diff --git a/dots/archinstall/t470p/options.sh b/dots/archinstall/t470p/options.sh
index bb35ef5..fbc6fd1 100644
--- a/dots/archinstall/t470p/options.sh
+++ b/dots/archinstall/t470p/options.sh
@@ -8,4 +8,6 @@ OPTIONS_LOADED=true     # used to check if options have been loaded
 
 CLONE_TARGET_DIR=/tmp   # directory to clone dots repository to
 
+SYSTEM_USER=poq         # system user (! root)
+
 I3WM=true               # {true, false} installs i3 packages
diff --git a/scripts/99_deploy.sh b/scripts/99_deploy.sh
index 18520a1..e1488b2 100644
--- a/scripts/99_deploy.sh
+++ b/scripts/99_deploy.sh
@@ -27,13 +27,15 @@ if [ -z "${OPTIONS_LOADED}" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-clone_trg=${CLONE_TARGET_DIR}   # value found in options.sh file, sourced above
+# load values found in options.sh file, sourced above
+system_user=${SYSTEM_USER}
+clone_trg=${CLONE_TARGET_DIR}
 if [[ -z "${clone_trg}" ]] ; then
     echo "error: CLONE_TARGET_DIR is empty"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-secrets_cred_path=/home/${USER}/syncDir/secrets/toBeSources/cred.sh
+secrets_cred_path=/home/${system_user}/syncDir/secrets/toBeSources/cred.sh
 source ${secrets_cred_path}
 
 # ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ create_dir() {
     _directory=$1
 
     mkdir -p ${_directory}
-    chown ${USER}:${USER} ${_directory}
+    chown ${system_user}:${system_user} ${_directory}
 }
 
 deploy_file() {
@@ -94,14 +96,14 @@ deploy_file() {
 
             if [[ ${_recursive} != "recursive" ]] ; then
                 # https://serverfault.com/questions/156437/how-to-chown-a-directory-recursively-including-hidden-files-or-directories
-                chown ${USER}:${USER} ${_trg_path}*
-                chown ${USER}:${USER} ${_trg_path}.[^.]*
+                chown ${system_user}:${system_user} ${_trg_path}*
+                chown ${system_user}:${system_user} ${_trg_path}.[^.]*
             else
-                chown -R ${USER}:${USER} ${_trg_path}*
-                chown -R ${USER}:${USER} ${_trg_path}.[^.]*
+                chown -R ${system_user}:${system_user} ${_trg_path}*
+                chown -R ${system_user}:${system_user} ${_trg_path}.[^.]*
             fi
         else
-            chown ${USER}:${USER} ${_trg_path}
+            chown ${system_user}:${system_user} ${_trg_path}
         fi
     fi
 
@@ -119,7 +121,7 @@ deploy_file() {
 
 # locate firefox's profile directory
 firefox_profile_dir() {
-    ffdir=/home/${USER}/.mozilla/firefox/
+    ffdir=/home/${system_user}/.mozilla/firefox/
 
     if ! [ -d "$ffdir" ]
     then
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots" ] ; then
 
     # bashrc
     file_name=.bashrc
-    file_path=/home/${USER}
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/bash/${file_name}" "${file_path}/${file_name}"
 
     # bin (executable binaries, scripts)
@@ -249,7 +251,7 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots" ] ; then
 
     # lf
     file_name=lfrc
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.config/lf
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.config/lf
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/lf/${file_name}" "${file_path}/${file_name}"
 
@@ -277,35 +279,35 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots" ] ; then
     # symlink is created below. as well, ".gtkrc-2.0.mine" had no effect, so
     # ".gtkrc-2.0" is overwritten
     file_name=settings.ini
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.config/gtk-3.0
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.config/gtk-3.0
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/gtk/${file_name}" "${file_path}/${file_name}"
 
     file_name=.gtk-bookmarks
-    file_path=/home/${USER}
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/gtk/${file_name}" "${file_path}/${file_name}"
-    tmp_file_path_full="/home/${USER}/.config/gtk-3.0/bookmarks"
+    tmp_file_path_full="/home/${system_user}/.config/gtk-3.0/bookmarks"
     trash-put ${tmp_file_path_full}
     ln -s "${file_path}/${file_name}" "${tmp_file_path_full}"
 
     file_name=.gtkrc-2.0
-    file_path=/home/${USER}
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/gtk/${file_name}" "${file_path}/${file_name}"
 
     # nitrogen
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.config/nitrogen
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.config/nitrogen
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/nitrogen/*" "${file_path}/"
 
     # pcmanfm
     # bookmarks found in "dots/gtk/.gtk-bookmarks"
     file_name=pcmanfm.conf
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.config/pcmanfm/default
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.config/pcmanfm/default
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/pcmanfm/${file_name}" "${file_path}/${file_name}"
 
     # vscodium
     file_name=settings.json
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.config/VSCodium/User
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.config/VSCodium/User
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dots_trg}/vscodium/${file_name}" "${file_path}/${file_name}"
 
@@ -314,13 +316,13 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots" ] ; then
 
         # i3
         file_name=config
-        file_path=/home/${USER}/.config/i3
+        file_path=/home/${system_user}/.config/i3
         mkdir -p ${file_path}
         deploy_file "${dots_trg}/i3wm/${file_name}" "${file_path}/"
 
         # i3status
         file_name=config
-        file_path=/home/${USER}/.config/i3status
+        file_path=/home/${system_user}/.config/i3status
         mkdir -p ${file_path}
         deploy_file "${dots_trg}/i3status/${file_name}" "${file_path}/"
 
@@ -329,13 +331,13 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots" ] ; then
     if [ ${I3WM} == "true" ] || [ ${QTILE} == "true" ] ; then
 
         # xorg
-        file_path=/home/${USER}
+        file_path=/home/${system_user}
         deploy_file "${dots_trg}/xorg/.*" "${file_path}/"
 
         # lemurs (display/login manager)
         file_name_src=.xinitrc
         file_name_trg=i3
-        file_path_src=/home/${USER}
+        file_path_src=/home/${system_user}
         file_path_trg=/etc/lemurs/wms
         if [ -f ${file_path_trg}/${file_name_trg} ] ; then
             echo ""
@@ -345,7 +347,7 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots" ] ; then
             echo ""
             echo "creating soft link: ${file_path_src}/${file_name_src} ➔ ${file_path_trg}/${file_name_trg}"
             ln -s ${file_path_src}/${file_name_src} ${file_path_trg}/${file_name_trg}
-            chown -h ${USER}:${USER} ${file_path_trg}/${file_name_trg}
+            chown -h ${system_user}:${system_user} ${file_path_trg}/${file_name_trg}
             ls -al ${file_path_trg}
         fi
 
@@ -368,21 +370,21 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots+" ] ; then
     # ----------
     # fonts
     # ----------
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.local/share/fonts
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.local/share/fonts
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dotsplus_trg}/fonts/install/*" "${file_path}/"
 
     # ----------
     # images
     # ----------
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.local/share/img
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.local/share/img
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dotsplus_trg}/images/*" "${file_path}/"
 
     # ----------
     # wallpapers
     # ----------
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.local/share/wp
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.local/share/wp
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dotsplus_trg}/wallpapers/install/*" "${file_path}/"
 
@@ -394,7 +396,7 @@ if [ ${operation} == "dots+" ] ; then
     # https://vscodethemes.com/e/sdras.night-owl/night-owl-no-italics?language=javascript
     # https://github.com/sdras/night-owl-vscode-theme/tree/main/themes
     file_name=night-owl-vscode-theme-main.zip
-    file_path=/home/${USER}/.vscode-oss/extensions
+    file_path=/home/${system_user}/.vscode-oss/extensions
     mkdir -p ${file_path}
     deploy_file "${dotsplus_trg}/miscellaneous/${file_name}" "${file_path}/" chown recursive