Features

  • Built from standard Arch Linux packages

  • Only minimal changes made to enable functioning as a live system - it is essentially pure Arch Linux

  • Can build live iso images (for CD or DVD), USB-sticks, hard disk partitions (sometimes called 'frugal' installation), etc.

  • Can also build from existing Arch installation

  • Can use standard Arch kernel ('kernel26'), no kernel build is necessary

  • Fully customisable package selection

  • Use of build 'profiles' to make system designs readily reproducible - all the configuration details are contained within a 'profile' directory

  • Uses isolinux/extlinux/syslinux bootloader

  • Automatic generation of /etc/fstab based on device detection; can also detect LVM volumes (when configured to do so)

  • Does not require an Arch Linux system to build it, any modern GNU/Linux system should suffice

  • Can be used to install an already configured Arch Linux to hard disk - you can test, configure and reconfigure, and even update, before you install

  • Uses standard udev-based hardware detection

  • Based on squashfs, aufs, initramfs (using standard Arch mkinitcpio)

  • On a writeable medium (e.g. USB-stick) it is possible to support transparent data persistence between boots - also package updates (including the kernel) are possible

  • Easy copying between media, e.g. USB-stick -- CD/DVD

  • Full graphical system possible, e.g. with KDE, OpenOffice, GIMP, ... . Example profiles build xfce based systems

  • Using ssh it's possible to run this CD/USB-stick on a system without monitor/keyboard - remote installation and rescue is also possible

  • Optional use of existing swap partition ('swap' boot parameter)

  • Simple text configuration files

  • Extensive documentation

  • larch can itself be run from a live medium, allowing easy 'larchification' of existing installations

  • The basic functions are provided by command-line scripts (written in python), but a convenient GUI is also provided (using pyqt)

  • i18n-ready (using gettext)

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