Arch Linux

Bryggeriet

Member

Registered: 2008-12-22

Posts: 3

New to Archlinux

Hi

I just wanted to say hello in the Newbie forum, since, I am an Archlinux newbie

I've just begun stepping into Arch Linux. I have a few years of background in Linux from before a few years back, but getting very rusty and aren't very up to speed nowadays.

I just bought a new ASUS Eee PC that I was going to install XP on it for simplicity as I use Linux mostly for servers and networking tasks than desktop and like to have a plug-n-play system on the clients, but it seems my brand new Asus Eee 900 only have the slow 16gb SSD and not the speedy 4GB to run an OS on. I guess they made it that way since it's supposed to run linux and not XP (It came with Xandros, but it felt to bloated and "locked" down after cracking the easy-mode desktop and having a look around). 

So what I want now is to find a clean, solid base linux system that I can install and play with on my Eee 900, and take it from there. Reading about Archlinux for the first time (I think, keep thinking it sounds familiar from 5-6 years back) makes it sound very interesting.

I've mostly worked with Debian, and was going to use the Lenny release, but the thought of starting a custom installation just to make a nice core system first before a proper desktop made me dizzy and tired. Maybe I just want something new and exiting to play with as well.

What I would like, as mentioned above, is a solid core system ready-to-go for further building and play. I have already tried the USB core install, and I really liked the simplicity and speed of getting it up and running in no-time. After booting up for the first time, I could not help getting the high-quality feeling from the system. Although the computer went a bit nuts and became hot with fans going wild, I guess it's because of no ACPI control, or the computer just got really horny from it ;p

I think I will like this one a lot for personal play and maybe productive use.

I am trying to think of a way that I can backup my system and restore in on another drive if needed later on. Not really sure how I would go about doing it once I have a running setup that I'm happy with.

Best regards,
Bryggeriet

windtalker

Member

Registered: 2008-03-17

Posts: 220

Re: New to Archlinux

Not many distro's out that I havn't run.
At the moment, imho but worthless opinion, Arch would be the number one choice for an up to date minimal easier to install than lenny system.
Next would be slack.
After that I'd recommend PcLinuxOS MiniMe after they finish their upgrade.
A bit of bad news though, everything is easier to contend with than a few years ago.;)

Bryggeriet

Member

Registered: 2008-12-22

Posts: 3

Re: New to Archlinux

Just visited the slack homepage and see they have come pretty far since the 7.1 version I still have in my cd folder I also still have Red Hat 6.2 on a cd that came with a Linux magazine - which was my first ever linux system. Poor people on IRC that had to support my eagerness to learn.

I have just read the articles:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_Linux
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/The_Arch_Way

They are really motivational and tells me exactly what I want to know, well written as well I must add.

I was really about to try get Xandros back to give it another try, but it just happens to be that I only have a 1gb flash drive here at the moment that halted me from being able to create a restore-stick of 1.3gb

That lead me to read more up on Arch and I'm getting really hooked, downloading the latest core image right now to use on the stick.

Last edited by Bryggeriet (2008-12-22 22:41:39)

mcmillan

Member

Registered: 2006-04-06

Posts: 737

Re: New to Archlinux

Since you'll be installing on an Eee PC you'll probably want to take a look at the wiki page and the forum thread it's based off (linked to on the wiki).