Install arch linux on Tencent server

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2022-08-10

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In order to build a website for myself, I rent a server from Tencent. This is my final decision, the process is turtuous...

My requirement as below:

abroad provider because they don't have to register..
the the budget's not relax, all I can choosing was in range of $0 - $10.
It can runs Arch linux seamlessly

I already eye on one: Linode. But they don't see me... and banned all my gmail account from their service...

Fine! It's your loss!

My second thought was hostkey, They got excellent support, and cheapest price comparing with other service me compared. So be it. I paid €3 to get one.

The server was great at first. But when it comes to custom OS installation because I want my server runs Arch linux, things got frustrating. The server supports me mount custom OS installer from their library, but even it shows me that mounted successfully, i still can't boot from ISO, not saying start installation..

There is where excellent support comes from. I feedbacked the issue, they immediately help me fixed it. Thanks a lot!

And then, I started installation...

I never tried install a arch linux into server. So when it has not network. I totally fucked up, I googled and googled. Finally I found that in official wiki, this issue has a solution. The solution tells me that if we had static IP, we can get network through systemd-network service which comes with iso. It's very tricky.

It associates another service called systemd-resolve. Network can be reachable if both in proper configuration..

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Start both systemd service, then edit their config..
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For systemd-network, we can edit /etc/systemd/network/20-*.conf
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For systemd-resolve, we can link /etc/resolv.conf to /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf
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After tricky part done, other steps just as normal as install in local env.

I struggled and successfully installed arch linux on my server, but then i encountered night traffic jam.. No matter how hard I try, I just can't ssh into my server. That's unacceptable! I immediately start looking for other provider..

Then, I found Tencent Cloud..

I already have one server of it, based on Shanghai. It is good, but building a website in it would require me to register, so I never consider using it.

I rent a server that based on Hong Kong, cost me ¥42 per month. But this has really good quality. even now at 2:05am when I'm writing this essay. It still performs stable connection.

First thing I got hands on Tencent Hong Kong server, I changed OS to arch linux, just as before. But Tencent doesn't provide arch linux ISO, so i found some blogs on internet to know how to do it. And I succeed.

There involves three parts to install arch:

Mount ISO to driver and delete other thing
Manually add entry of ArchISO to grub
Static IP is of internal whereas hostkey is public.

So now, I got a server that running Arch Linux. Next, buiding a website on it!

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