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#1 2014-09-13 02:35:45
- DaimyoKirby
- Member
- Registered: 2013-10-29
- Posts: 54
Setup Arch on Desktop without any peripherals
So I have a bit of conundrum - I recently aqcuired a desktop, but it doesn't have any peripherals such as monitor or keyboard. I have a laptop running Arch, but as far as my searches have been turning up there really isn't a way to use a laptop as the monitor for another computer without installing software like Synergy or Xdmx on both computers, which poses the same problem I'm currently experiencing.
It currently has Windows 8.1 on it (installed by the person I bought it from), so I'd need to install Arch with only my laptop as well.
Is there any way for me to manage the desktop with only my laptop? I have access to a few cables, such as ethernet and crossover, and I'm willing to buy any others that would work since that'd be cheaper still than a monitor.
Last edited by DaimyoKirby (2014-09-21 03:26:39)
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#2 2014-09-13 02:42:16
- Trilby
- Inspector Parrot
- Registered: 2011-11-29
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Re: Setup Arch on Desktop without any peripherals
You can take out the hardrive and connect it to the laptop, and just install from there. Or I'm pretty sure the installation isos have sshd enabled, so just boot the installation medium, and shell in.
"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" - Richard Stallman
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#3 2014-09-13 11:44:01
- Mr.Elendig
- #archlinux@freenode channel op
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Re: Setup Arch on Desktop without any peripherals
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PXE
Or just lend keyboard/mouse/monitor from your neighbour/work for the install, or just move the hdd.
Last edited by Mr.Elendig (2014-09-13 11:45:41)
Evil #archlinux@libera.chat channel op and general support dude.
. files on github, Screenshots, Random pics and the rest
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#4 2014-09-13 12:10:53
- DaimyoKirby
- Member
- Registered: 2013-10-29
- Posts: 54
Re: Setup Arch on Desktop without any peripherals
Wow, ok, so I'm feeling pretty dumb right now that I didn't even think of removing the hdd - I even have a cable specifically for plugging hdds in through usb...
Well, that's the simplest solution (imo) so I'm definitely just going to do that. I thought of just going and borrowing his peripherals, but it would be a bit of a hassle because he lives in a different dorm building than me, so I was trying to avoid that.
Thanks for the help, and sorry to waste your time like that. (This is why I still post in the newbie section...)
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#5 2014-09-13 12:13:11
- Trilby
- Inspector Parrot
- Registered: 2011-11-29
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Re: Setup Arch on Desktop without any peripherals
With that approach, just be sure to remove "autodetect" from mkinitcpio before rebuilding the initramfs. Once you put it back in the primary machine you can shell in, add autodetect back and rebuild the initramfs again. EDIT: and of course be sure to use UUIDs or Lables instead of block device names in the bootloader and fstab.
Last edited by Trilby (2014-09-13 12:14:06)
"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" - Richard Stallman
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#6 2014-09-13 12:31:49
- DaimyoKirby
- Member
- Registered: 2013-10-29
- Posts: 54
Re: Setup Arch on Desktop without any peripherals
With that approach, just be sure to remove "autodetect" from mkinitcpio before rebuilding the initramfs. Once you put it back in the primary machine you can shell in, add autodetect back and rebuild the initramfs again. EDIT: and of course be sure to use UUIDs or Lables instead of block device names in the bootloader and fstab.
Ok, that's good to know! Thanks again for the tips.
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