Arch Linux is a great Linux distro but is notoriously complicated to set up. EndeavorOS provides the closest thing to a simple Arch installation without any pain. Let’s see how it differs and how to install it.
Arch Linux and EndeavorOS
Arch Linux is famous for being its own thing, done in its own way. Most distributions are built on top of other distributions. Ubuntu is based on Debian, Manjaro is based on Arch, and Fedora is based on RedHat Linux.
Arch Linux is not based on anything. It was built from the ground up using the Linux kernel, GNU utilities, its own package manager, etc. Arch Linux allows the user to decide what they want to include or exclude from their operating system and applications. This is the polar opposite of bloat. This is the thinnest Linux you can get.
Including only what you want results in a lightweight and fast operating system. Why install things that won’t be of use to you, only to take up disk space? The fewer moving parts, the better. But for many users the granularity of the installation process is off-putting, if not downright intimidating. It is not for beginners.
Ironically, one of the guiding principles of Arch Linux is KISS. Keep it sweet and simple, but I know people who have spent weeks trying to get Arch Linux to be fully functional and stable on a laptop. You learn a lot by installing, maintaining, and repairing Arch, but not a lot of users flock to Linux for that. They want to “make it work”.
Distributions like Manjaro are trying to bridge the gap. Manjaro is based on Arch, uses the same package manager as Arch Linux, and uses a continuous release model. With Arch Linux there are no major updates once or twice a year, it is constantly updated as applications and operating system patches become available. Manjaro does this too, but with a delay in the patch deployment process. The delay gives developers time to fix bugs found in the Arch Linux update.
Manjaro is based on Arch but it is not Arch Linux. What can you do if you really want to run Arch Linux but can’t cope or understand how to install Arch Linux? That’s where EndeavorOS comes in. EndeavorOS brings Arch Linux as close as it gets without having to manually assemble Arch Linux.
EndeavorOS uses the famous Calamares installer. It asks you a series of questions – what is your keyboard layout, what desktop environment do you want, what time zone are you in – and sets up Arch Linux the way you want it. In 30 or 40 minutes, you have a fully functional Arch Linux installation, along with a few additional EndeavorOS-specific management tools.
How to Install EndeavorOS
Download the EndeavorOS installation ISO and burn it to DVD or create a bootable USB drive.
Start your computer with the installation media. You will see a menu. Let us tell you that the title of the menu is “Arch Linux”. Select the second option if you have a recent NVIDIA graphics card, otherwise choose the top option. The top option also supports NVIDIA, but the second option includes proprietary drivers for the new card.
There are two types of installations in EndeavorOS. The online version, which obviously requires an Internet connection, allows you to choose your office environment. The offline method doesn’t require Internet connectivity, but it doesn’t give you the option of a desktop environment. It only installs the Xfce desktop environment.
During installation, a terminal window displays either the installation log or the installation log. pacman, Arch Linux installation package manager. The Terminal window is located behind the main installation screen. You won’t see it until you bring it to the foreground with Alt+Tab. For most people, it doesn’t matter which of the two boxes are checked. I thought it would be interesting to see the pacman logs, so I chose this one.
Installing online provides the most options and will be the best option, unless you are stuck somewhere without internet access. Click on the “Online” button.
The information gathering part of the installation begins. The first step allows you to choose your language from a drop-down menu.
