Instructions

Prerequisites

1. A usable machine, preferably one using a Linux-based OS.
2. At least 4 GB of free storage to create an ext4 partition.
3. The source files for Kinesis OS.
4. An Internet connection if additional files are going to be downloaded during the setup.

Note: It is recommended to go through the Kinesis OS setup as the root user.

Extracting

First off, create an ext4 partition on the disk where Kinesis OS will be installed on using a tool such as GParted or Fdisk. If an existing partition will be used for Kinesis OS, the following commands can be issued directly from a Unix/Linux shell. Next, mount the partition to be used at /mnt/ or at any other mount point desired.

lsblk
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdXn 
mount /dev/sdXn /mnt/

A swap partition can also be made use of if desired.

mkswap /dev/sdXn
swapon /dev/sdXn

Going on with the Kinesis OS setup, download and extract the source files for Kinesis OS to the ext4 partition that is going to be used. Another way to do this could be by issuing the following commands.

Replace any instance of '/mnt/' in the instructions by a custom mount point if one is being used onwards.

cd /mnt/
wget https://download1506.mediafire.com/fr228ct7tzyg/yhyhrli8vrirbmo/k_os-source-files.tar.xz
tar -xvf k_os-source-files.tar.xz
rm k_os-source-files.tar.xz

For the next steps, it is recommended to install the arch install scripts package for the current platform being used although everything can be done manually.

Finally, just create the fstab file which will hold information about the mount point of disk partition(s) that Kinesis OS will be using. If the arch install scripts package has been installed, just run the following command.

genfstab -U /mnt/ >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Else, edit the fstab file at /mnt/etc/fstab manually. For this example, it will be assumed that the / partition (the ext4 one) is at /dev/sda2 and the swap partition, at /dev/sda3. Replace these by the actual partitions that will be used.

cat > /mnt/etc/fstab << "EOF"
# <device>        <dir>        <type>        <options>        <dump> <fsck>
/dev/sda2         /            ext4          defaults         0      1
/dev/sda3         none         swap          defaults         0      0
EOF

Chroot-ing

In this section, root will be changed to the newly created Kinesis OS / partition in order to complete all the necessary initial configurations and preparations for the final system.

If the arch install scripts package has been installed, just issue this one line command.

arch-chroot /mnt/

Else, execute the following commands if a more classical approach is being taken.

cd /mnt/
mount -t proc /proc proc/
mount --rbind /sys sys/
mount --rbind /dev dev/
mount --rbind /run run/
chroot /mnt/ /bin/bash

Custom initial configurations (Optional)

To set a timezone and update the hardware clock of the new system, use the following commands while updating <Region> and <Country> with specific values.

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/<Region>/<Country> /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc

For using particular language(s) in the new Kinesis OS install, lines corresponding to the language(s) needed must be uncommented and generated. Additionally, the /etc/locale.conf file needs to be edited to correspond to the main language that will be used. By default, Kinesis OS comes with the en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 locale.

nano /etc/locale.gen
locale.gen
nano /etc/locale.conf

If a custom hostname is desired for the machine, any instance of 'k_os' needs to be replaced by that hostname in the /etc/hostname and /etc/hosts files.

nano /etc/hostname
nano /etc/hosts

Finally, packages can be made sure to be up-to-date by running these commands. If a wireless internet connection won’t be used, omit the first command.

wifi-menu
pacman -Syu

Users and WiFi configuration (Optional)

The password of the root user can be changed using the following command.

passwd

Additionally, a new user can be created and a password can be set. As the sudo package is going to be installed alongside, make sure that an active internet connection is available. Refer to the last part of the previous section if a wireless internet connection is going to be used.

k_addUser <UserName>

If WiFi support out of the box is desired after installing Kinesis OS, execute the following command.

k_wifi

Installing a/multiple Desktop Environment(s)

This section can be skipped if Kinesis OS will be used as a terminal-based operating system.

If multiple desktop environments will be installed, issue the following command just before the last desired desktop environment is installed. Failure to do so might result in conflicts between display managers used by the different desktop environments installed.

k_disable_dm

Issue the following command(s) only for the desktop environment(s) desired.

KDE Plasma:

k_install_plasma

GNOME:

k_install_gnome

Cinnamon:

k_install_cinnamon

XFCE:

k_install_xfce

MATE:

k_install_mate

Budgie:

k_install_budgie

Deepin:

k_install_deepin

LXDE:

k_install_lxde

LXQT:

k_install_lxqt

Installing a bootloader (GRUB)

A bootloader will allow booting Kinesis OS. GRUB is the preffered and recommended choice due to its many benefits. A command similar to the format given below needs to be issued.

k_grub [y/n] /dev/sdX [n]

The first parameter is whether (y) or not (n) the system is an UEFI one, and the second and third parameters correspond to the disk (and partition number) where GRUB should be installed. The third parameter needs to be omitted in case the system is not an UEFI one.

If the system is not an UEFI one and the target disk is /dev/sda, the following command can be issued.

k_grub n /dev/sda

If the system is an UEFI one and the EFI partition (usually the smallest one) corresponds to /dev/sda1, the following command can be issued.

k_grub y /dev/sda 1

If the setup of Kinesis OS is over,the Chroot environment can be left and this fresh new install of Kinesis OS can be booted!

exit
cd /
umount --recursive /mnt/
reboot