arch-pi-builder

Install Arch Linux ARM for Raspberry Pi (aarch64) using a cross-arch pacstrap

Setup build environment

$ bin/setupenv.sh

Build the image

$ bin/build.sh

The image and root SSH key will be created in build/

Inspect the image (optional)

$ sudo arch-chroot /mnt

Detach the image

$ bin/teardown.sh

Check with lsblk that the mounts and loop device are deactivated.

Deploy the image

Edit bin/write-usb.sh and set DEVICE to the USB block device you want to write to.

Run the script to write the image and expand the root partition:

$ bin/write-usb.sh

Boot the install

Insert the USB into the Raspberry Pi and connect ethernet and power.

The Pi will connect using DHCP and be available via mDNS. (.local)

Connect

The SSH server will be running and you may connect using the ssh key generated during the build.

$ ssh -i build/arch-key [email protected]

Create a non-root user

Create a user in the wheel group. This makes them a sudoer.

$ useradd -mG wheel <USER>
$ passwd <USER>

The dotfiles in /etc/skel will be copied into the user's home directory.

Use the Pi

There are many things to do with a Raspberry Pi running Arch Linux ARM. I hope you have fun.

Bonus

You can compress the image for distribution with the following:

$ sudo xz build/arch-arm.img --keep --verbose -T 0