INSTALLING ARCH LINUX
BEFORE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING you’ll want to start the ISO downloading for the Arch Linux install image. Head to www. archlinux.org/download and grab one of the torrents, or else scroll down to one of the localized mirrors.
Best practice is to run an integrity check on the download file—this ensures that it’s downloaded correctly but also that no one has interfered with the stored file. Technically the ISO file and checksum hash should be stored on different systems, so it’s harder to compromise both.
The easiest way is to use a hasher, such as IgorWare Hasher (www.igorware.com/hasher) for Windows types, load the ISO file and click “Calculate.” The generated SHA-1 and MD5 hash should match that on the Arch Linux download page. You can copy and paste it to save you reading a long hexadecimal number.
If you’re thinking of installing this onto a real PC then you’ll need to burn the ISO to a CD/DVD (remember those things) or more likely use Etcher.io to write it to a USB stick. Reboot your system, and activate its boot menu via the correct function key, usually one of F2, F10, or F12 to boot your PC from the USB device.
We’re going to opt for the sensible angle of installing using a VirtualBox.org. Create a new 64-bit machine, ideally with 4GB of memory, but 2GB or even 1GB is fine. Set a hard drive of at least 20GB, ICH9 chipset, VMSVGA graphics, 3D acceleration won’t hurt. Point the optical drive at the Arch ISO image and fire it up.