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Captain Walker

Technology

NordVPN on BigLinux: Fresh Install & Clean Rebuild Guide

biglinux, installation, linux, microsoft, Nord, NordVPN, privacy, software

Estimated reading time at 200 wpm: 4 minutes

BigLinux is one of the most powerful Linux distributions out there. It originates in Brazil – where unbeknownst to most – there is a huge culture of software development. The Linux world is exploding and Microsoft is worried but keeping a straight face. So having gone into Linux, I chose BigLinux over Zorin – I can’t remember the full set of reasons now. Anyways – it’s a great relief. No I haven’t ditched Windows 11, nor will I do so for some time. BigLinux needs maintainence and it’s possible do that with freely available AI assistance. You – meaning me – don’t have to understand what all the command line code is.

Whether or not you agree our Fat Disclaimer applies

So without further distraction I mention the use of NordVPN. No that doesn’t mean I’m a hacker or that I have ‘something to hide’. I have something to hide from though – like infiltrations that ordinary users of the net don’t know about (no lists today). So many weeks ago I set up Nord and that was a slog. Now BigLinux has had massive updates in the last 3 weeks – like about 12 to 14 GB. All sorts of things changed and a couple apps did not work well. Nord was affected. So with expert help from Claude.ai Nord, was reinstalled.

Massive system updates, such as migrating to the Linux 7.0 kernel, often sever the links between the nordvpnd background service and the external GUI wrapper used on Arch-based distributions. Wiping the existing installation and starting fresh is the most reliable approach to restore functionality. I have some understanding of that stuff. But I don’t need to know intricate detail. People still drive cars without knowing all the interplay of electronics with the insides of their cars’ engines. Pilots fly planes without knowing exactly how each part of their planes work.

This process below for Nord is identical to setting up the software on a completely blank system. Section 1 is only if reinstalling.

1. Stopping and Purging the Old Build

(Note: If performing a completely fresh installation on a machine that has never run NordVPN, skip directly to Section 2.)

Before uninstalling, the background service must be stopped to ensure no files are locked. The core binary and the GUI wrapper are then removed simultaneously.

Run these commands in the terminal:

sudo systemctl stop nordvpnd
sudo systemctl disable nordvpnd
sudo pacman -Rns nordvpn-gui-bin nordvpn-bin

Uninstallers frequently leave behind residual configuration files and sockets that can corrupt a fresh installation. These must be cleared out manually:

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/nordvpn
sudo rm -rf /run/nordvpn
rm -rf ~/.config/nordvpn

2. Building the Fresh Core and GUI

BigLinux uses pamac to handle the Arch User Repository (AUR), where the NordVPN packages are hosted. The official Nord bash script is bypassed because it misidentifies the system environment and attempts to execute Debian commands.

First, build the core binary:

pamac build nordvpn-bin

Once the build finishes, start the background daemon and set it to run on boot:

sudo systemctl enable --now nordvpnd

Next, build the graphical interface layer:

pamac build nordvpn-gui-bin

The Nord icon that will show up on the application launcher is not the GUI. Searching the start menu will find ‘Nord’, that’s it. From there the GUI will function just like if on W11.

3. The Authentication Workaround

The Linux terminal interprets the & symbol in web URLs as a special operator to push processes to the background. Consequently, pasting the raw authentication link causes the terminal to fragment the text, passing an incomplete token.

To bypass this and complete the login:

  1. Initiate the handshake command:
   nordvpn login
  1. Open the generated link in a web browser and complete the authentication process.
  2. On the final successful login screen, right-click the “Continue” button and select Copy Link Address to capture the nordvpn:// URL.
  3. Paste the link into the terminal, ensuring the entire URL is wrapped in double quotation marks to neutralise the special characters:
   nordvpn login --callback "nordvpn://login?action=login&exchange_token=COPIED_TOKEN_HERE"

4. Launching the App

KDE Plasma environments often push VPN applications directly to the system tray rather than displaying a standard window upon launch.

To access the full map and settings interface, open the main BigLinux application launcher and select the NordVPN shortcut. The application will recognise the active session and unlock the dashboard automatically.