmm Im not sure what Root is so maybe I shouldnt touch it..." And I wasnt ASSUMING its crappy software I know I was the one screwing up just couldnt figure out where. Hmph welcome to arch linux forums huh..? considering the kind of welcome your giving me its tempting me to stay away..

Allan · 2008-09-24 11:13:53

People, we need to remember that words can be easily misinterpreted on the forums. This gets worse when people don't have English as a first language.

Welcome to the forums.... In general, we are a friendly bunch.

Zack89 · 2008-09-24 11:17:45

Id like to think that.. thanks I suppose heh.. Linux just fascinates me and I am willng to learn.. although I guess I do apologize for asking a stupid question.. I just didnt think when I FINALLY installed Arch that it wouldnt have a Gui.. I been reading up on setting up my internet card, then getting X.org and a DE.. so I think I should be good to go to get up and running.

ralvez · 2008-09-24 11:44:55

@Zack89,

Hey for someone who has no Unix/Linux background and starting "cold" you are doing very well. Keep it up.
Welcome to Arch.

R.

Zack89 · 2008-09-24 13:21:50

Wow thanks thats much appreciated. I actually have a little little bit of experience if you consider Mac OS X "Unix".. I do want to get this thing fully configured up.. I wanted to install a Linux distro on my Windows PC and at first was leaning towards Dream or Mint.. But this.. this is like amazing. Its a bit easier than Linux From Scratch (thats a story for another bonfire) and being able to put what I want into it.. well thats just rockin. This kind of stuff just fascinates me, I want to learn Unix and Linux from the ground up and be able to do stuff from terminal.. considering I have to do all initial config of Arch from terminal.. what better way to learn?

johnvoisey · 2008-09-26 15:39:47

hi zack89 i guess it must be a good TWELVE years ago I was in your shoes and if I can drag myself up from not knowing the difference between a boot disk and a root disk to the point where I can start contemplating compiling special kernels to allow my 3g usb card to work in a 'mini cd-less laptop' that's so new you can only get one with a mobile phone contract, then so can you (!)

The point about arch linux is that it's optimised for being kept simple in itself, as opposed to being simple for a first timer to use, and hey a year or so back it was even more 'picky' about how you went about things than it is now.

If you just want to see what linux can do while you get your head round it, without going through an install process and partitioning etc, have you considered one of the 'livecd' flavours of linux out there ? To use these you just put in the cd and boot, and it does the rest. No install needed. I may be wrong but I think the one I have handy for disaster boots and demos is a 'gnoppix' live cd. Awesome, but slow, and not arch of course !

A few years ago I'd have said a new linux user wanting a system with minimal fuss and bags of user documentation ought to look at red hat linux. These days a distro called CEntOS is a free, community supported repackage of the redistributable bits of RH with all the trademarked stuff removed and proprietary commercial stuff replaced with GPL equivalents. worth a look and easier to get started than an arch system.

BUT if you already have the arch bug then yes I like arch because it's fast, it's clean, and it's very configurable. But it CAN be a swine to get running. especially on 'wierd' hardware. The newest arch boot iso won't boot on some systems for example, I've posted on that - and the workaround using an older boot image - elsewhere, but hey, anaconda on redhat RH-9 shrike gave me the same grief five years ago when I tried running it on a celeron laptop with an onboard SiS video card. Life with the pioneers is tough and don't ever forget the word 'pioneer' is actually derived from an american misunderstanding of the sioux pronunciation of their word for 'target practice dude' which explains the arrows in the back of many of us !

I personally found the best way to get a system up is to start with the core ISO and load all three categories of package (base devel and support I think they were, hand-picking the drivers i needed out of the 'support' stuff on the cd to match your hardware - (remember what we all said about this needing a bit of thought and maybe not being something for raw beginners !!) then use pacman to being in xorg, and a desktop environment of your choice. The wiki REALLY IS your friend here.

And as wirenik said, if you hit what looks like a bug DONT just walk away but SAY something because if you don't, how on earth will anyone know there is an issue and how will the developer community know what needs further work. I mean, I'm GOING to get to the bottom of why my webbook absolutely refuses point blank to boot from the latest 2008 CD ISO but somes up like a dream with the isolinux-based 2007 ISO's. it may take some time but I WILL eventualy get there - and when I do, I'll be (gently) explaining what I've found - and (hopefully) taking the credit for doing so :-) because otherwise I might as well give up and go buy a copy of windows vista for it !!!!!

Arch Linux

#1 2008-09-24 03:14:04

Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#2 2008-09-24 03:19:39

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#3 2008-09-24 03:19:41

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#4 2008-09-24 03:21:03

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#5 2008-09-24 03:53:18

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#6 2008-09-24 03:59:05

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#7 2008-09-24 04:15:29

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#8 2008-09-24 05:30:03

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#9 2008-09-24 11:06:05

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#10 2008-09-24 11:13:53

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#11 2008-09-24 11:17:45

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#12 2008-09-24 11:44:55

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#13 2008-09-24 13:21:50

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

#14 2008-09-26 15:39:47

Re: Installed Base Arch Linux System, need help with GUI?

Board footer