Introduction

Welcome to the ultimate, seriously detailed, and slightly humorous guide on installing Dragora GNU/Linux-Libre (formerly Dragora GNU/Linux). Whether you’re a free-software purist, a Linux newbie who thinks “apt-get” is a sushi order, or a hardened sysadmin seeking a minimal, fully libre OS, this tutorial has you covered. Buckle up, grab a strong coffee, and let’s dive in!

Why Dragora GNU/Linux-Libre?

• 100% Libre: No proprietary blobs, no binary-only firmware, nothing but pure freedom.
• Modularity: The “–olo” philosophy (one library, one program) keeps things neat.
• Rolling Releases: Stay up to date without reinstalling every six months.
• Community-Driven: Built by volunteers who care about your freedom—and your sanity.

Prerequisites

1. A computer with at least 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended).
2. 2 GB free disk space (20 GB recommended for daily use).
3. USB stick (≥ 2 GB) or blank DVD.
4. Internet connection (for package updates and mirror tests).
5. Some patience—installing freedom sometimes takes a moment.

Step 1: Download the ISO

Head over to the official Dragora website and grab the latest ISO:

https://www.dragora.org

Choose the dragora-live ISO for a live environment or the dragora-install ISO for direct installation. We’ll use dragora-install in this guide.

Step 2: Verify the ISO

Security first! No one wants a tampered ISO pretending to be Dragora.

 sha256sum dragora-install-.iso
 gpg --verify dragora-install-.iso.sig
  

Compare the checksum with the one provided on the website and ensure the GPG signature is valid. If you see “Good signature”, you’re golden.

Step 3: Create Bootable Media

On Linux/macOS, use dd. Be careful—typos here can wipe your entire disk.

 sudo dd if=dragora-install-.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress  sync
  

On Windows, use tools like Rufus (in DD Image mode), always ensuring you select the correct drive letter.

Step 4: Booting the Installer

Insert your USB/DV D, reboot, and select it in BIOS/UEFI. If you see the Dragora boot menu, congratulations—you’ve beaten the firmware dragon!

Step 5: Partitioning Your Disk

Dragora’s installer uses cfdisk by default—text-based but friendly.

1. Launch cfdisk /dev/sdX.
2. Create a partition for / (ext4, ext2, or ext3) – at least 10 GB.
3. (Optional) Create a /home partition if you want to keep user data separate.
4. (Optional) Swap partition: recommended size = RAM size (capped at 4 GB).
5. Write changes and exit.

Step 6: Filesystem Creation

 mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1        # root partition
 mkswap /dev/sdX3           # swap if created
 swapon /dev/sdX3
  

Replace sdX1 and sdX3 with your actual partition names.

Step 7: Mount Partitions

 mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt
 mkdir /mnt/home  mount /dev/sdX2 /mnt/home    # if you made /home
  

Step 8: Installing the Base System

Dragora uses its own tool: dracut, not to be confused with the initramfs tool of the same name.

 cd /mnt
 tar xpf /path/to/livefs.tar.gz   # extracts the base system
 arch-chroot /mnt /bin/bash       # change root to configure
  

Alternatively, follow the on-screen prompts in the installer: select mirror, choose packages (core, base-devel, Xorg, etc.), and let it rip!

Step 9: Configure the System

Set the Root Password

# passwd
  

Create a Regular User

# useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash yourusername
# passwd yourusername
  

Host and Network

# echo my-dragora-host > /etc/hostname
# echo 127.0.0.1 localhost >> /etc/hosts
  

For DHCP via netcfg:

# rc-update add net.enp0s3 default
# /etc/init.d/net.enp0s3 start
  

Step 10: Install Bootloader

Dragora supports GRUB out of the box.

# grub-install --target=i386-pc /dev/sdX
# grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
  

If you live in the UEFI universe:

# mount /dev/sdX1 /boot/efi
# grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=dragora
# grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
  

Step 11: Final Steps Before Reboot

• Ensure /etc/fstab lists your partitions correctly. Use blkid for UUIDs.
• Enable services:
• rc-update add sshd default (if you need SSH)
• rc-update add dbus default (for desktop environments)
• Exit chroot: exit.
• Unmount partitions: umount -R /mnt.
• Reboot: reboot.

First Boot Post-Installation

Congratulations, you’ve summoned Dragora! Log in as your user and bask in the glory of freedom. A few recommended steps:

1. Update package lists: sudo dragr update.
2. Upgrade system: sudo dragr up.
3. Install essential packages: editors, shells, GUI tools (sudo dragr install vim bash xorg xfce4).
4. Configure display manager or start X manually.

Recommended Tweaks Tips

Troubleshooting

• No network? Check /etc/network/interfaces and /etc/resolv.conf.
• GRUB errors? Re-run grub-install and verify /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
• Hardware missing? Ensure you’re on a libre-hardware compatible machine or get libre-friendly drivers.
• Community help: Visit the forums at https://dragora.org/forum or the mailing lists.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully installed Dragora GNU/Linux-Libre and taken a proud step on the path of software freedom. Remember, with great power (and rolling releases) comes great responsibility—keep your system updated, contribute back, and enjoy a distro that doesn’t lock you in. If you laughed or learned something, our job here is done. Now go forth and spread the libre gospel!