Install Linux on Dell XPS 13 (2015)#

Encrypting SSD#

For detailled instructions, see linux/encrypt_system_ssd.md

Troubleshooting black screen after unlock from suspend#

First, install xscreensaver and deinstall lightdm

pacman -Rs lightdm
pacman -Rs lightdm*
systemctl disable lightm

Install xscreensaver (for locking) and mdm as display manager:

pacman -S xscreensaver mdm
systemctl enable mdm.service -f

Delete old and orphan packages#

  sudo pacman -Sc
  sudo pacman -Rns $(pacman -Qqdt)

Use fastest mirror for pacman#

sudo pacman-mirrors -g

Install newest Kernel#

Optimize power settings#

see https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php?title=Optimized_power_settings

Install and configure conky#

see https://forum.manjaro.org/index.php?topic=2991.0

Firewall#

Install ufw/gufw

see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Uncomplicated_Firewall

Optimize performance#

https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php?title=Optimized_power_settings

Install MS Fonts#

Install ttf-ms-fonts and ttf-vista-fonts, this will not only make websites look more like on the Win7 office rig, but will also improve the looks of your imported Word docs a lot !

Dynamically changing the scheduler I/O disks#

The default I/O scheduler in Manjaro is BFQ . Higher read/write performance for the solid state drives have scheduler noop. You can automate the process of change scheduler disk I/O, depending on whether the disk is rotating (HDD) or not (SSD). Create a new file:

sudo vim /etc/udev/rules.d/60-schedulers.rules

Paste this code into it:

# set noop scheduler for non-rotating disks
ACTION=="add|change", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]", ATTR{queue/rotational}=="0", ATTR{queue/scheduler}="noop"
# set bfq scheduler for rotating disks
ACTION=="add|change", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]", ATTR{queue/rotational}=="1", ATTR{queue/scheduler}="bfq"

Save changes to a file. Restart the computer.

You can check current using scheduler for all connected disks by command:

cat /sys/block/sd*/queue/scheduler

Sysctl settings#

Edit /etc/sysctl.d/100-manjaro.conf:

vm.swappiness = 1
kernel.kptr_restrict = 1
kernel.sysrq = 0
net.ipv4.conf.all.log_martians = 1
net.ipv4.conf.all.send_redirects = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.log_martians = 1
net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1
net.ipv4.tcp_timestamps = 0

Troubleshooting#

Screen not locking on suspend#

sudo xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/logind-handle-lid-switch -s false