"Migrating" from Arch to EndeavourOS

First of all I SWEAR I have seen a topic about this but I can’t find it.

Anyway, I have a very well functioning Arch install (I installed it mostly because realized I haven’t done a “pure” Arch Way install since 2018) set up as I want it with BTRFs snapshots and stuff.

So what I would like to do, because I am bored and annoying :wink: is to “migrate” over to Endeavour OS (aka Grub theme, lsb-release. I have already enabled the repo and installed the mirror list because well… nice tools).

You probably want these packages:

eos-bash-shared
eos-hooks
eos-log-tool
eos-translations
eos-update-notifier

eos-hooks is what sets things like lsb_release.

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Are you sure you want to be kicked out of the Arch forum? :wink:
(Sorry, couldn’t help myself… :rofl:)

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With command

 pacman -Sl endeavouros

you’ll see the list of all endeavouros packages. And note that not all of them are even meant to be installed.

What packages to install depends of course on what kind of hardware you have, and what tools you like to use.

I can show you my list of EndeavourOS packages. Unsurprisingly the marking [installed] in the end of most lines say which are currently installed:

endeavouros akm 2.7.6-2 [installed]
endeavouros arc-x-icons-theme 2.1-3
endeavouros ckbcomp 1.201-1
endeavouros downgrade 9.0.0-1 [installed]
endeavouros endeavouros-keyring 1-5 [installed]
endeavouros endeavouros-mirrorlist 3.3-1 [installed]
endeavouros endeavouros-theming 6.3-1 [installed]
endeavouros endeavouros-xfce4-terminal-colors 2-1
endeavouros eos-base 1.1-1
endeavouros eos-bash-shared 1.5.25-1 [installed: 1.5.26-1]
endeavouros eos-hooks 1.4.1-1 [installed]
endeavouros eos-log-tool 1.4.3-1 [installed]
endeavouros eos-rankmirrors 1.2.1-2 [installed]
endeavouros eos-translations 1.1.12-1 [installed]
endeavouros eos-update-notifier 1.13-3 [installed]
endeavouros grub-tools 1.6.1-1 [installed]
endeavouros grub2-theme-endeavouros 20210131-1 [installed]
endeavouros inxi 3.3.01.1-1 [installed]
endeavouros keyserver-rank 1.2.4-1
endeavouros mkinitcpio-openswap 0.1.0-3
endeavouros nvidia-installer 3-1
endeavouros nvidia-installer-db 2.4.15-1 [installed]
endeavouros nvidia-installer-dkms 3.3.8-3 [installed]
endeavouros pahis 0.3.1-1 [installed]
endeavouros paper-icon-theme 1.5.0-2
endeavouros reflector-bash-completion 1-2 [installed]
endeavouros reflector-simple 1.14-1 [installed]
endeavouros welcome 3.9.7-1 [installed: 3.9.7-1.7]
endeavouros yay 10.1.2-2 [installed]

Here is a quick guide on how to stay on the Arch forum:

  1. Don’t tell them you’re using EndeavourOS.
  2. Know your system well enough so that nobody can suspect you’re using EndeavourOS.

Technically, you’re not even lying, because after all, EndeavourOS, not counting this forum, is just a slightly pre-configured Arch with a different branding and a very small repo added for convenience. So if you know how your system is configured, it is impossible for anyone to know how you installed it.

Of course, if you don’t know your system well enough, and there are packages on it that you don’t know how they got there and for what reason, it’s best to stay out of the Arch forum, because they’ll figure it out, the moment they ask you something and you can’t answer it.

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This is off-topic, but I guess even Arch people can (or should?) tolerate if one has installed a script from e.g. EndeavourOS or AUR?

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That should not be a problem. What they want you to honour is to have installed the OS the “Arch way”, as that is a prerequisite for being a member on their forum.

Most of us here have done that on more than one occasion, so we qualify. As long as you’re respectful and do not ask specifically about EndeavourOS packages, I don’t think anyone there will care to inquire about it. In short, just don’t mention EndeavourOS :rofl:

If you have a problem and you waste their time and they discover that the problem is related to an EndeavourOS script or something like that, they’ll get upset with you (which is completely understandable, in my opinion).

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@Beardedgeek72 has installed the Arch way, so no problem there.
And having an additional repo (or more) is nice. I’ve done the same for my Arch installs.

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So, I have it all down except the menu entry in GRUB that still says “Arch Linux”.

Edit:
Why do I NEVER find anything when searching online until 1 - 2 seconds after asking a question?

Edit the second:
Compiling what I installed here plus the changes to grub above -

sudo pacman -S lsb-release grub2-theme-endeavouros eos-hooks eos-log-tool eos-translations endeavouros-theming eos-rankmirrors reflector-simple welcome

Then updated grub with the info above and the EndeavourOS theme manually.

Do you have grub-tools installed?
Then try reinstalling package grub.

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It’s already solved, see above. I manually edited /etc/default/grub and changed a line to

GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR="EndeavourOS"

(I had to edit the file anyway to activate the EndeavourOS Grub theme).

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Note that one of the things grub-tools does is keep GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR as expected in /etc/default/grub after package grub updates.

Not sure if it is needed tho if you have set it up manually to begin with?
Never mind, I’ll install it just the same.

You can test it by reinstalling grub and check if is OK.

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Very much this.

There’s no technical difference between EndeavourOS and an Arch install with an added unofficial user repository.

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Point I am making is that if you can manually change theme in /etc/default/grub (which is the recommended way to change Grub themes) as well as other settings (like default option, boot timer etc) then it should also keep GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR.

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Oh yes, pacman creates a .pacnew for that file on updates. Then just need pacdiff or similar to check it.

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But nobody, ever, would do such a thing, would they? Then it is not PURE ARCH ™.
(Installs thru the AUR doesn’t count because reasons).

Yes, I love taking potshots at certain factions within the Linux community :stuck_out_tongue:

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Sad thing. I never installed Arch the Arch way, although I’m sure I could, if I would want to. So I would not qualify. As far as I know (by reading comments about their forum) it could be some fun over there. :wink:

Scnr

Never underestimate the fervour and zealotry involved with platforms and tools. It’s everywhere, albeit sometimes hidden. I’ve installed Arch from scratch a few times, it was a learning experience, but it doesn’t make me special or any better than anyone else. I just wanted to learn. Beyond that, community, support, inclusivity, growth, camaraderie, these are all the things that make us special.

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