feat(iso): Point end4-pC scripts at fork and set its default wallpaper

The fork's colour/wallpaper/kvantum scripts still hard-code
QUICKSHELL_CONFIG_NAME="ii", so they read and write
~/.config/quickshell/ii instead of end4-pC - rewrite them to end4-pC
at build time (verified against the current fork HEAD: 5 scripts match
the anchored pattern, re-runs are no-ops).

Also replace the fork's assets/images/default_wallpaper.png - fed to
switchwall.sh by FirstRunExperience.qml on first login - with the
wallpaper now shipped in skel's ~/Pictures/Wallpapers, so the first
login lands on the japan-street wallpaper instead of the fork's
default.

AGENTS.md

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ install them into the target without the network.
 | `pacman.conf` | Repos: cachyos → core → extra → multilib → chaotic-aur → local-aur |
 | `bootstrap_packages` | Minimal build-time packages (`base`, `arch-install-scripts`) |
 | `airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh` | Runs inside chroot during build: keyrings, skel dotfiles (incl. end4-pC), qsConfig patch, end-4 `install-deps`, package harvest, uv/font pre-warm |
-| `airootfs/root/.live-pacman.conf` | `/etc/pacman.conf` of the built image (adds `[local-aur]` = `file:///opt/localrepo`) |
+| `airootfs/root/.live-pacman.conf` | `/etc/pacman.conf` of the built image (adds `[local-aur]` = `file:///opt/localrepo`); also what pacstrap resolves the target from, so `[cachyos]` must stay ahead of `[core]` like in `pacman.conf` |
 | `airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install` | Installer: partitions, pacstrap, LUKS (systemd initramfs **or** experimental unl0kr + optional TPM2 unlock), user (fish shell), git identity + GitHub SSH keys, login manager (none/greetd/sddm/gdm) + autologin, optional sshd (default on), end-4 dotfiles (`--skip-alldeps`), boot |
 | `localrepo/build-end4-deps.sh` | Non-interactive AUR builds for end-4 dependencies |
 | `localrepo/update.sh` | Regenerates localrepo DB, syncs names to packages.x86_64, syncs `airootfs/opt/localrepo/` |
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ The airootfs overlay ships it as `/usr/local/bin/alvin-install` (mode `0755` for
   locale, login manager, sshd, summary) then a fixed order of `install_*` steps
   (partition → LUKS → format/mount → pacstrap → fstab → repos → timezone → locale →
   hostname → network → sshd → user → git/SSH → end-4 dots → mkinitcpio → bootloader →
-  TPM/unl0kr → login manager → autologin → cleanup). Screens and install steps are
+  TPM/unl0kr → login manager (none if unl0kr succeeded; with unl0kr selected the login screen only asks for a fallback) → autologin → update (reflector + keyrings + `pacman -Syu`, warn-only) → cleanup, which offers an optional `arch-chroot` shell into the target before unmounting; the `EXIT` trap offers the same shell when a step after pacstrap fails or the install is interrupted (INT/TERM re-exit with 128+N so signals count as failure). Screens and install steps are
   independent — edit one without
   touching the other. An `EXIT` trap unmounts `$TARGET` and closes `cryptroot` on any exit.
 - **Package list**: `install_pacstrap` builds the *installed* system's list from the medium's
@@ -97,6 +97,16 @@ yamllint -d "{extends: relaxed, rules: {document-start: disable, line-length: di
 `packages.x86_64` syntax: one package per line, `[a-zA-Z0-9._@+\-]+` only, no trailing
 whitespace.
 
+A **pre-commit hook** (`githooks/pre-commit`) runs the same ShellCheck pass on every
+commit, so CI failures surface before you push. Enable it once per clone:
+
+```bash
+git config core.hooksPath githooks
+```
+
+It skips linting (with a warning) when `shellcheck` is missing rather than blocking the
+commit; CI remains the enforcer. Bypass it with `git commit --no-verify`.
+
 ## Gotchas
 
 - The profile root is the **repo root** (not a `releng/` subdirectory). CI builds with `mkarchiso -v -w "$PWD/work" -o "$PWD/out" -- "$PWD"` (`.gitea/workflows/build-iso.yaml`), and the local build command above does the same — never pass a `releng` path.
@@ -106,13 +116,14 @@ whitespace.
 - The **image** ships its own `[local-aur]` at `file:///opt/localrepo` (see `.live-pacman.conf`). It holds `localrepo/` (copied by CI/`update.sh`) plus everything `install-deps` built. pacstrap runs without `-P`, so the target keeps the stock `/etc/pacman.conf`; `alvin-install` strips `[local-aur]` from it anyway as a safety net, because `/opt/localrepo` exists only on the medium.
 - `alvin-install` runs end-4 with `--skip-alldeps` — dependencies must come from the ISO. It feeds `yes i` to end-4's failure prompt: inside the installer chroot the medium's `/run` is bind-mounted in, so end-4's `systemctl --machine=…@.host --user enable … --now` lines can never work (and `--now` would start services on the live medium). `install_end4_dots` re-applies the enable-only part (bluetooth, ydotool, i2c module) outside the chroot and reports every step end-4 had to skip. If the end-4 step reports "incomplete", check that `hyprctl`/`quickshell`/the venv were resolvable (harvest) before re-running anything.
 - `/etc/skel/.cache/uv` + `/etc/skel/.local/share/uv/python` are pre-warmed by the build (~460 MB: CPython 3.12 and the pinned wheel cache) so end-4's `uv venv`/`uv pip install` at install time needs no network.
-- **end4-pC** (`pctrade/end4-pC`) is the default quickshell config: cloned into `/etc/skel/.config/quickshell/end4-pC` at build time, selected by patching `hl.env("qsConfig", "ii")` → `"end4-pC"` in the **staged** `/opt/dots-hyprland/dots/.config/hypr/hyprland/variables.lua` (there is no `hypr/hyprland/` in this repo — `./setup install` copies it to the installed system). `alvin-install` re-copies end4-pC into the user's home *after* `./setup install`, because end-4's installer `rsync --delete`s all of `~/.config/quickshell`.
+- **end4-pC** (`pctrade/end4-pC`) is the default quickshell config: cloned into `/etc/skel/.config/quickshell/end4-pC` at build time, selected by patching `hl.env("qsConfig", "ii")` → `"end4-pC"` in the **staged** `/opt/dots-hyprland/dots/.config/hypr/hyprland/variables.lua` (there is no `hypr/hyprland/` in this repo — `./setup install` copies it to the installed system). `alvin-install` re-copies end4-pC into the user's home *after* `./setup install`, because end-4's installer `rsync --delete`s all of `~/.config/quickshell`. The build also rewrites the fork's hard-coded `QUICKSHELL_CONFIG_NAME="ii"` in its colour/wallpaper/kvantum scripts to `end4-pC` (otherwise they act on `~/.config/quickshell/ii`), and overwrites its `assets/images/default_wallpaper.png` (applied by `FirstRunExperience.qml` on first login) with `airootfs/etc/skel/Pictures/Wallpapers/Dynamic-Wallpapers/Dark/japan-street-Dark.png`.
 - `airootfs/etc/skel/.config/illogical-impulse/presets/` carries the user's presets (`Laptop.json`, `Personal-Performance.json`, `Personal-Performance.zip`). They embed `/home/alvin/...` paths, so wallpapers/screenshots need fixing up after install.
 - End-4 metapackages are built from `localrepo/end4-pkgbuilds/` (quickshell-git, bibata-modern-classic-bin, microtex-git).
 - **quickshell pin / Qt 6.12**: end-4 pins quickshell to `41651d7` (Sep 25), which predates upstream fix `5d5d498` (Oct 3, *"use MOC includes instead of opaque pointer definitions — … Qt 6.12 compatibility"*). Arch shipped qt6 6.12.0 on Oct 8 and the old pin died with `Meta Types must be fully defined` in the moc build of quickshell-hyprland-ipc (failed CI run 137). `customize_airootfs.sh` therefore rewrites end-4's `_commit` to `11ca60be` after cloning — but **only** while it still matches `^_commit='41651d7`, so once end-4 bumps their own pin the guard goes inert and theirs wins. `localrepo/check-quickshell-pin.sh` (weekly `pin-check.yaml` job) fails CI if either pin goes stale or loses the fix; it warns instead of failing when end-4's known-stale pin is covered by the override.
 - **MicroTeX flags**: the image's `makepkg.conf` is CachyOS's (`-march=native -O3`, LTO). GCC 16.2 hit an internal compiler error (segfault) on MicroTeX's `gtkmm_main.cpp` with it (failed CI run 155; not reproducible locally), so `customize_airootfs.sh` patches end-4's `illogical-impulse-microtex-git` PKGBUILD to `options=(!lto)` + `-O2` (our `localrepo/end4-pkgbuilds/microtex-git` carries the same).
 - **CAP_SETFCAP on the runner**: without it pacstrap drops `security.capability` xattrs (newuidmap/newgidmap, snap-confine, dumpcap, kwin_wayland, ...) from the live ISO with only a warning. `build-iso.yaml` fails the job early if the runner lacks it — fix the runner, don't remove the check.
 - **yay SIGSEGV on exit**: yay 13 (libalpm via purego/`dyalpm`) can segfault in `alpm_release()` *after* a finished transaction (failed CI run at end-4's `illogical-impulse-kde` step), which aborted `install-deps`. `customize_airootfs.sh` puts a temporary `yay` shim first on the builder's `PATH`: a failed plain `yay -S <pkgs>` counts as success only if `pacman -T` confirms every target is installed (it logs `[yay-shim]`). Every other failure keeps yay's exit code.
+- **gvfs / dead `~/.gvfs`**: `install_end4_dots` replays end-4's gsettings writes via `dbus-run-session` as the target user. A session bus D-Bus-activates gvfsd → gvfsd-fuse mounts `~/.gvfs` and dies with the bus, leaving a dead FUSE mount that root can't stat, so the home's catch-all `chown -R` failed (`cannot access '/mnt/home/<user>/.gvfs': Permission denied`) and aborted the install before the bootloader. The replay therefore runs with `GIO_USE_VFS=local GVFS_DISABLE_FUSE=1`, and the function unmounts anything mounted under the home before that chown — keep both.
 - mono's `cert-sync` runs before `ca-certificates.crt` exists during pacstrap, so `customize_airootfs.sh` (live) and `install_pacstrap` (target) re-run it.
 - `/etc/skel/.zshrc` is owned by `grml-zsh-config`, so ours is staged as `airootfs/root/.zshrc-skel` and installed by `customize_airootfs.sh` after pacstrap — never add files under `airootfs/` at paths a package owns, or pacstrap aborts with "exists in filesystem".
 - `packages.x86_64` is sorted alphabetically. Keep it sorted when adding/removing entries.

README.md

@@ -384,11 +384,25 @@ sudo mkarchiso -v -w work -o out/ .
 
 ### CI Checks (must pass before merge)
 
-- **ShellCheck**: all `.sh` files checked with `shellcheck -x -s bash`
+- **ShellCheck**: all `.sh` files, plus extensionless bash scripts in `airootfs/usr/local/bin/`, checked with `shellcheck -x -s bash`
 - **yamllint**: all `.yml`/`.yaml` files (relaxed config)
 - **packages.x86_64 syntax**: one package per line, no trailing whitespace, `[a-zA-Z0-9._@+\-]+` only
 - **Package repo check**: every package in `packages.x86_64` must be resolvable via `pacman -Si` in allowed repos (`cachyos`, `extra`, `multilib`, `chaotic-aur`), OR have a pre-built `.pkg.tar.zst` in `localrepo/`, OR appear in `localrepo/build-end4-deps.sh`
 
+### Git Hooks
+
+A pre-commit hook (`githooks/pre-commit`) runs the ShellCheck pass on every commit, so lint failures surface before you push instead of in CI.
+
+```bash
+# Enable once per clone
+git config core.hooksPath githooks
+
+# Bypass the hook for a single commit
+git commit --no-verify
+```
+
+If `shellcheck` is not installed the hook warns and skips rather than blocking the commit; CI remains the enforcer.
+
 ### Recommended VirtualBox Settings (for testing)
 
 - RAM: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended

airootfs/root/.live-pacman.conf

@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ LocalFileSigLevel = Optional
 #   - URLs will have $arch replaced by the name of the architecture
 #
 
+# [cachyos] first, same as the build's pacman.conf: pacstrap installs the
+# target from this file, so with [core] ahead the target got Arch builds of
+# everything cachyos also ships (pacman -2 vs the live -4 -> libalpm
+# "unknown key '%INSTALLED_DB%'" warnings) and flipped them on the first -Syu.
+[cachyos]
+SigLevel = Required DatabaseOptional
+Include = /etc/pacman.d/cachyos-mirrorlist
+
 [core]
 Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
 
@@ -42,10 +50,6 @@ Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
 [multilib]
 Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
 
-[cachyos]
-SigLevel = Required DatabaseOptional
-Include = /etc/pacman.d/cachyos-mirrorlist
-
 [chaotic-aur]
 SigLevel = Required DatabaseOptional
 Include = /etc/pacman.d/chaotic-mirrorlist

airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh

@@ -134,6 +134,29 @@ if [[ ! -d "${SKEL}/.config/quickshell/end4-pC" ]]; then
   git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/pctrade/end4-pC.git \
     "${SKEL}/.config/quickshell/end4-pC"
 fi
+# The fork's colour/wallpaper/kvantum scripts still hard-code
+# QUICKSHELL_CONFIG_NAME="ii", so they'd read and write ~/.config/quickshell/ii
+# instead of end4-pC. Point them at the fork. Re-running is a no-op.
+mapfile -t PC_II_SCRIPTS < <(grep -rl --exclude-dir=.git \
+  '^QUICKSHELL_CONFIG_NAME="ii"$' "${SKEL}/.config/quickshell/end4-pC" || true)
+if (( ${#PC_II_SCRIPTS[@]} )); then
+  echo "[customize] Pointing ${#PC_II_SCRIPTS[@]} end4-pC scripts at end4-pC..."
+  sed -i 's/^QUICKSHELL_CONFIG_NAME="ii"$/QUICKSHELL_CONFIG_NAME="end4-pC"/' \
+    "${PC_II_SCRIPTS[@]}"
+fi
+# Default wallpaper: end4-pC's first run (services/FirstRunExperience.qml)
+# feeds assets/images/default_wallpaper.png to switchwall.sh, so replace that
+# image with the one shipped in skel's ~/Pictures/Wallpapers.
+DEFAULT_WALL="${SKEL}/Pictures/Wallpapers/Dynamic-Wallpapers/Dark/japan-street-Dark.png"
+PC_DEFAULT_WALL="${SKEL}/.config/quickshell/end4-pC/assets/images/default_wallpaper.png"
+if [[ ! -f "${DEFAULT_WALL}" ]]; then
+  echo "[customize] Default wallpaper ${DEFAULT_WALL} is missing" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if ! cmp -s "${DEFAULT_WALL}" "${PC_DEFAULT_WALL}"; then
+  echo "[customize] Setting end4-pC default wallpaper to ${DEFAULT_WALL##*/}..."
+  install -Dm644 "${DEFAULT_WALL}" "${PC_DEFAULT_WALL}"
+fi
 
 # ── Default quickshell config: ii -> end4-pC ─────────────────────────────────
 # alvin-install copies this staged repo onto the target and runs `./setup

airootfs/usr/local/bin/alvin-install

@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ readonly ESP_SIZE="1GiB"
 readonly TARGET="/mnt"
 readonly -a PKGS_EXCLUDE=(archiso mkinitcpio-archiso mkinitcpio-nfs-utils syslinux memtest86+)
 
-skip() { local x; for x in "${PKGS_EXCLUDE[@]}"; do [[ "$x" == "$1" ]] && return 0; done; return 1; }
+skip() {
+  local x
+  for x in "${PKGS_EXCLUDE[@]}"; do [[ "$x" == "$1" ]] && return 0; done
+  return 1
+}
 
 DISK=""
 KEYMAP=""
@@ -27,6 +31,9 @@ GH_USERNAME=""
 UNL0KR="false"
 TPM_STATUS=""
 LOGIN_MANAGER="none"
+# true when unl0kr was picked: no login manager is installed if unl0kr
+# succeeds, and LOGIN_MANAGER only holds the fallback for when it doesn't.
+LOGIN_MANAGER_SKIP="false"
 AUTOLOGIN=""
 # SSHD is the choice made on the sshd screen; SSHD_APPLIED is only flipped once
 # the target's sshd.service has actually been enabled, so the final banner can
@@ -35,20 +42,75 @@ SSHD="true"
 SSHD_APPLIED="false"
 TPM_DISCLAIMER=""
 TARGET_DB_SYNCED="false"
+UPDATE_STATUS="not run"
+# Flipped once pacstrap succeeds: from then on a failed step still leaves a
+# chroot-able system, so the EXIT trap offers a repair shell into it.
+TARGET_INSTALLED="false"
+# Teardown state: a signal arriving while cleanup() runs must not skip the
+# unmount - the first one only aborts what is on screen, a second forces exit.
+CLEANUP_RUNNING="false"
+SIGNALS_SEEN="0"
 
 log() { echo "[$(date '+%H:%M:%S')] $*" >>"$LOG"; }
 
-cleanup() {
+# Temporary NOPASSWD drop-ins some install steps create; never leave them
-    set +e
+# behind (EXIT) or expose them to the user's post-install chroot shell.
+remove_temp_sudoers() {
   rm -f "${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-end4-install" \
     "${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-ssh-import-id" \
-        "${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-unl0kr-install" 2>/dev/null
+    "${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-unl0kr-install" 2>/dev/null || true
-    umount -R "$TARGET" 2>/dev/null
+}
-    cryptsetup close cryptroot 2>/dev/null
+
+cleanup() {
+  local rc=$?
+  CLEANUP_RUNNING="true"
+  set +e
+  trap - ERR
+  # A later step failed but the base system is on disk: let the user fix
+  # it from inside before everything is unmounted.
+  if ((rc != 0)) && [[ "$TARGET_INSTALLED" == "true" && -t 0 ]]; then
+    echo ""
+    warn "Installation failed after the base system was installed."
+    offer_chroot "The installed system is still mounted. Chroot into it to fix things?"
+  fi
+  remove_temp_sudoers
+  # A repair shell can leave mounts behind, and the LUKS mapping may still
+  # be open - report a failure instead of hiding it, so the user knows the
+  # target was not cleanly torn down before rebooting.
+  if mountpoint -q "$TARGET" 2>/dev/null; then
+    if ! umount -R "$TARGET"; then
+      log "Cleanup: umount -R $TARGET failed"
+      warn "Some mounts under ${TARGET} are busy - unmounting failed (released at reboot)."
+    fi
+  fi
+  if [[ -e /dev/mapper/cryptroot ]] && ! cryptsetup close cryptroot 2>/dev/null; then
+    log "Cleanup: cryptsetup close cryptroot failed"
+    warn "cryptroot is still open - it is released at reboot."
+  fi
   true
 }
 trap cleanup EXIT
 
+# Signal handler. Without one, bash runs the EXIT trap with $? = 0 when the
+# shell itself is killed (SIGINT between commands, SIGTERM from a shutdown),
+# and cleanup()'s rc != 0 test would read that as success and skip the repair
+# shell. Re-exit with the conventional 128+N status so an interrupted install
+# takes the same path as a failed step. Note: a SIGINT delivered while a
+# foreground command is running is consumed together with that command (bash
+# then suppresses both errexit and this handler) - that case is unchanged.
+on_signal() {
+  local status="$1"
+  if [[ "$CLEANUP_RUNNING" == "true" && "$SIGNALS_SEEN" == "0" ]]; then
+    SIGNALS_SEEN="1"
+    return 0
+  fi
+  echo "" >&2
+  echo "Interrupted." >&2
+  exit "$status"
+}
+trap 'on_signal 130' INT
+trap 'on_signal 143' TERM
+
 # ── error surfacing ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # Step output normally ends up in $LOG only. These helpers make sure a failure
 # is ALSO shown on screen, paged through `gum pager` so long outputs stay
@@ -60,7 +122,11 @@ trap cleanup EXIT
 page_output() {
   local ctx="$1"
   if [[ -c /dev/tty && -t 1 ]]; then
-        { gum style --foreground 11 --bold "$ctx"; echo ""; cat; } | gum pager || true
+    {
+      gum style --foreground 11 --bold "$ctx"
+      echo ""
+      cat
+    } | gum pager || true
   else
     gum style --foreground 9 --bold "$ctx" || true
     cat >&2 || true
@@ -91,15 +157,21 @@ page_log_since() {
 # partial output) and - on failure - page the lines it added so the error
 # reaches the user, not just the log. Returns the command's exit status.
 # Usage: run_logged [-s SPINNER [-t TITLE]] "what failed" cmd [args...]
-#   -s  show a gum spinner while cmd runs: dot for linear commands, jump for
+#   -s  show a gum spinner while cmd runs (always dot, for a consistent look).
-#       ones that compile. Frames render on stderr (the terminal), never $LOG.
+#       Frames render on stderr (the terminal), never $LOG.
 #   -t  spinner title; omit when an info line already says what is running.
 run_logged() {
   local ctx="" spinner="" title="" rc=0 mark=0 total=0
   while [[ "${1:-}" == -[st] ]]; do
     case "$1" in
-            -s) spinner="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+    -s)
-            -t) title="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+      spinner="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
+    -t)
+      title="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
     esac
   done
   ctx="$1"
@@ -123,8 +195,8 @@ run_logged() {
     if [[ -n "$title" ]]; then
       spin+=(--title "$title")
     fi
-        "${spin[@]}" -- sh -c '"$@" 2>&1' sh "$@" \
+    "${spin[@]}" -- sh -c '"$@" 2>&1' sh "$@" |
-            | tee -a "$LOG" >/dev/null || rc=$?
+      tee -a "$LOG" >/dev/null || rc=$?
   else
     "$@" 2>&1 | tee -a "$LOG" >/dev/null || rc=$?
   fi
@@ -153,9 +225,15 @@ on_err() {
 }
 trap 'on_err "$LINENO"' ERR
 
-(( EUID == 0 )) || { echo "Run as root" >&2; exit 1; }
+((EUID == 0)) || {
+  echo "Run as root" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
 
-die() { gum style --foreground 9 --bold "ERROR: $*"; exit 1; }
+die() {
+  gum style --foreground 9 --bold "ERROR: $*"
+  exit 1
+}
 info() { gum style --foreground 12 --bold "$*"; }
 ok() { gum style --foreground 10 --bold "$*"; }
 warn() { gum style --foreground 11 --bold "$*"; }
@@ -274,8 +352,8 @@ screen_keymap() {
     "Use US keyboard layout (us)?"; then
     KEYMAP="us"
   else
-        KEYMAP=$(localectl list-keymaps | gum filter --header "+ Keymap" --placeholder "Search keymaps...") \
+    KEYMAP=$(localectl list-keymaps | gum filter --header "+ Keymap" --placeholder "Search keymaps...") ||
-            || die "No keymap selected."
+      die "No keymap selected."
   fi
   [[ -z "$KEYMAP" ]] && die "No keymap selected."
   loadkeys "$KEYMAP" 2>/dev/null || true
@@ -352,8 +430,8 @@ screen_disk() {
 
   while true; do
     local choice
-        choice=$(gum choose --header "+ Target disk (live USB hidden)" "${disks[@]}") \
+    choice=$(gum choose --header "+ Target disk (live USB hidden)" "${disks[@]}") ||
-            || die "No disk selected."
+      die "No disk selected."
     DISK=$(echo "$choice" | awk '{print $1}')
 
     gum confirm --affirmative "Wipe ${DISK}" --negative "Go back" \
@@ -419,8 +497,8 @@ screen_filesystem() {
   clear
   header "Filesystem"
   echo ""
-    FILESYSTEM=$(gum choose --header "+ Root filesystem" "ext4" "btrfs") \
+  FILESYSTEM=$(gum choose --header "+ Root filesystem" "ext4" "btrfs") ||
-        || die "No filesystem selected."
+    die "No filesystem selected."
   log "Filesystem: $FILESYSTEM"
 }
 
@@ -429,8 +507,8 @@ screen_username() {
   header "Create User"
   echo ""
   local input
-    input=$(gum input --placeholder "username" --char-limit 32 --header "+ Username") \
+  input=$(gum input --placeholder "username" --char-limit 32 --header "+ Username") ||
-        || die "No username entered."
+    die "No username entered."
   [[ -z "$input" ]] && die "Username cannot be empty."
   valid_username "$input" || die "Invalid username. Use lowercase letters, digits, _ or -."
   USERNAME="$input"
@@ -458,11 +536,11 @@ screen_hostname() {
   clear
   header "Hostname"
   echo ""
-    HOSTNAME=$(gum input --placeholder "archlinux" --char-limit 63 --header "+ Hostname") \
+  HOSTNAME=$(gum input --placeholder "archlinux" --char-limit 63 --header "+ Hostname") ||
-        || die "No hostname entered."
+    die "No hostname entered."
   [[ -z "$HOSTNAME" ]] && HOSTNAME="archlinux"
-    [[ "$HOSTNAME" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9]([A-Za-z0-9-]{0,62})$ && "$HOSTNAME" != *- ]] \
+  [[ "$HOSTNAME" =~ ^[A-Za-z0-9]([A-Za-z0-9-]{0,62})$ && "$HOSTNAME" != *- ]] ||
-        || die "Invalid hostname. Use letters, digits and '-' (max 63, no leading/trailing '-')."
+    die "Invalid hostname. Use letters, digits and '-' (max 63, no leading/trailing '-')."
   log "Hostname: $HOSTNAME"
 }
 
@@ -477,8 +555,8 @@ screen_git() {
   echo ""
   GH_USERNAME=$(gum input --placeholder "octocat (empty to skip)" \
     --header "+ GitHub username for SSH keys (optional)") || die "Git configuration cancelled."
-    GIT_NAME=$(gum input --value "$USERNAME" --header "+ Git name (Enter keeps '${USERNAME}')") \
+  GIT_NAME=$(gum input --value "$USERNAME" --header "+ Git name (Enter keeps '${USERNAME}')") ||
-        || die "Git configuration cancelled."
+    die "Git configuration cancelled."
   GIT_EMAIL=$(gum input --placeholder "user@example.com (empty to skip)" \
     --header "+ Git email (optional)") || die "Git configuration cancelled."
   log "Git: name='${GIT_NAME}' email='${GIT_EMAIL}' github='${GH_USERNAME}'"
@@ -488,8 +566,8 @@ screen_timezone() {
   clear
   header "Timezone"
   echo ""
-    TIMEZONE=$(timedatectl list-timezones | gum filter --header "+ Timezone" --placeholder "Search...") \
+  TIMEZONE=$(timedatectl list-timezones | gum filter --header "+ Timezone" --placeholder "Search...") ||
-        || die "No timezone selected."
+    die "No timezone selected."
   log "Timezone: $TIMEZONE"
 }
 
@@ -500,12 +578,17 @@ screen_locale() {
   local locales
   locales=$(sed -n 's/^#\?\([a-z][a-z]*_[A-Z][A-Z]\.UTF-8\) UTF-8.*/\1/p' /etc/locale.gen | sort -u)
   [[ -z "$locales" ]] && locales="en_US.UTF-8"
-    LOCALE=$(echo "$locales" | gum filter --header "+ Locale" --placeholder "Search...") \
+  LOCALE=$(echo "$locales" | gum filter --header "+ Locale" --placeholder "Search...") ||
-        || die "No locale selected."
+    die "No locale selected."
   log "Locale: $LOCALE"
 }
 
 screen_login_manager() {
+  if [[ "$LUKS" == "true" && "$UNL0KR" == "true" ]]; then
+    screen_unl0kr_login
+    return
+  fi
+  LOGIN_MANAGER_SKIP="false"
   clear
   header "Login Manager"
   echo ""
@@ -522,6 +605,33 @@ screen_login_manager() {
   log "Login manager: $LOGIN_MANAGER"
 }
 
+# unl0kr already asks for the passphrase on screen at boot, so a login
+# manager on top would be a second prompt. Skip it, but collect a fallback
+# now: install_unl0kr can still fall back to the systemd initramfs, and the
+# installer must not stop to ask mid-install.
+screen_unl0kr_login() {
+  LOGIN_MANAGER_SKIP="true"
+  clear
+  header "Login Manager (unl0kr)"
+  echo ""
+  gum style --foreground 15 \
+    "unl0kr is selected, so no login manager will be installed:" \
+    "after the LUKS passphrase is entered with unl0kr, the system logs in on" \
+    "tty1 and Hyprland starts automatically (autologin is asked during install)." \
+    "" \
+    "If unl0kr fails to install, the installer falls back to the standard" \
+    "passphrase prompt. Pick the login manager to use in that case:" \
+    "" \
+    "  none    - plain tty login, Hyprland starts automatically" \
+    "  greetd  - lightweight TUI greeter (tuigreet)" \
+    "  sddm    - Qt display manager (already installed)" \
+    "  gdm     - GNOME display manager (large download)"
+  echo ""
+  LOGIN_MANAGER=$(gum choose --header "+ Fallback login manager (Enter = none)" \
+    "none" "greetd" "sddm" "gdm") || die "No fallback login manager selected."
+  log "Login manager: skipped for unl0kr (fallback: $LOGIN_MANAGER)"
+}
+
 screen_sshd() {
   clear
   header "SSH Server"
@@ -571,6 +681,11 @@ screen_summary() {
     ssh_line="gh:${GH_USERNAME}"
   fi
 
+  local login_line="${LOGIN_MANAGER}"
+  if [[ "$LOGIN_MANAGER_SKIP" == "true" ]]; then
+    login_line="none - unl0kr (fallback: ${LOGIN_MANAGER})"
+  fi
+
   gum style --foreground 15 --border normal --border-foreground 8 \
     --padding "0 2" --width 60 \
     "Disk:        ${DISK}" \
@@ -582,7 +697,7 @@ screen_summary() {
     "Keymap:      ${KEYMAP}" \
     "Locale:      ${LOCALE}" \
     "Timezone:    ${TIMEZONE}" \
-        "Login mgr:   ${LOGIN_MANAGER}" \
+    "Login mgr:   ${login_line}" \
     "SSH server:  $([[ "$SSHD" == "true" ]] && echo enabled || echo skipped)" \
     "SSH keys:    ${ssh_line}" \
     "Git:         ${git_line}"
@@ -675,8 +790,8 @@ install_pacstrap() {
     log "Pacstrap: ${pkglist} missing, falling back to pacman -Q"
     mapfile -t src_lines < <(pacman -Q 2>>"$LOG" || true)
   fi
-    (( ${#src_lines[@]} > 0 )) \
+  ((${#src_lines[@]} > 0)) ||
-        || die "No package list: ${pkglist} is missing and pacman -Q returned nothing."
+    die "No package list: ${pkglist} is missing and pacman -Q returned nothing."
 
   # Parse only the first field, then drop names not resolvable in the
   # live session's repos (incl. [local-aur] = /opt/localrepo).
@@ -740,8 +855,8 @@ install_pacstrap() {
   log "Pacstrap: ${#pkgs[@]} packages, ${#dropped[@]} skipped"
   run_logged -s dot -t "Installing ${#pkgs[@]} packages (this may take a while)" \
     "pacstrap failed" \
-        pacstrap "$TARGET" "${pkgs[@]}" --noconfirm \
+    pacstrap "$TARGET" "${pkgs[@]}" --noconfirm ||
-        || die "pacstrap failed - the target system is incomplete (output above, full log: $LOG)."
+    die "pacstrap failed - the target system is incomplete (output above, full log: $LOG)."
 
   # mono's post_install runs cert-sync before the post-transaction hook has
   # generated ca-certificates.crt, leaving mono's certificate store empty.
@@ -750,6 +865,7 @@ install_pacstrap() {
       >>"$LOG" 2>&1 || warn "cert-sync failed - mono apps may reject TLS certificates."
   fi
 
+  TARGET_INSTALLED="true"
   ok "Packages installed."
 }
 
@@ -775,8 +891,8 @@ install_cachyos_repo() {
   fi
   # chaotic-aur packages (yay, ...) came from the ISO - without the repo
   # they turn foreign and never update.
-    if ! grep -q '^\[chaotic-aur\]' "$conf" 2>/dev/null \
+  if ! grep -q '^\[chaotic-aur\]' "$conf" 2>/dev/null &&
-        && [[ -f "${TARGET}/etc/pacman.d/chaotic-mirrorlist" ]]; then
+    [[ -f "${TARGET}/etc/pacman.d/chaotic-mirrorlist" ]]; then
     printf '\n[chaotic-aur]\nInclude = /etc/pacman.d/chaotic-mirrorlist\n' >>"$conf"
   fi
 
@@ -800,7 +916,9 @@ install_locale() {
   info "Setting locale..."
 
   arch-chroot "$TARGET" sed -i "s/^#${LOCALE}/${LOCALE}/" /etc/locale.gen
-    arch-chroot "$TARGET" locale-gen
+  run_logged -s dot -t "Generating locales" "locale-gen failed" \
+    arch-chroot "$TARGET" locale-gen ||
+    die "locale-gen failed (output above, full log: $LOG)."
 
   echo "LANG=${LOCALE}" >"${TARGET}/etc/locale.conf"
   echo "KEYMAP=${KEYMAP}" >"${TARGET}/etc/vconsole.conf"
@@ -888,12 +1006,12 @@ install_git_ssh() {
     local git_name="${GIT_NAME:-$USERNAME}"
     run_logged "git config user.name failed" \
       arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
-            git config --global user.name "$git_name" \
+      git config --global user.name "$git_name" ||
-            || warn "git config user.name failed (output above)."
+      warn "git config user.name failed (output above)."
     run_logged "git config user.email failed" \
       arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
-            git config --global user.email "$GIT_EMAIL" \
+      git config --global user.email "$GIT_EMAIL" ||
-            || warn "git config user.email failed (output above)."
+      warn "git config user.email failed (output above)."
     ok "Git configured for ${USERNAME} (${git_name} <${GIT_EMAIL}>)."
     log "Git: ${git_name} <${GIT_EMAIL}>"
   else
@@ -931,14 +1049,15 @@ install_git_ssh() {
   else
     echo "${USERNAME} ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL" >"${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-ssh-import-id"
     chmod 440 "${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-ssh-import-id"
-        run_logged "yay -Ss ssh-import-id found nothing" \
+    run_logged -s dot -t "Searching the AUR for ssh-import-id" \
+      "yay -Ss ssh-import-id found nothing" \
       arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
-            env HOME="$home_in_target" yay -Ss ssh-import-id \
+      env HOME="$home_in_target" yay -Ss ssh-import-id ||
-            || warn "yay -Ss ssh-import-id found nothing (output above)."
+      warn "yay -Ss ssh-import-id found nothing (output above)."
     if run_logged -s dot -t "Installing ssh-import-id" \
       "pacman -S python-distro failed" \
-            arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -S --noconfirm python-distro \
+      arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -S --noconfirm python-distro &&
-            && run_logged -s jump -t "Installing ssh-import-id" \
+      run_logged -s dot -t "Installing ssh-import-id" \
         "yay failed to install ssh-import-id" \
         arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
         env HOME="$home_in_target" yay -S --noconfirm ssh-import-id; then
@@ -951,7 +1070,7 @@ install_git_ssh() {
   fi
 
   if [[ "$sid_ok" == "true" ]]; then
-        if run_logged "ssh-import-id failed" \
+    if run_logged -s dot -t "Importing GitHub SSH keys" "ssh-import-id failed" \
       arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
       env HOME="$home_in_target" ssh-import-id "gh:${GH_USERNAME}"; then
       ok "SSH keys imported via ssh-import-id."
@@ -1046,11 +1165,11 @@ install_end4_dots() {
   # --skip-alldeps: every dependency was already installed at ISO build time
   # (customize_airootfs.sh runs ./setup install-deps), so this only copies
   # configs, sets up services and builds the python venv from the warm cache.
-    # Both attempts run under a jump spinner (this step compiles the venv and
+  # Both attempts run under a dot spinner (this step compiles the venv and
   # pip bits): --show-output + the sh stderr-merge keep every line flowing
   # into $LOG, the frames render on the terminal, and stdin still feeds the
   # `yes i` process substitution through to ./setup.
-    if ! gum spin --show-output --spinner jump -- \
+  if ! gum spin --show-output -s dot -- \
     sh -c '"$@" 2>&1' sh \
     arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
     env HOME="$home_in_target" bash -c \
@@ -1058,7 +1177,7 @@ install_end4_dots() {
     < <(yes i) >>"$LOG"; then
     warn "end-4 setup failed, retrying files only (see $LOG)."
     setups_done=false
-        gum spin --show-output --spinner jump -- \
+    gum spin --show-output -s dot -- \
       sh -c '"$@" 2>&1' sh \
       arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
       env HOME="$home_in_target" bash -c \
@@ -1088,8 +1207,8 @@ install_end4_dots() {
 
   if [[ -f "${TARGET}/usr/lib/systemd/system/bluetooth.service" ]]; then
     run_logged "Could not enable bluetooth.service" \
-            arch-chroot "$TARGET" systemctl enable bluetooth.service \
+      arch-chroot "$TARGET" systemctl enable bluetooth.service ||
-            || warn "Could not enable bluetooth.service (output above)."
+      warn "Could not enable bluetooth.service (output above)."
   fi
   # `systemctl --user` cannot work in this chroot either: it needs
   # /run/user/UID/bus, which does not exist until the target boots (it only
@@ -1101,9 +1220,9 @@ install_end4_dots() {
     # appended to $LOG and paged to the user (as the bluetooth block's
     # run_logged does), never kept in the log alone.
     local yd_rc=0 yd_err=""
-        yd_err=$( { mkdir -p "$yd_wants" \
+    yd_err=$({ mkdir -p "$yd_wants" &&
-            && ln -sfn /usr/lib/systemd/user/ydotool.service "$yd_wants/ydotool.service"; } 2>&1 ) \
+      ln -sfn /usr/lib/systemd/user/ydotool.service "$yd_wants/ydotool.service"; } 2>&1) ||
-            || yd_rc=$?
+      yd_rc=$?
     if ((yd_rc == 0)); then
       log "ydotool.service enabled for ${USERNAME} (symlinked in user unit dir)."
     else
@@ -1123,8 +1242,8 @@ install_end4_dots() {
   # throwaway session bus as the target user. gsettings exits 0 even when
   # the commit fails, so read the key back in a second session — only a
   # matching value counts as persisted.
-    if ((log_mark > 0)) \
+  if ((log_mark > 0)) &&
-        && [[ -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/dbus-run-session" && -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/gsettings" ]]; then
+    [[ -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/dbus-run-session" && -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/gsettings" ]]; then
     local gs_line gs_schema gs_key gs_val gs_got gs_norm gs_raw gs_err gs_rc
     # Snapshot and parse first (the loop below appends to $LOG), keeping
     # log order: a key set twice replays chronologically so the last
@@ -1155,6 +1274,8 @@ install_end4_dots() {
       gs_val=${BASH_REMATCH[3]}
       # env -i: root's env is exactly what broke dconf; rebuild it for
       # the target user with only what gsettings/dbus need.
+      # GIO_USE_VFS=local: otherwise the session bus activates gvfsd, whose
+      # gvfsd-fuse leaves a dead ~/.gvfs mount that breaks chown -R below.
       # gsettings exits 0 even when the commit fails, so both the exit
       # status AND the read-back below decide success; its output is
       # kept in $LOG and paged on failure.
@@ -1164,6 +1285,7 @@ install_end4_dots() {
         env -i HOME="$home_in_target" USER="$USERNAME" LOGNAME="$USERNAME" \
         PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin \
         XDG_CONFIG_HOME="${home_in_target}/.config" \
+        GIO_USE_VFS=local GVFS_DISABLE_FUSE=1 \
         dbus-run-session -- \
         gsettings set "$gs_schema" "$gs_key" "$gs_val" 2>&1) || gs_rc=$?
       if [[ -n "$gs_err" ]]; then
@@ -1174,6 +1296,7 @@ install_end4_dots() {
           env -i HOME="$home_in_target" USER="$USERNAME" LOGNAME="$USERNAME" \
           PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin \
           XDG_CONFIG_HOME="${home_in_target}/.config" \
+          GIO_USE_VFS=local GVFS_DISABLE_FUSE=1 \
           dbus-run-session -- \
           gsettings get "$gs_schema" "$gs_key" 2>>"$LOG") || gs_got=""
         # Normalize the GVariant read-back: strings come back quoted
@@ -1249,15 +1372,15 @@ install_end4_dots() {
       "$fish_src/" "$fish_dst/"
     if [[ -f "${fish_dst}/config.fish" ]]; then
       sed -i "s/alias q 'qs -c ii'/alias q 'qs -c end4-pC'/" "${fish_dst}/config.fish"
-            grep -qF "alias q 'qs -c end4-pC'" "${fish_dst}/config.fish" \
+      grep -qF "alias q 'qs -c end4-pC'" "${fish_dst}/config.fish" ||
-                || warn "fish 'q' alias still points at the upstream ii config (see $LOG)."
+        warn "fish 'q' alias still points at the upstream ii config (see $LOG)."
     fi
   fi
 
   local configs_ok=true
-    [[ -e "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.config/hypr/hyprland.lua" \
+  [[ -e "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.config/hypr/hyprland.lua" &&
-        && -d "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.config/quickshell/ii" \
+    -d "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.config/quickshell/ii" &&
-        && -d "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.config/quickshell/end4-pC" ]] || configs_ok=false
+    -d "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.config/quickshell/end4-pC" ]] || configs_ok=false
   # Files alone are not enough: with --skip-alldeps the dependencies must
   # have come from the ISO. hyprland and quickshell are installed at ISO
   # build time, so their binaries missing here means pacstrap dropped them
@@ -1265,26 +1388,15 @@ install_end4_dots() {
   # the image's uv cache at install time, so a missing python means the
   # python step of end-4's setup never got to run.
   if $configs_ok; then
-        [[ -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/hyprctl" && -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/quickshell" ]] \
+    [[ -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/hyprctl" && -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/quickshell" ]] ||
-            || configs_ok=false
+      configs_ok=false
 
-        # uv writes bin/python as an absolute symlink into the chroot
+    # uv's bin/python is a chain of absolute symlinks (the venv link AND
-        # (/home/.../uv/python/...). Tested verbatim from the live medium
+    # uv's cpython-3.12-... dir link) into /home/$USERNAME, which exists
-        # that link dangles - /home/$USERNAME exists only under $TARGET -
+    # only under $TARGET - resolve and run it inside the chroot instead.
-        # so walk the chain here and re-root absolute hops under $TARGET
+    arch-chroot "$TARGET" \
-        # (relative hops stay inside the venv and need no repointing).
+      "${home_in_target}/.local/state/quickshell/.venv/bin/python" -B -c '' \
-        local venv_probe="${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.local/state/quickshell/.venv/bin/python"
+      >>"$LOG" 2>&1 || configs_ok=false
-        local venv_link hops=0
-        while [[ -L "$venv_probe" && $hops -lt 10 ]]; do
-            venv_link=$(readlink "$venv_probe")
-            if [[ "$venv_link" == /* ]]; then
-                venv_probe="${TARGET}${venv_link}"
-            else
-                venv_probe="$(dirname "$venv_probe")/$venv_link"
-            fi
-            hops=$((hops + 1))
-        done
-        [[ -x "$venv_probe" ]] || configs_ok=false
   fi
 
   if [[ -d /etc/skel/.config/hypr/custom ]]; then
@@ -1304,6 +1416,19 @@ install_end4_dots() {
   # fork/fish/hypr restores, and the presets sed -i just rewrote through a
   # temp file) left root-owned files in the home — one pass fixes them all.
   # Numeric ids again: this chown also runs on the medium, not in the chroot.
+  # A dead FUSE mount (gvfs ~/.gvfs, kio-fuse, ...) makes chown -R fail with
+  # EACCES even as root; unmount everything under the home first. The home
+  # is no mount point itself, so filter the full mount table by prefix
+  # (findmnt -R would match nothing); sort -r unmounts deepest first. The
+  # || true keeps an empty match from tripping the inherited ERR trap,
+  # whose message would otherwise be read as a mount path.
+  local mnt
+  while read -r mnt; do
+    umount "$mnt" 2>/dev/null || umount -l "$mnt" 2>/dev/null || true
+    log "unmounted stray mount in home: $mnt"
+  done < <(findmnt -rno TARGET 2>/dev/null |
+    awk -v p="${TARGET}${home_in_target}/" 'index($0, p) == 1' | sort -r || true)
+  rmdir "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.gvfs" 2>/dev/null || true
   chown -R "$owner" "${TARGET}${home_in_target}"
 
   if $dots_ok && $configs_ok; then
@@ -1340,7 +1465,9 @@ install_mkinitcpio() {
   info "Generating initramfs configuration..."
 
   if [[ "$LUKS" != "true" ]]; then
-        arch-chroot "$TARGET" mkinitcpio -P
+    run_logged -s dot -t "Generating initramfs" "mkinitcpio -P failed" \
+      arch-chroot "$TARGET" mkinitcpio -P ||
+      die "mkinitcpio -P failed (output above, full log: $LOG)."
     ok "initramfs generated."
     return
   fi
@@ -1374,7 +1501,9 @@ HOOKS
   # Mode A: systemd initramfs with sd-encrypt (matches the rd.luks.name
   # kernel cmdline written by install_bootloader).
   write_mode_a_hooks
-    arch-chroot "$TARGET" mkinitcpio -P
+  run_logged -s dot -t "Generating initramfs" "mkinitcpio -P failed" \
+    arch-chroot "$TARGET" mkinitcpio -P ||
+    die "mkinitcpio -P failed (output above, full log: $LOG)."
 
   ok "initramfs generated."
 }
@@ -1465,8 +1594,8 @@ install_bootloader() {
   esp_partnum=${esp_partnum:-1}
   # Match the loader path, not just the label: a stale ALVIN entry left by
   # a previous install on another disk would satisfy a bare label match.
-    boot_entry=$(efibootmgr -v 2>/dev/null \
+  boot_entry=$(efibootmgr -v 2>/dev/null |
-        | grep -iF '\EFI\ALVIN\grubx64.efi' | head -n1) || boot_entry=""
+    grep -iF '\EFI\ALVIN\grubx64.efi' | head -n1) || boot_entry=""
   if [[ -z "$boot_entry" ]]; then
     warn "No ALVIN entry in the firmware NVRAM - creating one now."
     if ! run_logged "efibootmgr could not create the NVRAM boot entry" \
@@ -1474,8 +1603,8 @@ install_bootloader() {
       -l '\EFI\ALVIN\grubx64.efi'; then
       die "Could not create the firmware NVRAM boot entry (output above). Refusing to finish: the install stops before grub-mkconfig runs, so \\EFI\\BOOT\\BOOTX64.EFI exists but is not bootable yet. Check UEFI setup (NVRAM write access) and re-run."
     fi
-        boot_entry=$(efibootmgr -v 2>/dev/null \
+    boot_entry=$(efibootmgr -v 2>/dev/null |
-            | grep -iF '\EFI\ALVIN\grubx64.efi' | head -n1) || boot_entry=""
+      grep -iF '\EFI\ALVIN\grubx64.efi' | head -n1) || boot_entry=""
     if [[ -z "$boot_entry" ]]; then
       die "NVRAM boot entry still missing after efibootmgr -c. Refusing to finish: the install stops before grub-mkconfig runs, so the system is not bootable yet - check UEFI setup and re-run."
     fi
@@ -1560,7 +1689,7 @@ install_tpm() {
   # after, so the secret exists only for the duration of this call.
   export PASSWORD="$PASS"
   local cenrc=0
-    run_logged "systemd-cryptenroll failed" \
+  run_logged -s dot -t "Enrolling the TPM2 unlock key" "systemd-cryptenroll failed" \
     systemd-cryptenroll --tpm2-device=auto \
     --tpm2-pcrs=0+7 "$(part 2)" || cenrc=$?
   unset PASSWORD
@@ -1575,8 +1704,8 @@ install_tpm() {
     luks_uuid=$(blkid -s UUID -o value "$(part 2)")
     write_mode_a_cmdline "$luks_uuid" "rd.luks.options=${luks_uuid}=tpm2-device=auto"
     run_logged -s dot "grub-mkconfig failed (rd.luks.options)" \
-            arch-chroot "$TARGET" grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg \
+      arch-chroot "$TARGET" grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg ||
-            || warn "grub-mkconfig failed after adding rd.luks.options (output above) - TPM2 unlock will not activate at boot."
+      warn "grub-mkconfig failed after adding rd.luks.options (output above) - TPM2 unlock will not activate at boot."
     ok "TPM2 auto-unlock enrolled and activated (rd.luks.options, PCR 0+7)."
   else
     TPM_STATUS="failed"
@@ -1621,11 +1750,11 @@ unl0kr_fallback_mode_a() {
   fi
 
   run_logged -s dot "mkinitcpio -P failed (unl0kr fallback)" \
-        arch-chroot "$TARGET" mkinitcpio -P \
+    arch-chroot "$TARGET" mkinitcpio -P ||
-        || warn "mkinitcpio -P failed during unl0kr fallback (output above)."
+    warn "mkinitcpio -P failed during unl0kr fallback (output above)."
   run_logged -s dot "grub-mkconfig failed (unl0kr fallback)" \
-        arch-chroot "$TARGET" grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg \
+    arch-chroot "$TARGET" grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg ||
-        || warn "grub-mkconfig failed during unl0kr fallback (output above)."
+    warn "grub-mkconfig failed during unl0kr fallback (output above)."
   warn "The system will ask for the LUKS passphrase at boot - test a reboot before relying on it."
 }
 
@@ -1641,7 +1770,7 @@ install_unl0kr() {
   # yay runs as the new user and needs passwordless sudo for this one call.
   echo "${USERNAME} ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL" >"${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-unl0kr-install"
   chmod 440 "${TARGET}/etc/sudoers.d/99-unl0kr-install"
-    run_logged -s jump -t "Building unl0kr from the AUR (this may take a while)" \
+  run_logged -s dot -t "Building unl0kr from the AUR (this may take a while)" \
     "yay failed to build/install unl0kr" \
     arch-chroot "$TARGET" runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- \
     env HOME="$home_in_target" yay -S --noconfirm unl0kr || build_rc=$?
@@ -1655,8 +1784,8 @@ install_unl0kr() {
   # Record what the AUR actually gave us - advertised and PKGBUILD versions
   # have disagreed before, so trust pacman, not the web page.
   local built_ver
-    built_ver=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -Qi unl0kr 2>/dev/null \
+  built_ver=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -Qi unl0kr 2>/dev/null |
-        | awk -F': ' '/^Version/{print $2}') || built_ver=""
+    awk -F': ' '/^Version/{print $2}') || built_ver=""
   log "unl0kr built version: ${built_ver:-unknown}"
 
   # The package must ship busybox initcpio hooks (its prepare() strips the
@@ -1681,6 +1810,34 @@ install_unl0kr() {
     page_log_tail "unl0kr hook file output (q to quit)" 40 || true
   }
 
+  # unl0kr parses /usr/share/unl0kr/unl0kr.conf first; the package doesn't
+  # ship it, so inih fails to open it and unl0kr prints "Ignoring invalid
+  # config file" on every boot. An empty file parses cleanly - FILES+= puts
+  # it in the image (the hook only adds /etc/unl0kr.conf). Our own
+  # /etc/unl0kr.conf pins the dark theme instead of trusting the PKGBUILD's
+  # sed on the upstream (light) default.
+  mkdir -p "${TARGET}/usr/share/unl0kr"
+  : >"${TARGET}/usr/share/unl0kr/unl0kr.conf"
+  cat >"${TARGET}/etc/unl0kr.conf" <<'UNL0KR'
+[general]
+animations=true
+
+[keyboard]
+autohide=false
+layout=us
+popovers=true
+
+[textarea]
+obscured=true
+
+[theme]
+default=breezy-dark
+alternate=breezy-light
+UNL0KR
+  echo 'FILES+=(/usr/share/unl0kr/unl0kr.conf)' \
+    >>"${TARGET}/etc/mkinitcpio.conf.d/alvin.conf"
+  log "unl0kr: wrote /etc/unl0kr.conf (breezy-dark) + empty /usr/share/unl0kr/unl0kr.conf"
+
   # Touchscreen/input stack for the initramfs: mkinitcpio fails the build
   # on a MODULES entry it cannot resolve, and -P applies the list to every
   # preset - so a module may enter MODULES only if EVERY installed kernel
@@ -1746,9 +1903,9 @@ install_unl0kr() {
   # perfectly good unl0kr install on every run.
   local -a expect=() missing=()
   local linux_kver mi m_norm mods_section
-    linux_kver=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -Ql linux 2>/dev/null \
+  linux_kver=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -Ql linux 2>/dev/null |
-        | sed -n 's|.* /usr/lib/modules/\([^/]*\)/modules\.builtin.*|\1|p' \
+    sed -n 's|.* /usr/lib/modules/\([^/]*\)/modules\.builtin.*|\1|p' |
-        | head -n1) || linux_kver=""
+    head -n1) || linux_kver=""
   for m in "${keep[@]+"${keep[@]}"}"; do
     mi=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" modinfo -k "$linux_kver" "$m" 2>/dev/null || true)
     if ! grep -q '(builtin)' <<<"$mi"; then
@@ -1756,8 +1913,8 @@ install_unl0kr() {
     fi
   done
   log "unl0kr image check: kernel=${linux_kver:-unknown} expect=${expect[*]:-none}"
-    mods_section=$(awk '/==> Included modules/{f=1;next} f&&/^==>/{exit} f' <<< "$analysis" \
+  mods_section=$(awk '/==> Included modules/{f=1;next} f&&/^==>/{exit} f' <<<"$analysis" |
-        | tr -s ' \t' '\n' | tr '_' '-')
+    tr -s ' \t' '\n' | tr '_' '-')
   for m in "${expect[@]+"${expect[@]}"}"; do
     m_norm=${m//_/-}
     grep -qxF -- "$m_norm" <<<"$mods_section" || missing+=("$m")
@@ -1807,8 +1964,8 @@ install_none_profile() {
   owner=$(target_owner)
 
   local shell_name
-    shell_name=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" getent passwd "$USERNAME" \
+  shell_name=$(arch-chroot "$TARGET" getent passwd "$USERNAME" |
-        | awk -F: '{print $NF}') || shell_name="/bin/bash"
+    awk -F: '{print $NF}') || shell_name="/bin/bash"
 
   local profile=""
   case "$shell_name" in
@@ -1838,8 +1995,8 @@ FISH
     return 0
     ;;
   *)
-            if [[ -f "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.bash_profile" \
+    if [[ -f "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.bash_profile" ||
-                || ! -f "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.profile" ]]; then
+      ! -f "${TARGET}${home_in_target}/.profile" ]]; then
       profile="${home_in_target}/.bash_profile"
     else
       profile="${home_in_target}/.profile"
@@ -1870,6 +2027,21 @@ FISH
   log "tty profile: ${profile} (exec Hyprland on VT1)"
 }
 
+# Runs after install_unl0kr, which resets UNL0KR to false when it falls
+# back to the systemd initramfs - so UNL0KR still being true here means
+# unl0kr really is in the image and no login manager is wanted.
+resolve_login_manager() {
+  [[ "$LOGIN_MANAGER_SKIP" == "true" ]] || return 0
+  if [[ "$UNL0KR" == "true" ]]; then
+    LOGIN_MANAGER="none"
+    info "unl0kr is installed - skipping the login manager (tty1 + Hyprland)."
+    log "Login manager: none (unl0kr installed)"
+  else
+    warn "unl0kr fell back - using the fallback login manager: ${LOGIN_MANAGER}."
+    log "Login manager: fallback ${LOGIN_MANAGER} (unl0kr not installed)"
+  fi
+}
+
 install_login_manager() {
   info "Configuring login manager: ${LOGIN_MANAGER}..."
 
@@ -1879,8 +2051,8 @@ install_login_manager() {
   for u in greetd sddm gdm; do
     if [[ -f "${TARGET}/usr/lib/systemd/system/${u}.service" ]]; then
       run_logged "Could not disable ${u}.service" \
-                arch-chroot "$TARGET" systemctl disable "$u.service" \
+        arch-chroot "$TARGET" systemctl disable "$u.service" ||
-                || warn "Could not disable ${u}.service (output above)."
+        warn "Could not disable ${u}.service (output above)."
     fi
   done
   rm -f "${TARGET}/etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d/autologin.conf"
@@ -1910,8 +2082,8 @@ install_login_manager() {
     # this version does not (ArchWiki: user = "greeter").
     if ! arch-chroot "$TARGET" id greeter >/dev/null 2>&1; then
       run_logged "Could not create the greeter user" \
-                    arch-chroot "$TARGET" useradd -r -M -s /usr/bin/nologin greeter \
+        arch-chroot "$TARGET" useradd -r -M -s /usr/bin/nologin greeter ||
-                    || warn "Could not create the greeter user (output above)."
+        warn "Could not create the greeter user (output above)."
     fi
     mkdir -p "${TARGET}/etc/greetd"
     cat >"${TARGET}/etc/greetd/config.toml" <<'TOML'
@@ -1975,6 +2147,19 @@ TOML
       return
     fi
     ensure_hyprland_session
+    # gdm (autologin included) starts the session stored in the user's
+    # AccountsService record; without one it picks gnome.desktop, which
+    # the gdm install drags in. Pin Hyprland.
+    local as_dir="${TARGET}/var/lib/AccountsService/users"
+    mkdir -p "$as_dir"
+    cat >"${as_dir}/${USERNAME}" <<'ACCOUNT'
+[User]
+Session=hyprland
+SessionType=wayland
+SystemAccount=false
+ACCOUNT
+    chmod 600 "${as_dir}/${USERNAME}"
+    log "gdm: AccountsService session pinned to hyprland"
     if run_logged "Could not enable gdm.service" \
       arch-chroot "$TARGET" systemctl enable gdm.service; then
       run_logged "Could not disable getty@tty1.service" \
@@ -2122,6 +2307,53 @@ EOF
 
 # ── Cleanup ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+# Last install step: the system is already bootable, so every failure here
+# only warns. Re-ranks the Arch mirrorlist (the shipped one is whatever the
+# ISO build had), refreshes the keyrings first so newer packages' signatures
+# verify, then -Syu. That also moves packages pacstrap took from [core] onto
+# the [cachyos] builds the target's pacman.conf now prefers. A new kernel
+# triggers the mkinitcpio hook with the final HOOKS, and grub.cfg names
+# /vmlinuz-linux etc. without versions, so the bootloader stays valid.
+install_update() {
+  info "Updating mirrors and the installed system..."
+  sync_target_dbs
+
+  local ml="${TARGET}/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist"
+  if [[ -x "${TARGET}/usr/bin/reflector" ]]; then
+    cp -a "$ml" "${ml}.alvin-bak" 2>/dev/null || true
+    if run_logged -s dot -t "Ranking Arch mirrors (reflector)" "reflector failed" \
+      arch-chroot "$TARGET" reflector --protocol https --age 12 --latest 20 \
+      --sort rate --save /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist; then
+      log "Update: mirrorlist re-ranked by reflector (backup: mirrorlist.alvin-bak)"
+    else
+      [[ -s "${ml}.alvin-bak" ]] && cp -a "${ml}.alvin-bak" "$ml"
+      warn "reflector failed (output above) - keeping the shipped mirrorlist."
+    fi
+  else
+    log "Update: reflector not installed in target - mirrorlist left as shipped"
+  fi
+
+  local -a keyrings=()
+  mapfile -t keyrings < <(arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -Qq \
+    archlinux-keyring cachyos-keyring chaotic-keyring 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if ((${#keyrings[@]} > 0)); then
+    run_logged -s dot -t "Updating keyrings" "keyring update failed" \
+      arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -Sy --needed --noconfirm "${keyrings[@]}" ||
+      warn "Keyring update failed (output above) - trying the upgrade anyway."
+  fi
+
+  if run_logged -s dot -t "Updating the installed system (pacman -Syu)" \
+    "pacman -Syu failed" \
+    arch-chroot "$TARGET" pacman -Syu --noconfirm; then
+    UPDATE_STATUS="up to date"
+    log "Update: pacman -Syu complete"
+    ok "Installed system is up to date."
+  else
+    UPDATE_STATUS="FAILED - run sudo pacman -Syu after boot"
+    warn "pacman -Syu failed (output above) - the system boots; run 'sudo pacman -Syu' after first login."
+  fi
+}
+
 install_cleanup() {
   info "Cleaning up..."
   cp "$LOG" "${TARGET}/var/log/alvin-install.log" 2>/dev/null || true
@@ -2143,7 +2375,7 @@ install_cleanup() {
     "Arch Linux installed successfully." \
     "" \
     "Login manager: ${LOGIN_MANAGER}   Autologin: ${AUTOLOGIN:-disabled}" \
-        "SSH server: ${ssh_state}" \
+    "SSH server: ${ssh_state}   System update: ${UPDATE_STATUS}" \
     "TPM2 auto-unlock: ${TPM_STATUS:-n/a}   unl0kr: ${UNL0KR}"
   if [[ -n "${TPM_DISCLAIMER}" ]]; then
     echo ""
@@ -2160,11 +2392,33 @@ install_cleanup() {
     gum pager <"$LOG" || true
   fi
   echo ""
+  offer_chroot
   # Last line on screen after the optional log view - the instruction to
   # reboot must be the final thing the user reads.
   echo "Run 'reboot' to boot into your new system."
 }
 
+# Optional shell inside the installed system. $TARGET (and cryptroot) are
+# still mounted here - cleanup() only tears them down afterwards.
+# Also called from the EXIT trap when a step after pacstrap failed ($1 then
+# carries the failure prompt).
+offer_chroot() {
+  gum confirm --affirmative "Open chroot" --negative "No thanks" \
+    "${1:-Chroot into the installed system to make changes before rebooting?}" ||
+    return 0
+  remove_temp_sudoers
+  # Copy first so the log is readable from inside (/var/log/alvin-install.log).
+  cp "$LOG" "${TARGET}/var/log/alvin-install.log" 2>/dev/null || true
+  info "Entering ${TARGET} - type 'exit' to leave and finish."
+  log "Chroot: interactive shell opened"
+  # The user's last command may fail; that must not trip errexit/ERR.
+  arch-chroot "$TARGET" /bin/bash || true
+  log "Chroot: shell closed"
+  # Keep the copy in the target current with the lines logged above.
+  cp "$LOG" "${TARGET}/var/log/alvin-install.log" 2>/dev/null || true
+  echo ""
+}
+
 # ── Main ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 main() {
@@ -2205,8 +2459,10 @@ main() {
   install_bootloader
   install_tpm
   install_unl0kr
+  resolve_login_manager
   install_login_manager
   install_autologin
+  install_update
   install_cleanup
 }
 

githooks/pre-commit

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# pre-commit hook: run ShellCheck on every shell script in the repo.
+#
+# This mirrors the CI check in .gitea/workflows/tests.yaml so the local
+# lint and the CI lint cannot drift apart. Enable it in a clone with:
+#
+#   git config core.hooksPath githooks
+
+set -u
+
+if ! command -v shellcheck >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "pre-commit: shellcheck not found on PATH, skipping lint." >&2
+    echo "pre-commit: install it with 'pacman -S shellcheck'; CI still enforces it." >&2
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# Same file set as CI: *.sh plus the extensionless bash scripts in
+# airootfs/usr/local/bin picked up by their shebang.
+# find's stderr is dropped because localrepo/end4-pkgbuilds/*/pkg is left
+# at mode d--x--x--x by makepkg and prints "Permission denied" locally.
+sh_files=$(
+    {
+        find . -name '*.sh' -not -path './.git/*' 2>/dev/null
+        find airootfs/usr/local/bin -type f ! -name '*.sh' \
+            -exec grep -lE '^#!(/usr/bin/env bash|/bin/bash)' {} + 2>/dev/null
+    } | sed '/^$/d' | sort -u
+)
+
+if [ -z "$sh_files" ]; then
+    echo "pre-commit: no shell scripts found."
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+failed=0
+while IFS= read -r f; do
+    if shellcheck -x -s bash "$f"; then
+        echo "  ok   $f"
+    else
+        echo "  FAIL $f" >&2
+        failed=1
+    fi
+done <<< "$sh_files"
+
+if [ "$failed" -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo "" >&2
+    echo "pre-commit: ShellCheck failed. Fix the issues above, or bypass with:" >&2
+    echo "  git commit --no-verify" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+exit 0