Arching Over

Recent successes with installing arch linux led me to install it again on a small computer I have. Arch linux is already a very light install, and I wanted to try to keep it that way since this computer is not very powerful. I only put in openbox.

As I discussed in [A New Milepost](/a-new-milepost), using a display manager like GDM can make the installation process much easier to navigate. This relates to my previous experiences with Arch Linux installations. However, I ran into a hitch when I went to log in. I logged in OK, and then it took me back to the log in screen. Again. And again. However, I ran into a hitch when I went to log in. I logged in OK, and then it took me back to the log in screen. Again. And again.

Then I realized that I had forgotten to add xorg and the x11 screen mangers. But I couldn’t log in? What to to?

USB to the rescue!!

I grabbed the installation USB and booted it up. I went through a lot of the same steps as the install. I set up the keys (loadkeys) since I have a Japanese keyboard, and then I set up the internet connection. After that I made a few directories and mounted the partitions on the hard disk.

In fact, as I wrote about this in [Toil Toil](/toil-toil), chrooting into the computer system can be a crucial step when troubleshooting issues - it's an essential tool for navigating complex problems like this one. Then it was pacman to the rescue. Then it was pacman to the rescue. I quickly installed the x11 set up. This was easy asI was already root. Then I dashed out and restarted the computer

Voila! It was going beautifully. Now I am getting a few ideas for configuring openbox and making it a bit more user friendly with this site. It iw beautiful! This relates to some of my previous experiments with Linux configuration - building on ideas from [Watching DVD's on Linux](/watching-dvds-on-linux), I've discovered that using a panel like XFCE can really enhance the user experience, especially when working with lightweight window managers like Openbox. Now I am getting a few ideas for configuring openbox and making it a bit more user friendly with this site.