[ SOLVED ] Need help installing Arch | Arch Linux Community | Page 1

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 11:45 AM

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Hey, so I am trying to install arch for the first time on a secondary device and when I get to downloading the pacman the last two lines are the same: "error: failed to synchronize all databases( invalid url for server)
ERROR: Failed to install packages to new root"
I initially asked ChatGPT for help installing Arch and when I got to this point he said to try using " pacman -c /mnt base linux linux-firmware" which didn't work either. I tried to fix the network in the ways it said and nothing. The installer doesn't detect the driver and when running "ip link" everything is down and I can't get them up. I tried USB tethering too but that doesn't work either. Some help would be appreciated.

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 11:48 AM

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can you please show lspci -k | grep -iA3 net ?

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That will print out all your devices, filter for any with net in the name (case insensitive) and provide 3 lines of context after each match

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We're looking for kernel modules and kernel drivers in use lines

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 11:50 AM

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For Ethernet controller is: Kernel driver in use: e1000e, Kernel modules: e1000e
And Network Controller: Kernel driver in use: bcma-pci-bridge

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I have tried Wi-Fi and ethernet and neither worked

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 11:51 AM

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Could you post a pic of the output?

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 11:52 AM

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rn_image_picker_lib_temp_9efea7ad-c47b-46c1-8ba6-a6bc3aa74dc9.jpg

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 11:54 AM

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Looks like you're missing the kernel module for this wifi device thonk that's not usual as the arch iso comes with pretty much everything to make it as compatible as possible

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 11:54 AM

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Is it possible that it is because this laptop is pretty old? It was made around 2012 and I am just using it as a "test device"

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 11:57 AM

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Possible but it's not ridiculously old

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https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Broadcom_wireless

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modprobe b43 might do it

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that will force the module in, if it exists

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 11:58 AM

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Same output

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 11:59 AM

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output from where?

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lspci?

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 11:59 AM

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Yes

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 11:59 AM

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and modprobe didn't complain?

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 11:59 AM

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No

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:00 PM

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Hmm. Well I think this is where you're at - https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Broadcom_wireless#b43

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You might need to use ethernet to get those drivers installed

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:01 PM

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I tried using ethernet on the pacman command and that didn't work so will there be any difference?

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:02 PM

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Ethernet should work fine. 🤔

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You have the module and drivers, so all looks good at least from lspci

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:03 PM

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Well when I run device list in iwctl nothing except the categories appear

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:04 PM

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iw doesn't manage ethernet, only wireless stuff

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Ethernet should just be plug in and go

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:06 PM

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So I got lost. I plugged in ethernet and ran modprobe b43 again but still nothing new in lspci

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tried modprobe b43legacy too and still nothing

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:07 PM

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west wing So I got lost. I plugged in ethernet and ran modprobe b43 again but still nothin...

Does the pacstrap work on ethernet?

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Or ping archlinux.org?

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:08 PM

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No, that's the thing. When I run ping archlinux.org it says "Temporary failure in name resolution"

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:09 PM

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That's significant progress!

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Means the device works at least

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Ping 8.8.8.8 should work

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:09 PM

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"Network is unreachable"

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:11 PM

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Hmm I thought that would work

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:12 PM

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Is there any way to get the newest Wi-Fi driver for this laptop on a USB and try to install it inside the installer?

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:14 PM

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Sure. You could get the package from another machine, put it on a usb, then pacman -U <path to package>

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I'm annoyed on your behalf though. Ethernet should just work 😞

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:15 PM

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I mean I see this as a learning experience since this is my first time playing with Arch😆

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 12:17 PM

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A good data point would be to spin up another distro usb and see if it is the same there

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Like mint or Gentoo live USBs

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 12:20 PM

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That's exactly what I will do since apparently there are no drivers on the official site

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 1:02 PM

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Got some news. I booted Gentoo and it doesn't recognize the ethernet but Wi-Fi works. And when i try to set the time zone or date it requires the root password but I didn't even set one

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 1:15 PM

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Different behaviour is a positive

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 1:16 PM

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I suppose but what am I supposed to do with the root? How do I deactivate the password or whatever because I can't even acces firefox without the correct time zone

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Actually in settings it detected the ethernet but even while connected it says "never used"

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 1:23 PM

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What version of the iso did you spin up? The gui one?

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 1:25 PM

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The LiveGUI USB and i think alt+tab destroyed the system? I pressed it once and it went black screem. When I press it again it says "This is livecd ...." And under that it askes for "livecd login" but it stays for just a couple of seconds

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 1:26 PM

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Alas I've not used the GUI one so I can't provide specific advice. The alt-tab probably switched TTY to one that is not auto-logged into

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ctrl alt F1 or another F key will probably get you back to KDE

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I suggested trying out the gentoo (or another distro) live USB just to confirm or deny that this stuff worked at all. I don't necessarily recommend continuing with gentoo (unless you really want to, it's a great distro)

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 1:29 PM

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Oh well I do want to try vanilla arch so yeah I think I will stick to that. If it does not work at all then yeah maybe then I will stick with Gentoo

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 1:30 PM

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Aye. Because it works in another distro that means that continuing to hack at this in Arch may actually produce results

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If it didn't work in another distro then 😭

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 1:31 PM

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So since it worked in Gentoo the likeliness of it working in Arch bumped up a bit

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 1:31 PM

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Blame Broadcom! Pricks!

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 1:35 PM

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Could I install the broadcom drivers from Gentoo and then try it in the Arch installer? If yes i firstly need to get back in the KDE becuase all that the ctrl+alt+ F buttons lead to either the root of Gentoo or the livecd that appeared previously

west wing Jul 22, 2025, 1:52 PM

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Yeah nevermind since I removed the USB and it ran just on that so I got no boot image and I have only one USB available that I reformatted with Arch already, so no broadcom drivers. Damn this is annoying

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And from what you are saying it's a weird error too right?

queen flame Jul 22, 2025, 6:18 PM

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west wing Is it possible that it is because this laptop is pretty old? It was made around ...

you can install arch on 90's computers

viscid trench Jul 22, 2025, 6:27 PM

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*if they have working network devices

west wing Jul 23, 2025, 12:20 AM

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Hey @viscid trench hope there is no problem pinging you but I managed to get Wi-Fi working, I installed everything grub and everything but when I reboot it just says no bootable image found

viscid trench Jul 23, 2025, 12:21 AM

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When you run grub-mkconfig it should tell you that it has found the kernel and initramfs in its log

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If it doesn't then check /boot or wherever your ESP is mounted for the kernel and initramfs

west wing Jul 23, 2025, 12:35 AM

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Yeah whatever I will leave it for tomorrow it's already pretty late for me

#[ SOLVED ] Need help installing Arch