My Linux Journey

My Linux journey began with a simple curiosity to understand how computers functioned at a deeper level, beyond mere usage. My exploration started with Ubuntu and Kali, and eventually, I ventured into Arch Linux. Along the way, I discovered the power of the terminal, open-source software, Docker, kernels, networking, and endless opportunities for customization. This is the story of how Linux transformed from just another operating system into something I genuinely enjoy using.

At the end of summer, I decided to format my laptop and dual-boot Windows and Kali Linux. This move made me develop a strong distaste for Microsoft. When I attempted to partition my storage to free up space for Kali, Windows's BitLocker feature made the process significantly more challenging. After trying various tools to bypass this issue, I finally found one that worked, but it left me with only 16 MB of free space.

My initial attempts to resolve this problem with Microsoft's tools and third-party software proved unsuccessful, causing Windows to behave erratically.

During the Network 42 program in Rabat, Morocco, I was introduced to Ubuntu Linux and quickly fell in love with its user-friendly interface. Upon completing the program, I resolved to use Kali Linux as my primary operating system. At this point, I was also striving to enhance my cybersecurity skills. Installing Docker on Windows proved to be a daunting task, and after several days of troubleshooting, I opted to format Windows instead.

After watching a tutorial on reformatting, I encountered another hurdle: my PIN stopped working, and clicking the "Click to fix" option yielded no results. Once more, I opted for a fresh installation of Arch Linux, following a friend's recommendation from the Network 42 program. Initially, Arch Linux installation was straightforward due to a simple GUI installer, but I soon faced partitioning challenges as I had to dual-boot the system.

During the partitioning process, I learned about swap, file systems, partitions, and bootloaders using the command line interface. After successfully partitioning the disk, I rebooted the system, only to discover that GRUB, the boot loader, did not recognize Arch Linux. I spent two days attempting to resolve this issue, reinstalling GRUB numerous times until it eventually detected Arch Linux.

However, despite the successful detection, Arch Linux still failed to boot. I manually checked the installation files using GRUB's command line interface, eventually resolving the issue.

However, my journey with Arch Linux was far from over. I faced yet another challenge: networking. I spent around four hours trying to fix the issue, ultimately resorting to a GUI environment with a wall of text to diagnose the problem. After discovering the need for NetworkManager, I installed it and regained network connectivity.

Unfortunately, my newfound network stability was short-lived, as the network would frequently break again. After running ipconfig, I found that only the loopback interface (lo) was active. Further investigation revealed potential kernel issues, leading me to consider updating the kernel.

In an attempt to resolve the networking issues, I updated the kernel using my USB boot environment. While this succeeded in updating the kernel, it also presented new problems. My normal kernel (6.17.1) was now outdated, replaced by the LTS kernel (6.12.5). When I booted Arch Linux, it automatically selected the LTS kernel. Confused by this behavior, I checked the package manager, which indicated that the newer kernel (6.17.2) was available.

Despite removing the LTS kernel, Arch Linux continued to boot into the LTS kernel, leaving me perplexed.

In a moment of realization, I learned an essential lesson about Arch Linux: exercising caution when updating software. As my desktop environment journey continued, I decided to experiment with KDE Plasma. Initially, I installed KDE with only the essential applications, but soon found myself overwhelmed by duplicate applications and a rapidly filling hard drive.

Unable to determine which packages were safe to remove, I sought assistance from AI, who suggested a simple command to address the issue. After removing unnecessary KDE applications, I finally achieved a more streamlined desktop experience.