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Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

IMPORTANT! Due to the fact that, as reported from Artoo, the support of the graphical DE (Desktop Environment) is not completed in Artix, because it require a lot of time and a lot of resources, the better way that I find to install almost all the DE, is to start with the LXQT installation and, when completed, to reboot in LXQT and to install the preferred DE. Below you'll find the steps that I managed to install KDE/Plasma.

Not all the problems has been solved, to remove systemd is not a trivial goal, but with few efforts I was able to install BIOS and EFI notebook.


Below you'll find the instructions to install KDE/Plasma with BTRFS and LUKS, starting from a scratch situation and not with a conversion.

A) Boot the live iso: artix-lxqt-20171015-x86_64.iso

A1) Open the terminal and update the repos: sudo pacman -Syy
You don't need to upgrade the ISO program so, don't do it.

A2) Verify that you have the right mirrors pointing to the right repos:  sudo nano /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
This must be the content of the mirrorlist file:
Code: [Select]
##
## Artix Linux repository mirrorlist
## Generated on 2017-10-21
##

# Artix mirrors

Server = http://mirror1.artixlinux.org/repos/$repo/os/$arch
Server = http://artix.wheaton.edu/repos/$repo/os/$arch/
Server = http://mirror.strits.dk/artix-linux/repos/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.dotsrc.org/artix-linux/repos/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://www.uex.dk/public/artix/$repo/os/$arch

A3) launch calamares from the terminal with the command: sudo calamares -d
With this command you'll be able to see, inside the terminal, the calamares messages and, if needed, to cut and paste them for a help.
HINT: due to the fact that the terminal buffer is limited to 1.000 lines, growth it to 10.000 so you'll be sure not to loose any message.

A4) go ahead with the installation using the calamares gui. Obviously if you have to install an EFI PC you must define a FAT32 boot partition, you find it between the choice list, and to set the correct flags.
HINT: ok, I'm an ancient user, but if the BIOS of the PC permit me to do it, I prefer to remove the EFI support and I to use the old, legacy BIOS approach...

A5) When the installation is completed you can reboot and to login in LXQT

B) Install PLASMA: preparation

B1) Install the libsystemd-dummy library, otherwise the call to the libsystemd.so (NOT used from Artix) generate an error pushing you back to the login  screen:
sudo pacman -S libsystemd-dummy

B2) Now, before to proceed I added the system-testing and the world-testing repos in pacman.conf:
sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf
This is my pacman.conf (I activated also the lib32 and the multilib repos)
Code: [Select]
# The testing repositories are disabled by default. To enable, uncomment the
# repo name header and Include lines. You can add preferred servers immediately
# after the header, and they will be used before the default mirrors.

[system-testing]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[system]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[world-testing]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[world]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

#[galaxy-testing]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[galaxy]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

# If you want to run 32 bit applications on your x86_64 system,
# enable the multilib repositories as required here.

#[lib32-testing]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[lib32]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

# An example of a custom package repository.  See the pacman manpage for
# tips on creating your own repositories.
#[custom]
#SigLevel = Optional TrustAll
#Server = file:///home/custompkgs

[extra]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist-arch

[community]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist-arch

#[multilib-testing]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist-arch

[multilib]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist-arch

B3) when done upgrade the repos: sudo pacman -Syy

B4) update the keys DB. Sometime appear a key error or corrupted file about the buildbot Artix digital sign. To avoid the problem you can tell at your Artix to accept the key. The commands are:
Code: [Select]
1) open the terminal
2) sudo pacman-key --edit-key 0A3EB6BB142C56653300420C1247D995F165BBAC
3) appear the command line: gpg>
4) digit the trust command
5) Enter
6) Select the option 5) trust ultimately (digit the 5)
7) confirm your decision
7) exit using the [b]quit[/b] command

when done launch:
sudo pacman-key --populate archlinux artix
sudo pacman-key --refresh-key


C) Install the Plasma DE.

* sudo pacman -S plasma
                        or
* sudo pacman -S plasma-meta

* install the graphical login: sudo plasma -S sddm-kcm to configure KDE with SDDM

C2) to complete the installation, install the kde applications that you prefer. You can start with:
* sudo pacman -S kdebase
* sudo pacman -S kdeadmin
or if you want a more complete set of the KDE applications
* sudo pacman -S kde-applications

C3) Your KDE/Plasma Environment has been installed. Reboot and enjoy, without systemd ;)


That's all, by now. I'll update this little tutorial step by step, while repeating the installation step by step.
If I did some errors, please, tell me. I tried to be more clear as possible, but the perfection is not of this world.

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRF and LUKS

Reply #1
Just to update.

I completed tonight, after 2 days of test, the restore of all the data from the old HD (Antergos systemd) to the new installation with Artix (more or less 500Gb) and, finally, with openrc (without the stress of Volatile FIles, Flush journal, Rebuild Dynamic Link and all the cumbersome activities invented with systemd, that make Linux so similar to Windows.... Ok: TOO SIMILAR!).

In order I tested:

* Virtualbox, included the  virtualbox-ext-oracle (I suggest you to install it, is in AUR)
* Wine, almost all fine, despite a problem, that was present since the 2.x version, so I'm using the 1.9.x, but all is fine. Just a note: to install it (the 2.18.x version) I had to activate and to use the system-testing repo otherwise I haven't all the packages that I need. Probably its no longer needed to use it. In the next days I'll do a test and I'll tell you.
* Libreoffice, no problem, also if I've the impression that the last fresh version is slower to load than the previous, maybe an impression...
* Thunderbird, Firefox, Palemoon: no problem. I must test Inox that, in the previous Manjaro/openrc version, was almost impossible to use, at least for me (locked processes, etc...)
* btrfs and luks: no problem
* encfs+fuse: all fine
* pulseaudio: all fine
* octopi (I prefer it to pamac), I compiled the 8.5.x version, from AUR, and all work correctly: notifier, repository manager, cacheleaner and installation process, both in repo and in AUR
* yaourt: no problem, also if I use pacaur, but to install pacaur you must install yaourt before  :D
* linux-zen kernel: no problem and it work, like a charms. I've installed also the linux-lts.

The next days I'll test also the connection with a Windows Workgroup in office, but I don't think to have problems.

Artix, after solved the problem of the installation procedure, seems to be solid and usable. Ok, always a new distribution (I'll maintain for a while the Antergos HD as a backup), but usable and from today I advance it at my daily working system.

NOTE for BTRFS users: during the installation process (Calamares), as specified in the previous post, don't create the /home/UserDir making impossible to login. To solve the problem I create the dir manually and I modified the fstab removing the entry for the @home subvol (I'm using BTRFS). Probably it is sufficient to manually create the dir, to make all to work correctly. I'll test it tomorrow.


Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRF and LUKS

Reply #3
I continue the test and the verification.

* Samba: it works correctly, but there wasn't the smb.conf file (the default standard model) in the /etc/samba directory. No problem, I copied it from the previous installation and all work correctly, but should be a problem for a standard user and to give the impression that samba and network don't work.

I must complete the test connecting and Android smartphone, there is something that I've to configure, probably. Later the report.

To connect the Android smartphone I installed the adbfs-rootless-git and add the group adbusers at my profile [sudo gpasswd --add francesco adbusers]. Now all work like a charm. The groups in my profile are:
* lp wheel network video optical storage scanner power users adbusers francesco

I want to try to remove the adbfs and to connect via MTP. I suspect that I must add some other right at my profile. If I launch mtp-detect  with my standard profile the answer is that I don't have the right to access. Using sudo mtp-detect all is fine. Any hint?

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRF and LUKS

Reply #4
ANDROID.

As reported in the previous post, I got the connection working perfectly after installing adbfs-rootless-git and adding the group adbusers at my profile. The problem was with mtp: it doesn't work due to a rights question: if I launch mtp-detect as standard profile, no way to get info, all was fine with sudo mtp-detect.

The problem is solved adding the adm group to the profile [sudo gpasswd --add YourUserName adm] and mtp work perfectly. But ok, adbfs is a charm  :D

A note:
the User Manager program don't visualize, as in the previous version, the dialog to add or remove the groups for the user. SOmething change?


Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #6
Thanks for everything.
This post is written because it is not possible to install plasma just select it in the installer, do you know if there is any plan to get a version of Artix.iso  with Plasma?

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #7
I don't understand... why is libsystemd-dummy necessary? I use KDE-Plasma without that.

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #8
I don't understand... why is libsystemd-dummy necessary? I use KDE-Plasma without that.
Can you make another post where you told us how you did it?

We want to know more about your experience, please.

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #9
I don't understand... why is libsystemd-dummy necessary? I use KDE-Plasma without that.
Can you make another post where you told us how you did it?

We want to know more about your experience, please.

I too am running KDE Plasma w/o "libsystemd-dummy". I did have it installed initially, but was able to get rid of it...not sure if I can recall the procedure, but I don't think it was difficult. My system is functioning fine as it is, so it doesn't seem "libsystemd-dummy" is a requirement.
Mine is a Manjaro-OpenRC KDE Plasma conversion to Artix.

Best regards.
We should try to be kind to everyone.....we are all fighting some sort of battle.

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #10
Yep, mine's the same as @conky60 's. Nothing that I use has a dependency on systemd, so I don't need it. The same must apply to you. @Cosque @francesco what issue do you run into if you skip manually installing that package?

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #11
I make a concerted effort to run only Qt based apps on my KDE, so perhaps that may explain why I don't require "libsystemd-dummy"? I think Gtk is becoming tied pretty tight to systemd. I do have Gtk2 and Gtk3 installed so I can run Waterfox browser, but have little else that is Gtk based.

Best regards.
We should try to be kind to everyone.....we are all fighting some sort of battle.

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #12
I don't understand... why is libsystemd-dummy necessary? I use KDE-Plasma without that.

Very easy answer, you gonna need it if you install packages from arch repos, such as desktop environments.
All packages from artix repos do not have any dependency on systemd, but arch packages have, so its a compatibility packages.
Without it, you simply can't install arch packages that depend on systemd, and some also don't work without the provided systemd libs.
Some DEs have systemd depends, tendency is gtk3 based DEs have some systemd depend, qt DEs don't, we provide qt5-base.

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #13
I would like to ask the question from Cosque again if there is a plan to build a version of Artix.iso  with Plasma?
I would like to install a fresh Artix only with KDE Plasma 5 as my favorite Desktop and without LXQT is additionally installed.

Thanks.

Re: Install Artix PLASMA/KDE from the scratch plus BTRFS and LUKS

Reply #14
I don't think libsystemd-dummy is a bad thing its what it says it just fools systemd.
It is to easy to to go down the wrong road with Artix and restrict user choice that is not what it should be about,
Take gnome3 heavily systemd dependent, Runs fine on Void linux thanks to a user that would not accept what the devs were saying and is a accepted DE now.

 This is Linux their is always a workaround for any thing whether its to repackage, or to replace anything can be worked around.

Obarun on the other hand ,  blocks systemd packages great if you agree to be totally restricted on what you can install.

At the moment i'm testing Mate on Artix not my cup of tea but it really works well simple to install I usually test for a few months.
 Cinnamon worked fine for me and can be recommended, My pimped JWM well that works flawless and aint going anywhere.

Users should learn not just expect every thing done for them Artix does not supply ass wipes with its net installer, the user needs to know  how to manage the system,