The short answer to the query about the home directory in the arch iso, is that there is none to extract. In this case, using the iso: archlinux-2024.05.01-x86_64.iso, since you mentioned arch.
To demonstrate that that is the case, you can list all the files from the mount point on the mounted iso with the command:
Or it's possible to search directly for "home", without seeing all the files on screen, with a command like:
There is no file with the name home in the arch iso.
For a deeper search, you could extract the contents of the initramfs image file which you would be able to find from an inspection of the output of the above command: ls -R. Run a command such as the following:
Code:
lsinitramfs -l /mnt/arch/boot/x86_64/initramfs-linux.image > /home/<user>/initramfsContents
which has the lsinitramfs command sending its contents to a file in the user's home directory since the output is large, and it's easier to inspect it all in a file rather than on the terminal screen.
Within that file is a list of the files and directories used to create the initial linux system that will be used to create the more fully featured installed system which the installer creates upon its successful completion.
Once again, there is no home to be found.
The home directory is usually created by the installer when the root filesystem is set up during installation, and if there is a partitioner, it will allow the user to configure it. The home directory will however, not contain anything, so there will be nothing to see. When a user is created on the system either by the installer, or post installation, then some files may appear in the /home directory such as a user's directory under a user name, and then perhaps some standard directories and files in the user's now home directory.
The upshot is that there is no home in the iso to extract, and it's only after full installation that one may or may not appear, but usually does appear.