Garuda: How to install Garuda Linux i3MW on iMac

Last Updated on March 26, 2023 by mishou

I. Garuda Linux

I have installed i3wwm:

i3-wm is a lightweight window manager that is operated exclusively with the keyboard. Our version has a simple and easy configuration with LXappearance to handle GTK themes. We do ship the configuration with an easy cheat sheet to get you started. Due to its light resources, it has a really small memory footprint.

You can also see some other versions here.

II. How to install Garuda Linux on iMac

1.Download Garuda Linux ISO

Visit the following page where you can find 12 available editions and download the ISO image:

https://garudalinux.org/downloads.html.”

I selected i3MW because i3-wm is a lightweight window manager that is operated exclusively with the keyboard.

2.Create a bootable USB

I created a bootable USB installation medium using Ventoy. You can learn the usage from the following tutorial:

How to Create a Multiboot USB With Ventoy

3.Boot system with installation medium

Insert the bootable USB into your computer and select the USB drive. On an iMac, you can do this by holding down the Option key on your keyboard as soon as you see the Apple logo during startup.

4.Install Garuda Linux

I don’t know why, but I was unable to access Bluetooth while installing. You can install Garuda Linux using Tab, Super, arrow, and other keys without a mouse, but I recommend that you prepare a wired mouse. I am sure it will reduce your burden.

Warning: I encountered a bootloader error while installing Garuda i3MW. I managed to install it by following all the suggestions shown in the forum linked below. However, I am unable to determine which suggestion among them worked.

https://forum.garudalinux.org/t/the-bootloader-could-not-be-installed/24343/26

You can learn more from the following tutorial:

How to Install Garuda Linux Step-by-Step with Screenshots

III. Get started with Garuda i3MW

1.Keybindings

i3 User’s Guide

2.Everything is too small

a.Change dpi

Add the following line to the ~/.Xresources file:

Xft.dpi=144

b.Scale up displays

Refer to How to scale displays to 125% or 150%?

3.Brightness control

Install brightnessctl using Add/Remove Software:

Open the terminal and specify a value in absolute or relative form like this:

brightnessctl set 30%

You can learn more from the package information that is available here:

https://man.archlinux.org/man/community/brightnessctl/brightnessctl.1.en