Instructions for installing arch linux on a Dell XPS 15 9570

dell-XPS-15-arch-linux-install

# Arch wiki page on XPS 15
# https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Dell_XPS_15_9570

# Install ARCH Linux with UEFI on Dell XPS 15, I didn't prefer encrypted file system. you may find several examples of it
# The official installation guide (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Installation_Guide) contains a more verbose description.

# Download the archiso image from https://www.archlinux.org/
# Use balenaetcher to create a bootable installation stick.
# Download it from https://www.balena.io/etcher/

# Boot from the usb. If the usb fails to boot, make sure that secure boot is disabled in the BIOS configuration.

# Check network cards and be sure that you have wifi-card
ip link

# wifi-menu is deprecated, iwctl is used instead. check this out https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Iwd#iwctl
iwctl
[iwd]# -> device list # list devices, note the device name. e.g. wlan0
[iwd]# -> station {device} scan # scan the networks, e.g {device} is wlan0
[iwd]# -> station {device} get-networks
[iwd]# -> station device connect SSID # asks for passphrase if needed.
exit # done here

# Test network
ping google.com

# Increase font size
pacman -S nano terminus-font
pacman -Ql terminus-font
setfont ter-v32n

# Find the main HD
fdisk -l

# Create partitions
cgdisk /dev/nvme0n1
1 250MB EFI partition # Hex code ef00
2 500MB Boot partition # Hex code 8300
3 30GB Swap partition # Hex code 8200
3 100% size partiton # Hex code 8300

# Format disks
mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/nvme0n1p1
mkfs.ext2 /dev/nvme0n1p2
mkswap /dev/nvme0n1p3
mkfs.ext4 /dev/nvme0n1p4

# Mount the new system 
mount /dev/nvme0n1p4 /mnt
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount /dev/nvme0n1p2 /mnt/boot
mkdir /mnt/boot/efi
mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot/efi

# Install the system also includes stuff needed for starting wifi when first booting into the newly installed system
# Unless vim and zsh are desired these can be removed from the command
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel grub-efi-x86_64 zsh nano git efibootmgr dialog wpa_supplicant mkinitcpio

# Do not forget install linux and linux-firmware, otherwise you may have some driver problems
pacstrap /mnt linux linux-firmware

# 'install' fstab
genfstab -pU /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

# Make /tmp a ramdisk (add the following line to /mnt/etc/fstab)
tmpfs	/tmp	tmpfs	defaults,noatime,mode=1777	0	0
# Change relatime on all non-boot partitions to noatime (reduces wear if using an SSD)

# Enter the new system
arch-chroot /mnt /bin/bash

# Setup system clock
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Istanbul /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc --utc

# Set the hostname
echo MYHOSTNAME > /etc/hostname

# Update locale
echo LANG=en_GB.UTF-8 >> /etc/locale.conf
echo LANGUAGE=en_US >> /etc/locale.conf
echo LC_ALL=C >> /etc/locale.conf

# Set password for root
passwd

# Add real user remove -s flag if you don't whish to use zsh
useradd -m -g users -G wheel,storage,power -s /bin/bash MYUSERNAME
passwd MYUSERNAME

# Configure mkinitcpio with modules needed for the initrd image
vim /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
# Add 'ext4' to MODULES

# Regenerate initrd image
mkinitcpio -p linux

# Setup grub
grub-install

# In /etc/default/grub edit the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT
# Tried a bunch of different acpi parameters, acpi_osi=Linux, acpi_osi=! acpi_osi="Windows 2009", acpi_osi="!Windows 2015"
# Finally settled on acpi acpi_rev_override=5 but to be perfectly honest, no idea what it's actually doing.
# edit the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT and add acpi and nouvea blacklist command
acpi_rev_override=5 nouveau.modeset=0

# then run:
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# Exit new system and go into the cd shell
exit

# Unmount all partitions
umount -R /mnt
swapoff -a

# Reboot into the new system, don't forget to remove the cd/usb
reboot

# Log in
# Escalate to root
su

# Add user to sudoers file
visudo
# Uncommment line %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL

# return to regular user
exit

# connect to wifi
sudo iwctl

# Update
sudo pacman -Fy
sudo pacman -Syu

# if the kernel updates, reboot
sudo reboot

# Install linux headers to install from AUR
sudo pacman -S linux-headers 

# Download and build uau for AUR installations run this section as normal user (NOT sudo)
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd aurman
makepkg -si 

# Install xorg
sudo pacman -S xorg xorg-server xorg-xrandr

# Install nvidia driver
# May be prompted to select the Repository extra, only one that worked for me was libglvnd
sudo pacman -S nvidia

# Install cuda and cudnn drivers for deep learning frameworks
# May be prompted to select the Repository extra, only one that worked for me was libglvnd
sudo pacman -S cuda cudnn

# I'm going to install gnome desktop, install whatever you want here
sudo pacman -S gnome

# enable lightdm service
sudo systemctl enable gdm.service

# start lightdm service
sudo systemctl start gdm.service

# install bumblebee and enable the service
# https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Bumblebee#Installation
# adding xf86-video-intel to hopefully enable external hdmi monitor
sudo pacman -S bumblebee mesa xf86-video-intel

# add user to bumblebee group 
sudo gpasswd -a <user name> bumblebee

# enable bumblebee service 
sudo systemctl enable bumblebeed.service