Guide me to setup ArchLinux

[Atom]

I downloaded ArchLinux base install iso file(291MB), and installed all the packages available in that. Now tell me how to install gnome in Arch. My internet connection won't permit me to download 400-500MB without any interruption, so I can't install it by downloading it through it's package manager. The only option is to download the files separately and install them later. Please tell the procedure of offline installation of gnome.

[oz]

You'll have an easier task if you go ahead and use pacman to download and install online.

Note that you don't have to install all of Gnome at once.

You can try installing just a few packages at a time, like this:

pacman -Syu

pacman -S	gnome-control-center   gnome-session   gnome-common   gnome-utils

pacman -S 	gnome-media   gnome-audio   gnome-power-manager   gnome-applets

pacman -S 	gnome-themes   gnome-backgrounds   gnome-system-monitor

pacman -S 	gnome-games   gnome-screensaver   gnome-terminal   nautilus-cd-burner      

pacman -S      alacarte   file-roller   zip   unzip   gedit   evince

Doing it this way, you don't wind up with lots of packages that you don't want or need, and it should help to get past any connection issues.

Of course, there are many other Gnome related packages that you might want to add, but you can see what they are by looking directly in the Arch repos:

Arch Linux - Package Search

Check the Arch wiki for more Gnome related help:

ArchWiki :: GNOME - ArchWiki

[Atom]

OK.
I will try this. I will have to install wvdial first to be able to connect to internet.

[oz]

I'm not trying to talk you out of using Arch, but if you don't have a fast Internet connection, it might not be the distro for you. This is because Arch is very pacman oriented, and pacman simply thrives on a fast connection to the Internet.

Even the ISO that you downloaded needs lots of extra packages and dependencies in order to have a fully working desktop. The ISO only contains a basic system to get you up and running so that you can then connect to the web to get all the extras that you might want.

Just something to consider, but it is possible to run Arch with dialup, only.

Best of luck with your new system.

[Atom]

But isn't it possible to download packages from somewhere else and install them offline on my system? I have read in other forums that it's possible.

[oz]

Yes, you can but you might find it more trouble than it's worth.

You'll need to download any packages you want, plus all their dependencies.

You can install packages locally with:

pacman -U /path/to/package/package_name-version.pkg.tar.gz

You might be able to set up some kind of local repository and then install from that.

Check the wiki for more info on pacman:

ArchWiki :: Pacman - ArchWiki

[Atom]

Thanks. Will post my experience here once I make any progress in setting up Arch.

[Atom]

Ozar, can you tell me how much I will have to download if I install a windows manager like fluxbox only and not gnome on the base install.

[oz]

Ozar, can you tell me how much I will have to download if I install a windows manager like fluxbox only and not gnome on the base install.

No, I really can't because of dependencies issues, but if you run pacman -S fluxbox on a working internet connection it will give you a listing of all packages to be installed.

You can then print that out or write them down, and then go elsewhere to download all of them.

[Atom]

OK, Thanks for the reply.