AI (Assisted Installer)

AI is a set of scripts utilizing (X)dialog tp help the user set up a new system. The process is divided into five independent parts, so you can omit the use of any assistance you don't want.

Philosophy

• The user should be in control of most all of the process.
• Only stop the user from making invalid decisions
  • Like setting an EFI System Partition size less than the minimum for the intended filesystem (32MiB for FAT32).
• Suggestions and defaults can be provided, but the user should retain ultimate control.
• When intervening on the user's behalf, only changes that make no difference either way should go unprompted
  • like when adding a systemd override for sshd to add After=network-online.target to the Unit section of the service file.
• Otherwise, the user should be prompted if they want something done.

ai-parts

Partition a disk for use in either a single-boot Linux-only or dual-boot Linux/Windows setup. Takes full consideration of both BIOS/UEFI and MBR/GPT (and the fact that Windows turns its nose up at UEFI+MBR).

STATUS: Works, stable.

TODO: There's no consideration made to having existing partitions from an OEM Windows setup. In this scenario, once the user has shrunk the Windows System Partition to something minimal, ai-parts could make new partitions in the available space while leaving existing partitions alone.

TODO: Allow for a config file in the user's home directory that the user can set their preferred defaults.

ai-mkfs

Formats partitions and creates a "helper" fstab in your home directory for use later. For BTRFS, subvolumes can be set up ahead of time. If the appropriate utilities are installed, will turn on compression for F2FS volumes.

STATUS: Works, stable.

ai-pkgs

Installs packages into the new Linux environment. Extra packages can be made available if you have unofficial 3rd-party repos active like chaotic-aur. (Anything not in the official repos should be checked with IS_REPO_PKG first.)

STATUS: No chance to go back and correct mistakes. Only supports Arch Linux. Otherwise works and is stable.

TODO: Users can add packages of their choice using the packages file, but that option only shows up before the user sets up a GUI environments. Users should be able to do the same for GUI programs.

TODO: Support is planned for other Linux distributions that can use the chroot method of installation. Currently only Arch Linux is supported.

ai-confs

Configures the new system. Does as much work as possible without chrooting in.

STATUS: Nearly complete -- all base functionality present except running mkinitcpio.

The overview menu will show the configuration status of these, but there's no function yet to actually change the configuration.

ai-boot

Configures the bootloader of the new system

STATUS: Work in progress.

Firmware	Bootloader	Installation	Tools	Hook	Stanza	Configure
BIOS	GRUB 2	✔	✅	?	❌	❌
UEFI	GRUB 2	✔	✅	?	❌	❌
UEFI	rEFInd	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
BIOS	SysLinux	✔	✔	?	✔	✔
UEFI	SysLinux	✔	ⁿ∕ₐ	?	✔	✔
UEFI	systemd-boot	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔