[SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-24 15:02:39

In my live iso when trying to install something I get this error:

[default@mylastarch ~]$ sudo pacman -S cairo-dock cairo-dock-plugins

We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System
Administrator. It usually boils down to these three things:

    #1) Respect the privacy of others.
    #2) Think before you type.
    #3) With great power comes great responsibility.

For security reasons, the password you type will not be visible.

[sudo] password for default:
warning: database file for 'core' does not exist (use '-Sy' to download)
warning: database file for 'extra' does not exist (use '-Sy' to download)
error: target not found: cairo-dock
error: target not found: cairo-dock-plugins

Shouldn't I be able to just use pacman -S ?
Is there something I didn't do correct when making the iso?
I couldn't find any documentation on this error.

Last edited by MAYBL8 (2026-03-25 13:09:02)

Scimmia · 2026-03-24 15:06:08

You're trying to install some things on an immutable system? Why?

No, you should not be able to just use pacman -S, the ISO generally isn't set up to install new things on after booting it.

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-24 16:11:02

So shouldn’t I be able to test things before including it on the iso?

So it is correct in asking me to use pacman-Sy when I try to do this .
I don’t think without looking that in the archiso wiki it says what you are saying. I definitely could be wrong.
I usually am.

qinohe · 2026-03-24 18:12:12

In other words, the database files for your repos don't exist and so installing with pacman is not possible before you solve this.
In fact needles to say, but you need the database before you can install anything or the program can't be found...

However some applications will work even though the database doesn't exist, like checkupdates!
You can of course still clone a git repo FI. and install that, but only manually.
Tracking trough pacman will of course be unavailable if you use a PKGBUILD and use 'makepkg -si' FI.!

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-24 20:14:18

Is there some file or some command I can use when I build the iso that will make pacman -S work ?
So if I download the latest Arch iso and open it in a virtual box pacman -S won’t work?
I will try it and see what happens.

mithrial · 2026-03-24 21:21:16

You have to download the database first with -Sy.
There is no other way.
Including it into an iso will lead to an outdated database and therefore failures during downloading the package.

seth · 2026-03-24 21:28:20

Scimmia wrote:

You're trying to install some things on an immutable system? Why?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XY_problem

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-24 21:42:45

I just wanted to test a package before I included it in the iso.

seth · 2026-03-24 21:47:49

Why are you not testing it on the live system??

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-24 21:55:22

Isn't that what people do when they download an iso.

I was going to ask this question but I think I figured out the answer.

How does "archinstall" allow you to install packages?
I think the answer is it puts you in arch-chroot is that correct or it does it some how after it is installed?
I'm just trying to understand this.
Thanks for your patience and understanding.
Maybe I shouldn't be trying to do this. That is probably what you are going to tell me.

seth · 2026-03-24 22:53:24

I think the answer is it puts you in arch-chroot is that correct or it does it some how after it is installed?

You're supposed to chroot into the installed system after pacstrap and pacman -Syu stuff from there, I *hope* that archinstall does that.

Isn't that what people do when they download an iso.

Operating term is "an" - are you trying to create some live distro system w/ archiso?
Something like archbang or blackarch?

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-25 01:57:39

I was experimenting with the archiso to see what I could or couldn't do from what I have learned about it.
I wasn't going to make a distro. I was just going to make a archiso with what I wanted on it so I could reinstall it if I needed to.
But I wanted to see the purpose of archiso which I thought was to be able to make a iso and install it to a system .
I was trying to first used it on a virtual box to test it.

qinohe · 2026-03-25 07:21:36

@seth, yes archinstall does chroot using 'arch-chroot'

@MAYBL8, if you create an archiso that has a completely configured archinstall the way your system is right now you can install a system exactly like your system is now.
You may be better of creating a back-up from your current system (daily ... monthly) and restore that in case of an emergency, but hey that's what I would do in your case
In fact I wouldn't even bother, I'd create a back-up of installed packages my home and etc directory and be done with it.
Right now I don't even have the list of packages beside my own PKGBUILD's which live in home dir. anyway!
Arch is installed in a matter of minutes and restoring the back-ups I have don't take an hour, BTW I never used them

edit: I completely forget to mention:

But I wanted to see the purpose of archiso which I thought was to be able to make a iso and install it to a system .

Your home-brew archiso behaves the same way the monthly created Arch ISO does, unless you change that behavior on purpose!

Last edited by qinohe (2026-03-25 08:19:08)

cryptearth · 2026-03-25 08:34:16

why you request one topic to be closed to open another one? https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 4#p2291024
sorry - but that's just spam

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-25 11:45:54

cryptearth wrote:

why you request one topic to be closed to open another one? https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 4#p2291024
sorry - but that's just spam

I was asking one question that I did not get an answer to so I asked another question. I am NOT spamming. I am just trying to solve a problem I am having using Arch Linux. You are not being helpful at all.

Some of you people here act so high and mighty. I just want some help and maybe I am not perfect but that is what seems to be expected here.

OK enough of that.

Here is all I am trying to do .
I just want to use the tools that arch provides to make my own iso. For the sake of doing it.
The next thing I want to do is install it on my system.
That is it.
I guess I don't understand the purpose of archiso.

Thanks

Lone_Wolf · 2026-03-25 12:55:08

Last time I checked (januari 2026) it was possible to install packages in the live environment once it's stored in memory and after running pacman -Syu .

Note that this is risky and your live environment might become useless depending on the updates.

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-25 13:08:34

Lone_Wolf wrote:

Last time I checked (januari 2026) it was possible to install packages in the live environment once it's stored in memory and after running pacman -Syu .
Note that this is risky and your live environment might become useless depending on the updates.

Thanksigh for that info.
I guess I will conclude that after I boot the iso that I have to run pacman -Sy and then I can install a package to test it.
Than is all I wanted to do. I wasn't trying to install a package permanently just to see if I wanted to include it into the iso and what I might neeaed to have like configuration files to tweakit to my liking.

I thought I could just use the -S parameter but at first run it seems like I need -Sy .
I will take this as the answer to my question.
For those that tried to help . Thank you.

cryptearth · 2026-03-25 14:56:00

MAYBL8 wrote:

I was asking one question that I did not get an answer to so I asked another question.

you still askin the same question: how to modify an archiso - i already gave you the answer by linking to the wiki

I am NOT spamming.

looking at your recent history you hardly keep it together and rejected offered help multiple times - this can be seen both spamming and trolling

I am just trying to solve a problem I am having using Arch Linux. You are not being helpful at all.

that's because YOU ran and stuck into a XY-problem: instead of properly explaining your bigger goal (a live os based on arch?) you seem to have found one (possible not so good) way and now try to enforce it but fail to see that it's might not the proper way

in other words: you feel we're not helpful because you don't ask for it or reject the help offered - you want to get it done your way and your way only - and some here try to offer you a different view which you reject - this way we CANNOT help you

side note: this forum is based on a "help from users for users" - if you throw yourself on the ground like a 5 year old "mama they don't help to make it work how i want" don't feel offended when we pass you with "clear the way, kid"

seth · 2026-03-25 15:26:43

I thought I could just use the -S parameter but at first run it seems like I need -Sy .

Unless you're feeding form a custom, static repo you'll have to -y anyway to sync/update the repo/database anyway.
You theoretically could include repo databases for core/extra etc. but that makes no sense because you'd only shadow them in the RAM backed overlay w/ the necessary update - wasted space in the image.
If you're envisioning a persistent "live" system, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Instal … ble_medium
An alternative approach would be to write back the cowspace into an image and initialize if from there on re/boots, but I don't think this is covered by archiso.

I'm still not entirely clear what your goal is - some live system would usually just come preconfigured to showcase a specific setup or installation base (or rescue system); using that as productive system (even just to try things) is tedious and if you're running that from a usb key also not overly healthy for the usb key (see the caveats in the previous link and the strategies to minimize disk writes)

MAYBL8 · 2026-03-25 15:40:28

I'm still not entirely clear what your goal is

Thanks seth.
Sorry I still haven't made it clear what I am wanting to do.
I read about archiso . It stated you could use it to build a custom iso. So that is what I was working on.
I have built the iso and was testing it in a virtualbox.
I guess the goal would be to be able to install it and use it as my arch linux system.
I know I could just use archinstall from the monthly arch iso or build arch from scratch.
But if I had my own iso configured the way I wanted to it would save me from doing all the config setups over and over.
I hope that makes sense.
Maybe that is out of the scope for this forum.

nl6720 · 2026-03-25 15:58:45

seth wrote:

An alternative approach would be to write back the cowspace into an image and initialize if from there on re/boots, but I don't think this is covered by archiso.

It's supported. The cow_* parameters in https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/ … bootparams document it. Mind that updating the kernel and its modules in the live environment is not advised.

MAYBL8 wrote:

But if I had my own iso configured the way I wanted to it would save me from doing all the config setups over and over.

So you want to copy the contents of the ISO onto a partition. That's not supported:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Offline_installation wrote:

Extracting the root file system image (airootfs.sfs) or copying the live environment's root file system is not a supported installation method. airootfs.sfs contains custom configuration that is not suitable or secure for an installed system.

qinohe · 2026-03-25 15:58:51

@seth, or I must be misunderstanding what it is you mean...
You need to first '-Sy customrepo' before anything can be installed that's in that repo!
edit: I see what you mean, indeed you can install a package directly from a custom repo /\O/\

@MAYBL8, let it sink in for a while, an ISO is basically the same as your install on disk.
You first need a database for pacman before you can use it and can install anything using pacman be it on disk or ISO.

@Lone_Wolf, why would you update a live environment in the first place, building a new ISO takes a few minutes, of course...depending whats on it, but mostly

Last edited by qinohe (2026-03-25 17:02:43)

Scimmia · 2026-03-25 15:59:55

The ISO has nothing to do with the installed system. You cannot "install it and use it as my arch linux system"

qinohe · 2026-03-25 16:02:01

That's correct Scimmia, but if you want to test install anything using the live env. the ISO a database is needed

Scimmia · 2026-03-25 16:05:14

But this entire endeavor is based on that wrong assumption (see the OPs last post which I was replying to)

Last edited by Scimmia (2026-03-25 16:05:26)

Arch Linux

#1 2026-03-24 15:02:39

[SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#2 2026-03-24 15:06:08

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#3 2026-03-24 16:11:02

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#4 2026-03-24 18:12:12

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#5 2026-03-24 20:14:18

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#6 2026-03-24 21:21:16

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#7 2026-03-24 21:28:20

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#8 2026-03-24 21:42:45

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#9 2026-03-24 21:47:49

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#10 2026-03-24 21:55:22

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#11 2026-03-24 22:53:24

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#12 2026-03-25 01:57:39

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#13 2026-03-25 07:21:36

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#14 2026-03-25 08:34:16

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#15 2026-03-25 11:45:54

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#17 2026-03-25 13:08:34

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#18 2026-03-25 14:56:00

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#19 2026-03-25 15:26:43

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#20 2026-03-25 15:40:28

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#21 2026-03-25 15:58:45

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#23 2026-03-25 15:59:55

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#24 2026-03-25 16:02:01

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

#25 2026-03-25 16:05:14

Re: [SOLVED] archiso pacman wanting -Sy

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