Arch Linux and Manjaro on TUXEDO computers - Arch Linux and Manjaro on TUXEDO computers - TUXEDO Computers

One of the most important differentiators between Linux distributions is the update strategy. Most distributors release a version of their distribution and then deliver only security updates and other essential bug fixes via the package repositories. As a rule, only fundamental applications, such as the browser (Firefox or Chromium), which would otherwise have severe security vulnerabilities and for which users absolutely expect updates, are exempt from this rule.

With other central components such as the kernel, only security patches are backported to the delivered version, the version number of the corresponding package does not change thereby. Only with a distribution upgrade from one version to the next is the complete software inventory brought up to date. Most large distributions such as Debian, Fedora or Ubuntu work according to this principle.

Rolling Release Distributions

The situation is completely different with rolling release distributions. Once installed, the complete operating system always remains current – from the application programs, over the desktop environment, down to the operating system core and the drivers. These distributions include Arch Linux, the Arch-derived Manjaro, as well as Siduction or the Tumbleweed branch of openSUSE. There is also a – albeit unofficial – rolling release branch of Ubuntu called Rolling Rhino Remix.

Rolling release does not necessarily mean bleeding edge, i.e., the provision of updated packages in the shortest possible time after the official release of the developers. Larger updates, such as those of desktop environments and the associated underlying frameworks GTK or Qt, can take a few weeks before the new features are rolled out to users. The package maintainers of the distributions ensure that the updated software harmonizes well with the rest of the software through extensive tests.

Intermediate path with TUXEDO OS

In TUXEDO OS, we take a compromise between rolling release and "point release", i.e., the classic versioning model. TUXEDO OS uses its own package repositories so that important and central components such as the KDE Plasma desktop, the kernel, Mesa, Pipewire and Wireplumber as well as the Firefox browser can be updated independently. Our driver configuration service Tomte ensures that the system is always up-to-date without users having to take action themselves.

Arch/Manjaro on TUXEDO notebooks

Among the most widely used rolling release distros are Arch Linux and Manjaro, which itself builds on Arch but maintains its own package repositories. Manjaro, with its graphical installation routine and preconfigured desktop images, is aimed at users who expect their computer to be installed quickly and as easily as possible. Arch Linux, on the other hand, comes without a graphical installation wizard: The recommended installation is done by hand on the command line, and a manual guides you through the process. In the meantime, however, there is also a script with archinstall, which relieves the user of a lot of work during the installation.

Since the installation process of Arch Linux is always changing and the community wiki guides you step by step through the setup, we do not provide our own installation instructions here. Despite all the simplifications, installing Arch Linux still requires some Linux know-how. If you are unsure about the partitioning of the drives, if terms like Pulseaudio, WirePlumber or NetworkManager mean nothing to you, then we rather recommend Manjaro. You can also install this distribution via the TUXEDO WebFAI if you have a suitable device.

Arch User Repository (short AUR)

In contrast to TUXEDO OS, when installing Arch Linux on a TUXEDO notebook, the TUXEDO Control Center and the hardware-specific kernel modules are not automatically installed. Depending on the device, the system may therefore not work optimally. We therefore recommend installing the packages tuxedo-keyboard-ite-dkms, tuxedo-keyboard-dkms and tuxedo-control-center-bin. However, Arch Linux does not yet include these packages in its official package sources, the community maintains installation recipes in the Arch User Repository. With an AUR helper like Yay, the installation is quite easy.

sudo pacman -S --needed git base-devel

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git

cd yay

makepkg -si

After the above commands, Yay is installed on your Arch computer. Now update the package repositories (the parameters of yay correspond to the usual commands of pacman). The following command will install the kernel modules together with the TUXEDO Control Center. In the future, keep the system, including all components and the programs installed from the AUR, up to date by calling yay -Syu. In order for the system to build the kernel modules, you also need the header files that match the kernel (you usually install these via the linux-headers package).

sudo pacman -S linux-headers  ### Select to match the kernel

yay -Syu

yay -S tuxedo-keyboard-ite-dkms tuxedo-keyboard-dkms tuxedo-control-center-bin

For the kernel modules to load, you must now restart the computer. After that, check with lsmod | grep tuxedo if the system could load the kernel modules tuxedo_io and tuxedo_keyboard successfully. If this is the case, open the TUXEDO Control Center from the application menu. The program can then be used to control the hardware profiles as usual. As under TUXEDO OS, the computer should now only turn on the fan when necessary and the maximum computer performance should be available. In order for the TCC to appear in the tray bar under Gnome, as shown in the figure, you must install the AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support extension.

lsmod | grep tuxedo
tuxedo_io              24576  1
tuxedo_keyboard        61440  2 clevo_acpi,tuxedo_io
sparse_keymap          16384  2 intel_hid,tuxedo_keyboard

Manjaro on a TUXEDO notebook

Under Manjaro you do not have to resort to the Arch user repository. The distribution integrates the TUXEDO Control Center and also the kernel modules of many TUXEDO devices into its own package sources. However, the installation of the required packages does not happen automatically. To integrate the Control Center, first determine the kernel currently in use with the help of Manjaro hardware detection and then import the header files for it accordingly. In our example, the linux61 kernel is installed, so we need the linux61-headers. Then install the Control Center and the kernel modules. After a reboot, the Control Center is fully available.

mhwd-kernel -li
Currently running: 6.1.1-1-MANJARO (linux61)
The following kernels are installed in your system:
   * linux61

pamac install linux61-headers

pamac install tuxedo-control-center tuxedo-keyboard-dkms

Rolling Release as an alternative

In general, we recommend that customers who purchase a TUXEDO device also choose TUXEDO OS. The system is optimally prepared for our computers and notebooks. Assistants like Tomte take care of the configurations in the background, so that the system is always up-to-date and optimally configured. However, the two rolling release distributions Arch Linux and Manjaro offer themselves as alternatives to TUXEDO OS – albeit without our official support. Under both distributions, TUXEDO Control Center and the TUXEDO kernel modules can be installed without much effort. For many TUXEDO devices, there are also entries in the community Wiki.