Manjaro Setup Notes
I tried Manjaro circa 2019 for a couple of years as my main Linux Desktop. I had no major problems with it. An occasional minor problem this nVidia graphic card and some minor issues with updates. Having used Debian / Ubuntu the past 10 years on servers I decided to switch to Debian testing desk top with XFCE. Debian testing basically give a similar level of latest updates as Manjaro/Arch. I have not bothered with Manjaro since then.
Manjaro has been relatively so simple and easy to set up there are not really a lot of notes at this times.
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How to check mounted drives:
Scanning:
I had a license of Vuescan, so I installed the Linux version of this. Found a flatpak / snap package for the latest version on line….. (Avoid the use of snap packages as this is a propriety Ubuntu system.)
There are also also built in packages for scanners, called sane….
For PDF software I have got licenses for Foxit Pro (Phantom) which is one of the best PDF tools I have used, alas they do not make a Linux version of this. so I purchased a license of Qoppa PDF Studio 2019 Pro. So far it looks pretty good….
CUPS Printing
The CUPS printer interface is on web page; localhost:631
The PDF printer definition file was found at /usr/share/cups/model/
The default PDF printer output directory is /var/spool/cups-pdf/user/, where user is the user name.
Setup printer Epson WF7720 following on screen directions (Now that WF77200 and WF7725 are fully compatible.) Looks like there is a full driver for WF-7525, but do not know how compatible with WF7725.
Flatpak update will update flatpak packages.
The CUPS systemd unit file is: cups.service and cups.socket
The CUPS error log is at /var/log/cups/error_log
The CUPS configuration file is at /etc/cups/cupsd.conf
CUPS - Print Server
XFCE
I have been using XFCE as my preferred server remote VNC gui now for more than 6 years. It seems to follow the UNIX model and focuses on doing this well. With my desktop Manjaro setup it was a nature choice. It also seems to be the preferred option on Manjaro.
Some options XFCE environment apps worth considering:
Some other applications that I use:
Qoppa PDF Studio Pro ⇒ A full propriety PDF program, Qoppa seems to be the only one that provides a Linux solution. Previously on Windows I preferred Foxit Pro, however they to not provide a Linux version.
Calibre - Book Library and reader software (I have been having some trouble with corruption of the database the past few months)
Conky
There is a standard software install for Conky in Manjaro. I adjusted my server configuration file to suit, sudo vim ~/.config/conky/conky.conf
conky.conf
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# .conkyrc - derived from various examples across the 'net
# Designed to support a 16 core processer running Manjaro
#
# You can restart conky by running
# killall -SIGUSR1 conky
#
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------
# -------------------- Conky's Run Time Parameters --------------------
update_interval 2.0 # Conky update interval in seconds
total_run_times 0 # Number of updates before quitting. Set to zero to run forever.
no_buffers yes # Subtract file system buffers from used memory?
cpu_avg_samples 2 # Number of cpu samples to average. Set to 1 to disable averaging
net_avg_samples 2 # Number of net samples to average. Set to 1 to disable averaging
# -------------------- Conky's General Look & Feel --------------------
# --- defualt values --- #
default_color grey # Default color and border color
default_bar_size 0 6 # Specify a default width and height for bars.
default_gauge_size 25 25 # Specify a default width and height for gauges.
default_graph_size 0 25 # Specify a default width and height for graphs.
default_outline_color green # Default border and text outline color
default_shade_color yellow # Default border and text shading color
# --- predefined colors - http://www.kgym.jp/freesoft/xrgb.html ---
color0 FFFFFF # white
color1 FFA500 # orange
color2 B22222 # firebrick
color3 696969 # dim gray
color4 D3D3D3 # light gray
color5 2F4F4F # dark slate gray
color6 FFEC8B # light golden rod
color7 54FF9F # sea green
color8 FF8C69 # salmon
color9 FFE7BA # wheat
# --- window layout & options ---
own_window yes # Conky creates its own window instead of using desktop
own_window_type normal # If own_window is yes, use type normal, desktop, or override
own_window_transparent yes # Use pseudo transparency with own_window?
own_window_argb_visual no
own_window_argb_value 40
own_window_class Conkey
own_window_colour blue # If own_window_transparent is no, set the background colour
double_buffer yes # Use double buffering (reduces flicker)
use_spacer right # Adds spaces to stop object from moving
maximum_width 500 # Maximum width of window in pixels
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
# --- window placment --- #
alignment top_right # window placement can be top_right, top_left, bottom_left, bottom_right
# --- borders, margins, and outlines --- #
draw_graph_borders yes # Do you want to draw borders around graphs
border_inner_margin 9 # Window's inner border margin (in pixels)
border_outer_margin 5 # Window's outer border margin (in pixels)
gap_x 10 # Gap between borders of screen and text (on x-axis)
gap_y 40 # Gap between borders of screen and text (on y-axis)
border_width 10 # Window's border width (in pixels)
# --- Text --- #
draw_outline no # Do you want ot draw outlines
draw_shades no # Do you want to draw shades
draw_borders no # Do you want to draw borders around text
uppercase no # set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
use_xft yes # use the X FreeType interface library (anti-aliased font)
xftfont Monospace:size=11:weight=bold # Xft font to be used
# -------------------- Conky's Displayed System Monitoring Parameters -------------------- #
TEXT
# General system information
${color1}SYSTEM INFORMATION ${hr 2}$color
${color0}System: $color$nodename ${alignr}${color0}Uptime: $color$uptime
${color0}Kernel: $color$kernel${alignr}${color0}Arch: $color$machine
${color0}Distribution: $color${execi 99999 lsb_release --description | awk '{ print $2" "$3 }'}
${color0}CPU Type: $color${execi 99999 grep 'model name' /proc/cpuinfo | awk '{ print $6 }' | sed '2,$d'} / ${execi 99999 grep 'model name' /proc/cpuinfo | wc -l} Cores
${color0}CPU Speed: $color${freq 0} MHz Current / ${execi 99999 grep 'model name' /proc/cpuinfo | awk '{ print $9 }' | sed '2,$d'} Max
${color0}Processor Temperature: $color${acpitemp}°C
${color0}MAC Address (eno2): $color${execi 99999 cat /sys/class/net/eno2/address }
${color0}MAC Address (wlo1): $color${execi 99999 cat /sys/class/net/wlo1/address }
# CPU information
${color1}CPU ${hr 2}$color
${color0}CPU Usage:$color ${cpu cpu0}% ${color7}${cpubar cpu0}
${cpugraph cpu0 0000ff 00ff00}$color
${color0}Core 1:$color ${freq 1} MHz ${cpu cpu1}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu1}$color
${color0}Core 2:$color ${freq 2} MHz ${cpu cpu2}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu2}$color
${color0}Core 3:$color ${freq 3} MHz ${cpu cpu3}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu3}$color
${color0}Core 4:$color ${freq 4} MHz ${cpu cpu4}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu4}$color
${color0}Core 5:$color ${freq 5} MHz ${cpu cpu5}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu5}$color
${color0}Core 6:$color ${freq 6} MHz ${cpu cpu6}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu6}$color
${color0}Core 7:$color ${freq 7} MHz ${cpu cpu7}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu7}$color
${color0}Core 8:$color ${freq 8} MHz ${cpu cpu8}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu8}$color
${color0}Core 9:$color ${freq 9} MHz ${cpu cpu9}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu9}$color
${color0}Core 10:$color ${freq 10} MHz ${cpu cpu10}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu10}$color
${color0}Core 11:$color ${freq 11} MHz ${cpu cpu11}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu11}$color
${color0}Core 12:$color ${freq 12} MHz ${cpu cpu12}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu12}$color
${color0}Core 13:$color ${freq 13} MHz ${cpu cpu13}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu13}$color
${color0}Core 14:$color ${freq 14} MHz ${cpu cpu14}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu14}$color
${color0}Core 15:$color ${freq 15} MHz ${cpu cpu15}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu15}$color
${color0}Core 16:$color ${freq 16} MHz ${cpu cpu16}% ${color5}${cpubar cpu16}$color
# Top running processes
${color1}TOP 5 PROCESSES ${hr 2}$color
${color0}Processes:$color $processes ${color0}Running:$color $running_processes
${color0}Threads:$color $threads ${color0}Running:$color $running_threads
${stippled_hr 2}
${color0}CPU Usage$color
${color3} NAME PID CPU % MEM$color
${color2} ${top name 1} ${top pid 1} ${top cpu 1} ${top mem 1}$color
${top name 2} ${top pid 2} ${top cpu 2} ${top mem 2}
${top name 3} ${top pid 3} ${top cpu 3} ${top mem 3}
${top name 4} ${top pid 4} ${top cpu 4} ${top mem 4}
${top name 5} ${top pid 5} ${top cpu 5} ${top mem 5}
${stippled_hr 2}
${color0}Mem Usage$color
${color3} NAME PID CPU % MEM$color
${color2} ${top_mem name 1} ${top_mem pid 1} ${top_mem cpu 1} ${top_mem mem 1}$color
${top_mem name 2} ${top_mem pid 2} ${top_mem cpu 2} ${top_mem mem 2}
${top_mem name 3} ${top_mem pid 3} ${top_mem cpu 3} ${top_mem mem 3}
${top_mem name 4} ${top_mem pid 4} ${top_mem cpu 4} ${top_mem mem 4}
${top_mem name 5} ${top_mem pid 5} ${top_mem cpu 5} ${top_mem mem 5}
# Memory and swap space untilization
${color1}MEMORY & SWAP ${hr 2}$color
${color0}RAM Usage: ${color}$mem / $memmax
$memperc% ${color6}${membar}$color
${color0}Swap Usage: ${color}$swap / $swapmax
$swapperc% ${color6}${swapbar}$color
# File System utilization
${color1}FILE SYSTEM ${hr 2}$color
${color0}root:$color ${fs_used /} / ${fs_size /}
${fs_used_perc /}% ${color8}${fs_bar /}$color
#${color0}boot:$color ${fs_used /boot} / ${fs_size /boot}
#${fs_used_perc /boot}% ${color8}${fs_bar /boot}$color
#${color0}home:$color ${fs_used /home} / ${fs_size /home}
#${fs_used_perc /home}% ${color8}${fs_bar /home}$color
#${color0}disk1:$color ${fs_used /media/disk1} / ${fs_size /media/disk1}
#${fs_used_perc /media/disk1}% ${color8}${fs_bar /media/disk1}$color
#${color0}disk2:$color ${fs_used /media/disk2} / ${fs_size /media/disk2}
#${fs_used_perc /media/disk2}% ${color8}${fs_bar /media/disk2}$color
#${color0}disk3:$color ${fs_used /media/disk3} / ${fs_size /media/disk3}
#${fs_used_perc /media/disk3}% ${color8}${fs_bar /media/disk3}$color
# Hard Drive Utilization
#${color1}HARD DRIVE I/O ${hr 2}$color
#${color0}Device:$color /dev/nvme0n1p5
#${color0}Reads: $color${diskio_read /dev/sdd}/s${alignr}${color0}Writes: $color${diskio_write /dev/nvme0n1p5}/s
#${color8}${diskiograph_read /dev/sdd 25,150 33FF00 FF3333 scale -t}$color${alignr}${color8}${diskiograph_write /dev/sdd 25,150 33FF00 FF3333 scale -t}$color
${color0}Device:$color /dev/nvme0n1p5
${color0}Reads: $color${diskio_read /dev/nvme0n1p5}/s${alignr}${color0}Writes: $color${diskio_write /dev/nvme0n1p5}/s
${color8}${diskiograph_read /dev/nvme0n1p5 25,150 33FF00 FF3333 scale -t}$color${alignr}${color8}${diskiograph_write /dev/nvme0n1p5 25,150 33FF00 FF3333 scale -t}$color
# Ethernet utilization
${color1}NETWORKING ${hr 2}$color
${color0}Wired (${addr eno2})
${color0}Down:$color ${downspeed eno2}/s ${alignr}${color0}Up:$color ${upspeed eno2}/s
${color0}Total:$color ${totaldown eno2} ${alignr}${color0}Total: $color${totalup eno2}
${color0}${downspeedgraph eno2 30,150 000000 00ff00} ${alignr}${upspeedgraph eno2 30,150 000000 ff0000}$color
${stippled_hr 2}
${color0}Wireless (${addr wlo1}) ${alignr}SSID: ${wireless_essid wlo1}
${color0}Down:$color ${downspeed wlo1}/s ${alignr}${color0}Up:$color ${upspeed wlo1}/s
${color0}Total:$color ${totaldown wlo1} ${alignr}${color0}Total: $color${totalup wlo1}
${color0}${downspeedgraph wlo1 30,150 000000 00ff00} ${alignr}${upspeedgraph wlo1 30,150 000000 ff0000}$color
${color0}Wireless Link Quality: $color ${wireless_link_qual wlo1}%
#Manjaro does not use Syslog.... Journalctl
${color1}Journalctl${hr 2}$color
#${color0}Journalctl Messages$color
#${color4}${font Arial:size=7}${execi 30 tail -n8 /var/log/syslog | fold -w100}$color$font
${color4}${font Arial:size=11}${execi 30 journalctl -n 6 | fold -w70}$color$font
Notes:
There is a problem with the RAM usage values in the current version of conky, it intermittently reads a negative value. I just chose to ignore at this time.
To autostart added the following to Setting→Session and Startup→Application Autostart: Conky
Xfce tips
To get to Xfce keyboard Short cuts: Xfce Menu > Settings > Keyboard > Application Shortcuts :
PrtSc : to snap entire desktop
Shift+PrtSc : to snap active desktop window
Shift+Ctrl+PrtSc : to snap a dragged window
pacman
“unable to lock database” or “failed to synchronize any databases” errors
sudo rm /var/lib/pacman/db.lck
This command removes Pacman's database lock. The database lock prevents multiple Pacman instances from running at the same time and interfering with each other.
ATTENTION: Only run this command when no other Pacman instance (e.g. Pacman, Yaourt, Pamac, Octopi, PacmanXG4, …) is running.
Some other pacman commands to consider
sudo pacman-mirrors -g && sudo pacman -Syy or sudo pacman-mirrors -f && sudo pacman -Syyu
This command searches for working and good Manjaro repository mirrors/servers. It will automatically choose the closest server for you. The second command forces a redownload of the latest package database from the best Manjaro repository mirror.
sudo dirmngr </dev/null
Sometimes during key management the package “dirmngr” outputs error messages, which interrupt key management processes (such as the following commands). This command prevents any output from “dirmngr”.
sudo rm -r /etc/pacman.d/gnupg &>/dev/null
This command deletes your Pacman, Manjaro, and Arch key database. It does not output an error in case the package “gnupg” is not installed on your system.
ATTENTION: This command will remove all keys from your system, including manually installed keys (with “sudo pacman-key –lsign-key <KEY>”). Please remember to reinstall those keys again after FIX ERRORS has completed!
sudo pacman -Sy gnupg archlinux-keyring manjaro-keyring
This command (re-)installs the “gnupg” package and keyrings for Arch Linux and Manjaro. Pacli actually does not use this command but instead downloads and installs these packages manually. This makes it possible to install these packages even if no other packages can be installed on your system due to key database errors.
ATTENTION: If you want to execute this command on a system with key database problems, it will not work for you! In this case, connect manually (via your browser) to your Manjaro repository server, download these packages, and install these packages manually. Pacli will do all of this automatically for you. If this part of Pacli fails, please wait a couple of hours until your Manjaro mirror has synchronized with the main Manjaro repository and offers the latest version of these 3 packages: gnupg, archlinux-keyring, manjaro-keyring.
sudo pacman-key –init && sudo pacman-key –populate archlinux manjaro
These two commands create a fresh key for you and (re-)install all keys from Arch Linux and Manjaro. This will solve problems with your local key database and Manjaro's and Arch's key database. Such problems can occur when new new Arch Linux or Manjaro packagers get added, for example.
ATTENTION: This command only works, when your system time is set correctly, becasue checking and importing keys or fingerprints is time sensitive! Please make sure of that before you run FIX ERRORS. If you have not set your timezone and/or summer saving time, you should still be able to import keys, though.
ATTENTION: This command might take a long time to complete. If your system appears to stop or hang, it searches for entropy in order to generate a new key for you. In this case, it might help to do file operations with a lot of reads and/or writes per minute (such as searching for files, copying large directories, etc.). Alternatively, you can open a browser and do some heavy surfing (with a lot of mouse movements, mouse klicks, and keyboard key presses): This can help to generate entropy much faster.
sudo pacman -Sc
After an unsuccessful attempt to update your system (which quit with a key error), you might have already downloaded unsigned packages to your pacman cache. These packages cannot be installed anymore.
This command removes all packages from your pacman cache, which are not installed on your system. Afterwards, you need to download all previously downloaded but unsuccessfully installed packages again.
ATTENTION: This command makes it impossible to DOWNGRADE PACKAGES on systems without an active internet connection.
sudo pacman -Syyuu
This last command forces a re-download of the latest package database from the best Manjaro repository mirror. Then, all your installed packages are checked against this latest package database. If an updated package is available from the Manjaro repositories, it will get downloaded and installed on your system. If an installed package is newer than the same package in the Manjaro repositories, the installed package will get downgraded. This behavior ensures your packages are always in sync with the Manajro repositories, even if you have just switched the Manjaro mirror or switched from unstable to stable branch.
pacman returns every package as corrupted