Complete Omarchy Dual-Drive Installation Checklist

Print this and check off each step as you go!

PREPARATION

Download Arch Linux ISO from https://archlinux.org/download/
Create bootable USB with Rufus/balenaEtcher
BACKUP ANY DATA you need from the two 1TB NVMe drives
Decide: Maximum capacity (2TB) or Redundancy (1TB usable)?
Write down a strong encryption passphrase (you'll type it multiple times)

PHASE 1: BOOT AND CONNECT

Insert USB drive and boot from it (press F12/F9/F2 during startup)
Select "Arch Linux install medium" from boot menu
Wait for root@archiso ~ # prompt

Connect to Internet:

If Wired:

It should work automatically

If WiFi:

Verify Connection:

Run: ping -c 3 archlinux.org
Confirm you see replies

PHASE 2: IDENTIFY DRIVES

Run: lsblk
Identify your two 1TB NVMe drives (should be nvme0n1 and nvme1n1)
CRITICAL: Confirm these are the correct drives to erase
Ignore sda (that's your USB installer)

PHASE 3: WIPE AND PARTITION

Wipe Both Drives:

Run: wipefs -a /dev/nvme0n1
Run: wipefs -a /dev/nvme1n1

Partition First Drive (nvme0n1) - WITH boot partition:

Run: cfdisk /dev/nvme0n1
Select: "gpt" (if asked for label type)
Select: "New" → Type: "1G" → Press Enter
Select: "Type" → Choose: "EFI System"
Move down to free space → Select: "New" → Press Enter (uses all remaining)
Leave as "Linux filesystem"
Select: "Write" → Type: "yes" → Press Enter
Select: "Quit"

Partition Second Drive (nvme1n1) - NO boot partition:

Run: cfdisk /dev/nvme1n1
Select: "gpt"
Select: "New" → Press Enter (uses all space as ONE partition)
Leave as "Linux filesystem"
Select: "Write" → Type: "yes" → Press Enter
Select: "Quit"

Verify Partitions:

Run: lsblk
MUST SEE: nvme0n1p1 (1GB), nvme0n1p2 (~930GB), nvme1n1p1 (~931GB)
If layout is wrong, go back and repartition!

PHASE 4: FORMAT BOOT PARTITION

Run: mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/nvme0n1p1
Verify: blkid /dev/nvme0n1p1 (should show TYPE="vfat")

PHASE 5: ENCRYPT BOTH DATA PARTITIONS

Encrypt First Partition:

Run: cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/nvme0n1p2
Type: "YES" (uppercase)
Enter your passphrase (twice)
Write down your passphrase somewhere safe!

Encrypt Second Partition:

Run: cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/nvme1n1p1
Type: "YES" (uppercase)
Enter the SAME passphrase (twice)

CRITICAL - Verify Both Are Encrypted:

Run: cryptsetup isLuks /dev/nvme0n1p2 && echo "✓ nvme0n1p2 encrypted SUCCESS"
Run: cryptsetup isLuks /dev/nvme1n1p1 && echo "✓ nvme1n1p1 encrypted SUCCESS"
MUST SEE two SUCCESS messages - if not, go back and re-encrypt!

PHASE 6: OPEN ENCRYPTED PARTITIONS

Run: cryptsetup open /dev/nvme0n1p2 cryptroot1
Enter your passphrase
Run: cryptsetup open /dev/nvme1n1p1 cryptroot2
Enter your passphrase
Verify: ls /dev/mapper/ (should show cryptroot1 and cryptroot2)

PHASE 7: CREATE BTRFS FILESYSTEM

Choose ONE option:

Option A - Maximum Capacity (2TB):

Run: mkfs.btrfs -f -m single -d single -L omarchy /dev/mapper/cryptroot1 /dev/mapper/cryptroot2

Option B - Redundancy (1TB usable):

Run: mkfs.btrfs -f -m raid1 -d raid1 -L omarchy /dev/mapper/cryptroot1 /dev/mapper/cryptroot2

Verify:

Run: btrfs filesystem show /dev/mapper/cryptroot1
MUST SEE BOTH cryptroot1 and cryptroot2 listed as devices

PHASE 8: MOUNT FILESYSTEMS

Run: mount /dev/mapper/cryptroot1 /mnt
Run: mkdir /mnt/boot
Run: mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot
Verify: mount | grep /mnt (should show both mounts)

PHASE 9: INSTALL BASE ARCH SYSTEM

Run: pacstrap -K /mnt base linux linux-firmware btrfs-progs nano networkmanager git curl sudo
Wait 5-15 minutes for download and installation
Verify no errors in output

Generate Filesystem Table:

Run: genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Enter New System:

Run: arch-chroot /mnt
Your prompt should change (might still say "archiso" but you're in chroot)

PHASE 10: BASIC SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

Set Timezone (replace with your region/city, e.g., America/New_York):

Run: ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Region/City /etc/localtime
Run: hwclock --systohc

Set Hostname (choose a name for your computer):

Run: echo "your-hostname" > /etc/hostname

Configure Locale:

Run: nano /etc/locale.gen
Find line: en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 (or your locale)
Remove the # at the start of that line
Press: Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter
Run: locale-gen
Run: echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf

Create Console Config (prevents error):

Run: echo "KEYMAP=us" > /etc/vconsole.conf
(Change us to your keyboard layout if different)

Set Root Password:

Run: passwd
Enter a password (twice)

PHASE 11: CREATE REGULAR USER

Create User:

Run: useradd -m -G wheel your-username
(Replace your-username with your desired username)

Set User Password:

Run: passwd your-username
Enter a password (twice)

Enable Sudo for User:

Run: EDITOR=nano visudo
Find line: # %wheel ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL
Remove the # at the start to uncomment it
Press: Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter

PHASE 12: CONFIGURE SYSTEMD ENCRYPTION

Edit Initramfs Configuration:

Run: nano /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
Find the line starting with: HOOKS=
Replace it with:

HOOKS=(base systemd autodetect microcode modconf kms keyboard sd-vconsole block sd-encrypt filesystems fsck)

Key changes: systemd (not udev), sd-vconsole (not keymap consolefont), sd-encrypt (not encrypt)
Press: Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter

Regenerate Initramfs:

Run: mkinitcpio -P
You might see warnings - that's okay, but no ERRORS
Verify you see "Image generation successful"

PHASE 13: INSTALL BOOTLOADER

Install GRUB:

Run: pacman -S grub efibootmgr
Press Enter to confirm
Run: grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB
Verify you see "Installation finished. No error reported."

PHASE 14: CONFIGURE GRUB FOR ENCRYPTION

Get UUIDs and Build GRUB Line:

Run these commands (they build the line for you):

UUID1=$(blkid -s UUID -o value /dev/nvme0n1p2)
UUID2=$(blkid -s UUID -o value /dev/nvme1n1p1)
echo "Copy this line:"
echo "rd.luks.name=$UUID1=cryptroot1 rd.luks.name=$UUID2=cryptroot2 root=/dev/mapper/cryptroot1"

IMPORTANT: Copy the ENTIRE line that starts with "rd.luks.name"

Edit GRUB Configuration:

Run: nano /etc/default/grub
Find the line: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""
Paste your copied line inside the quotes
Should look like: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="rd.luks.name=uuid1=cryptroot1 rd.luks.name=uuid2=cryptroot2 root=/dev/mapper/cryptroot1"
Leave GRUB_ENABLE_CRYPTODISK=y commented out (leave the # in front)
Press: Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter

Generate GRUB Config:

Run: grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
IMPORTANT: Verify you see "Found linux image" and "Found initrd image" in output
Run: ls -lh /boot/grub/grub.cfg (should be at least 4-5KB)

Verify GRUB Config Has Encryption Parameters:

Run: grep "rd.luks.name" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | head -1
MUST SEE: Two rd.luks.name= parameters with actual UUID values (not "$UUID")
Should all be on ONE line starting with linux /vmlinuz-linux

PHASE 15: ENABLE NETWORKING

Run: systemctl enable NetworkManager

PHASE 16: PRE-REBOOT VERIFICATION

Run Quick Verification:

echo "=== Partitions ==="
lsblk | grep nvme

echo -e "\n=== Encryption ==="
cryptsetup isLuks /dev/nvme0n1p2 && echo "✓ nvme0n1p2 encrypted" || echo "✗ PROBLEM"
cryptsetup isLuks /dev/nvme1n1p1 && echo "✓ nvme1n1p1 encrypted" || echo "✗ PROBLEM"

echo -e "\n=== Btrfs Devices ==="
btrfs filesystem show /dev/mapper/cryptroot1

echo -e "\n=== GRUB Config ==="
ls -lh /boot/grub/grub.cfg
grep "rd.luks.name" /boot/grub/grub.cfg | head -1

echo -e "\n=== User & Sudo ==="
id your-username
grep "^%wheel" /etc/sudoers

Check all output looks correct before proceeding!

PHASE 17: EXIT AND REBOOT

PHASE 18: FIRST BOOT

System should show GRUB menu (might auto-boot)
You'll be prompted for encryption passphrase TWICE (once for each drive)
Enter your passphrase both times
Wait for login prompt
Login as your regular user (not root) with your password

PHASE 19: VERIFY DISK SETUP

Connect to Internet:

Wired: Should work automatically
WiFi: Run nmtui, select "Activate a connection", choose network

Test Internet:

Run: ping -c 3 google.com

Verify Disk Setup:

echo "=== Disk Layout ==="
lsblk

echo -e "\n=== Encrypted Volumes ==="
sudo dmsetup ls

echo -e "\n=== Btrfs Devices ==="
sudo btrfs filesystem show /

echo -e "\n=== Available Space ==="
df -h /

Verify both cryptroot1 and cryptroot2 are listed
Verify btrfs shows both devices
Verify available space matches your choice (2TB or 1TB)

PHASE 20: INSTALL OMARCHY

Run: curl -fsSL https://omarchy.org/install | bash
Follow the Omarchy installer prompts
Wait for installation to complete
Reboot when prompted

DONE! 🎉

You now have Omarchy running on your dual-drive encrypted setup!

TROUBLESHOOTING NOTES

If you get "device not found" error at boot:

Boot back into Arch USB
Unlock drives: cryptsetup open /dev/nvme0n1p2 cryptroot1 and cryptsetup open /dev/nvme1n1p1 cryptroot2
Mount: mount /dev/mapper/cryptroot1 /mnt and mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot
Chroot: arch-chroot /mnt
Check GRUB config has correct UUIDs: grep rd.luks.name /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Regenerate if needed: grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

If encryption prompts don't appear:

Check initramfs has sd-encrypt: lsinitcpio /boot/initramfs-linux.img | grep sd-encrypt
Verify GRUB config has rd.luks.name parameters

Key Points:

Use systemd hooks (sd-encrypt, not encrypt)
Use rd.luks.name syntax (not cryptdevice)
Both passphrases must be identical
Create regular user before installing Omarchy
Always verify encryption SUCCESS before continuing

Good luck! Take your time and check off each step as you go.

markphelps/omarchy-dual-drive-checklist.md

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