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2025-12-10 - arch linux base install on a framework 12

i just got a framework 12 laptop, so i could give my framework 13 to my brother. the 12 is slightly smaller, with a bunch of hardware design improvements, a slower cpu, and a touchscreen. i loved the netbook i used years ago and the framework 12 reminds me a little more of that.

framework 12

i've been using arch linux for over 10 years and the way i installed it this time is waaaay cooler than every previous install i've done.

the partition layout uses the gpt partitioning scheme, and the hard drive is split into 3 partitions:

- 1 gib fat32 efi boot partition.

- 8 gib swap have 3 partitions

- 456 gib luks encrypted btrfs root partition.

my boot partition has only a few files:

notice how there is no bootloader! every other arch/linux installation i have ever done had a bootloader. but now there is a cool new kid on the block called uki (unified kernel image). in arch linux you can now configure mkinitcpio to create a single efi .img file that boots up linux with no bootloader needed!

but i'm not done! by setting my partition type ids correctly, i enabled a systemd feature that can auto mount my root/swap/boot partitions.

partition type ids for automounting

furthermore, systemd will autodetect luks encrypted root filesystems. no need to set a kernel cmdline parameter or fstab entry anymore for luks encryption. in fact my fstab file is empty and i have a fully mounted system!

in my previous arch installs, i have:

- gone without disk encryption

- used ecryptfs to only encrypt my home directory

- encrypted the root partition, but had to type in a decryption password every boot

but this time i setup luks with tpm + secure boot. this means i get full disk encryption without the need to ever enter a decryption password at boot time!

this setup is way more slick than any of my previous arch linux installs. i'm stoked to start using my new laptop.