ronin-on-linux

CachyOS - 1.0 Installation and Setup

2 min read

Install CachyOS

  1. Select Language, Timezone and Keyboard Layout.
  2. Select default Limine bootloader unless you know what that is.
  3. Select disk from top drop down to install. Erase disk. Select disk encryption if you are privacy pilled.
  4. Select a desktop environment. I will choose Cinnamon because its X11 making it the more compatible with all 3D software, its what I use curretnly and looks familiar to Windows users.
    1. Coming from windows: KDE(Wayland) or Cinnamon(X11)
    2. Coming from Mac: KDE(Wayland) or Gnome(Wayland)
    3. You like to code: MangoWM(Wayland) or Hyprland(Wayland)

Desktop Environment

Your choice of desktop environment usually is not a big deal, UNLESS you are going to need to run UE5 or Houdini. These are notorious for running into all kinds of issues because of what we call desktop compositors interfering with software processes.

I am currently in the process of researching the best desktop environments to better recommend two or three top options that will either give you maximum compatibility or a balanced compatibility with more modern look and feel.

  1. Package Selection
    1. Printer & HP Support
    2. Uncheck Cinnamon lightdm-gtk-greeter
    3. LDXE light-dm-slick-greeter
    4. Under Gnome Apps, showtime, gnome-disk-utility, gnome-calculator and file-roller
  2. Create Username/Password
  3. Install and reboot.

Initial Start

Update System

  1. Open Hello CachyOS from the desktop menu.
  2. Select Apps & Tweaks
  3. Select System Update (or)
  4. Open terminal CTRL + ALT + T
  5. sudo pacman -Syu

Rank Mirrors

  1. Open Hello CachyOS from the desktop menu.
  2. Select Apps & Tweaks
  3. Select Rank Mirrors option.

Install Gaming Packages

This installs Steam and additional dependencies to run graphically intensive applications beyond the graphics drivers.

  1. Open Hello CachyOS from the desktop menu.
  2. Select Apps & Tweaks
  3. Select Install Gaming Packages

Firewall

  1. Open terminal CTRL + ALT + T (you can also just search for it in the start menu)
  2. ufw enable to verify firewall is running.

Set Dark Theme in Cinnamon or KDE

  1. Menu -> System Settings (right click to pin it to panel) -> Theme -> Dark (or, if simple not working), -> Advanced -> Adwaita-Dark, Papirus-Dark
  2. Theme -> Settings -> Prefer Dark Mode
  3. In main Settings -> Background -> Choose something dark.
  4. If you would like to polish Cinnamon a bit more, see CachyOS - 1.1 Optional Cinnamon Mint-Y Appearance

See CachyOS - 2.0 Installing Software Packages for next steps.

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