Omarchy 3.4 + CachyOS In One Install - The Hybrid Build Just Got Even Better

The Omarchy over CachyOS hybrid project keeps rolling. This time we've got a fresh build using the brand new Omarchy 3.4 and the latest CachyOS ISO, merged together into a single bootable installer. One script, one USB stick, one install — you get Omarchy's beautiful Hyprland desktop with CachyOS's optimised kernel and packages running underneath.

website: https://www.no-signal.uk

For anyone who hasn't seen this series before, the concept is straightforward. You take the latest Omarchy ISO and the latest CachyOS ISO, run my build script, and it pulls them apart, extracts what it needs from each, and stitches them back together into a single hybrid ISO. Boot from it and the installer handles everything — encrypted partition, CachyOS base with hardware detection, then Omarchy layered over the top. The engine is CachyOS. The face is Omarchy. Best of both worlds.

THE BUILD AND INSTALL
I walk through the full process from scratch. The build script takes the two ISOs, merges them, and outputs a bootable hybrid ISO. Then I show you how to burn it to a blank USB stick using Fedora Media Writer — a simple tool you can grab from the Cosmic Store flatpak on Omarchy. If you're on Ventoy you can just copy the ISO across instead.

The install itself is a two-stage process. First it runs the CachyOS installer which detects your hardware, loads the correct drivers and CPU-optimised packages — in my case Zen 4 binaries for the Ryzen 9 and Nvidia drivers for the 5060 Ti. Then it reboots into the Omarchy installer which lays the desktop, packages, and configuration over the top. Once it's done, one more reboot and you're on a fully working hybrid system.

WHAT'S FIXED IN THIS VERSION
The big problem with earlier versions was that Omarchy updates would wipe out the CachyOS repos and kernel, meaning you'd lose the whole point of the hybrid. This version protects the CachyOS repositories so updates from both sides coexist properly. When you run an update, you can see it checking both the CachyOS repos and the Omarchy repos and applying everything correctly.

There are a few final patches the script applies at the end of the install to handle differences between CachyOS and Omarchy — things like the network manager configuration which works differently between the two. Small stuff, but it matters for a clean experience.

BURNING A USB WITHOUT VENTOY
If you've been on Omarchy and wondered how to burn an ISO to a USB stick without using the command line, I show how to install the Cosmic Store flatpak and grab Fedora Media Writer from it. Dead simple — select your ISO, select your USB drive, and it writes a bootable disk. Works on Linux, Windows, and Mac. I'll link the Cosmic Store installer script in a previous video.

IMPORTANT NOTES
Do a reboot immediately after the first boot before running any updates. There's a quirk where the first session doesn't take inputs correctly — a single reboot sorts it out. After that, updates run cleanly.
This is an online installer so a wired connection is strongly recommended. Wi-Fi works but if your connection drops during the download phase it can cause problems. I wasted days debugging issues that turned out to be my garbage Wi-Fi.
If you're on Wi-Fi, you'll need to connect twice — once during the CachyOS install phase and again after the reboot into the Omarchy install phase.

MEMBER SCRIPTS AVAILABLE
In the members area you'll find the hybrid ISO build script, the custom kernel manager built specifically for this setup, and the Gamescope launcher configured for the hybrid. Don't use the kernel manager on standard Omarchy — it's written specifically for this CachyOS-underneath configuration.

GAMESCOPE LAUNCHERS UPDATE
Quick mention — I'm working through building Gamescope Steam Deck mode launchers for as many distros as possible. Currently available for Omarchy, CachyOS, Pop!_OS Cosmic, and Linux Mint. Coming next are Fedora and Ubuntu. The Mint script recently got a patch thanks to a member spotting that GameScope had a bug with AMD 9000 series cards on Mint's older package version. That's exactly why the members-first approach works.

WHO IS THIS FOR
This is experimental and it's fun. I don't run it as my daily driver — straight Omarchy handles my work in DaVinci Resolve and coding perfectly well. But if you want to tinker, squeeze out a few extra frames, and enjoy running a Frankenstein distro that shouldn't work but does — this is for you.
Use at your own risk. Clean install only. Don't blame me if it explodes.

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