13. Grub Boot Loader Installation and Configuration

Next we will be asked to configure GRUB Boot Loader.

We have two options:
-> to put GRUB in MBR (you are advised to do so if you don’t have a Windows installation in your system – here this is what we will do)
-> not to put GRUB in MBR (you are advised to do so if you have a Windows installation in your system)

In each case we choose in which hard disk we want the installation to be done or in which partition.

In the first case we must select our first physical hard disk drive (e.g. sda).

In the second case we choose “/boot” partition or “/” if we haven’t created “/boot”.

Then we press Enter.

14. Root Password Configuration

Here we will be asked for what the root password would be.
Be careful.

The password should have no spaces and should also be difficult. Of course you shouldn’t forget it.

At this point the installer will message us that everything is ok and will reboot the system. We will be prompted to eject the CD. Do so and press Enter for reboot.

15. Mnagement Configuration - Repositories

At this time you will need a linux live cd. You may download the Ubuntu live cd from here. Put it in your cdrom drive and reboot. Instead of this if you already have a linux installation in your computer you may use this one. One way or another you should have an internet connection available.
So, configure your network and then run Synaptic. Install the following packages.
- mc
- screen
- nano

If you use your installation make sure those packages are available. Be careful since those packages may have a different name in your distribution.
From now on for editing we will be using gedit with root privileges.
So press Run and type:

gksudo gedit

 
Ubuntu live cd has a blank pass so just press Enter.
Note that in order to create or copy files and directories you may use Midnight Commander from your console.
Next
Open a Gnome Terminal and get root privileges like this:

sudo -s -H

 
Ubuntu live cd has a blank pass so just press Enter. Then type:

screen -i -U
cd /

 
We create mount points for the following partitions (use your previous notes not to make any mistake with the partitions).
 
- "/"

mkdir /mnt/arch
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/arch

 
- "/mnt/repos" (if we have created one)

mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/arch/mnt/repos

 
If you haven’t created a partition for repositories just create a temp folder inside you /mnt like this:
 

mkdir /mnt/arch/mnt/temp

 
Next:

cd /mnt/arch/mnt/repos
mkdir arch-local
cd arch-local

 
Depending on our architecture:

for amd64

mkdir amd64
cd amd64

 
for x86

mkdir x86
cd x86

 
Then:

mkdir custom
mkdir custom/packages
mkdir custom/list
cd /

 
You have just finished with the structure of a local Arch repository in your hard disk. Don’t forget that your live cd also contains Firefox and Nautilus.

Now, let’s fix 5-6 files with gedit for the repositories settings.
 
- File /mnt/arch/etc/pacman.conf

Delete everything and paste the following:

[options]
LogFile     = /var/log/pacman.log
NoUpgrade   = etc/passwd etc/group etc/shadow etc/sudoers
NoUpgrade   = etc/fstab etc/raidtab etc/ld.so.conf
NoUpgrade   = etc/rc.conf etc/rc.local
NoUpgrade   = etc/modprobe.conf etc/modules.conf
NoUpgrade   = etc/lilo.conf boot/grub/menu.lst
HoldPkg     = pacman glibc
SyncFirst   = pacman
#XferCommand = /usr/bin/wget --passive-ftp -c -O %o %u

Depending on your architecture:

for amd64

[custom]
Server = file:///mnt/repos/arch-local/amd64/custom/package

for x86

[custom]
Server = file:///mnt/repos/arch-local/x86/custom/packages

Continue: 

[core]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
[extra]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
[community]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
#[testing]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Save the file and exit.
Now in folder /mnt/arch/etc/pacman.d/ there are five files.

Open them all.
You will see many lines starting like this: 

Server =

 
Place a comment mark (#) in front of those lines apart from only one in all of those files  It should the same one in each file.
These are all the Arch Repository Mirrors. Choose which one is closest to you. Just remember, only one repository in each file and the same repository in all files.
When you are finished save and exit all files.
Now we will create a new file which we will save it under the directory: 

/mnt/arch/bin/

Press new file in gedit and paste the following:

#!/bin/bash
REPO=$1
PLATFORM=$2
if [ "$PLATFORM" = "amd64" ]
then
ARCH=x86_64
elif [ "$PLATFORM" = "x86" ]
then
ARCH=i686
fi
cd /
rm -f /mnt/repos/arch-local/"$PLATFORM"/"$REPO"/packages/"$REPO".db.tar.gz
repo-add /mnt/repos/arch-local/"$PLATFORM"/"$REPO"/packages/"$REPO".db.tar.gz /mnt/repos/arch-local/"$PLATFORM"/"$REPO"/packages/*-"$ARCH".pkg.tar.gz
rm -f /mnt/repos/arch-local/"$PLATFORM"/"$REPO"/packages/.PKGINFO
cd /

Save it as update-local-repo with Western Locale encoding.

Now let’s get back in our console and make the script executable:

cd /mnt/arch/bin
chmod 755 update-local-repo
cd /

From now on to run the script you must type:

update-local-repo  <repository-name> <architectyre>

architecture depending on your system should be:

for amd64 

amd64

for x86 

x86

For now we have created only one local repo named 'custom'. So, to run the script type:

for amd64 

update-local-repo custom amd64 

for x86 

update-local-repo custom x86