nixos: nixos/doc/manual/installation/installing-from-other-distro.xml to CommonMark
This commit is contained in:
Bobby Rong
@@ -0,0 +1,388 @@
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<section xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xml:id="sec-installing-from-other-distro">
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<title>Installing from another Linux distribution</title>
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<para>
|
||||
Because Nix (the package manager) & Nixpkgs (the Nix packages
|
||||
collection) can both be installed on any (most?) Linux
|
||||
distributions, they can be used to install NixOS in various creative
|
||||
ways. You can, for instance:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
|
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<listitem>
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||||
<para>
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||||
Install NixOS on another partition, from your existing Linux
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distribution (without the use of a USB or optical device!)
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</para>
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</listitem>
|
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Install NixOS on the same partition (in place!), from your
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existing non-NixOS Linux distribution using
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<literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal>.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Install NixOS on your hard drive from the Live CD of any Linux
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distribution.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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</orderedlist>
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<para>
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The first steps to all these are the same:
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</para>
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<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Install the Nix package manager:
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</para>
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<para>
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Short version:
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh
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$ . $HOME/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh # …or open a fresh shell
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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More details in the
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<link xlink:href="https://nixos.org/nix/manual/#chap-quick-start">
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Nix manual</link>
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Switch to the NixOS channel:
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</para>
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<para>
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If you've just installed Nix on a non-NixOS distribution, you
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will be on the <literal>nixpkgs</literal> channel by default.
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ nix-channel --list
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nixpkgs https://nixos.org/channels/nixpkgs-unstable
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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As that channel gets released without running the NixOS tests,
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it will be safer to use the <literal>nixos-*</literal> channels
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instead:
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ nix-channel --add https://nixos.org/channels/nixos-version nixpkgs
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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You may want to throw in a
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<literal>nix-channel --update</literal> for good measure.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Install the NixOS installation tools:
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</para>
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<para>
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You'll need <literal>nixos-generate-config</literal> and
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<literal>nixos-install</literal>, but this also makes some man
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pages and <literal>nixos-enter</literal> available, just in case
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you want to chroot into your NixOS partition. NixOS installs
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these by default, but you don't have NixOS yet..
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ nix-env -f '<nixpkgs>' -iA nixos-install-tools
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</programlisting>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<note>
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<para>
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The following 5 steps are only for installing NixOS to another
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partition. For installing NixOS in place using
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<literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal>, skip ahead.
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</para>
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</note>
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<para>
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Prepare your target partition:
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</para>
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<para>
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At this point it is time to prepare your target partition.
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Please refer to the partitioning, file-system creation, and
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mounting steps of <xref linkend="sec-installation" />
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</para>
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<para>
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If you're about to install NixOS in place using
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<literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> there is nothing to do for
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this step.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Generate your NixOS configuration:
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ sudo `which nixos-generate-config` --root /mnt
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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You'll probably want to edit the configuration files. Refer to
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the <literal>nixos-generate-config</literal> step in
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<xref linkend="sec-installation" /> for more information.
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</para>
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<para>
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Consider setting up the NixOS bootloader to give you the ability
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to boot on your existing Linux partition. For instance, if
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you're using GRUB and your existing distribution is running
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Ubuntu, you may want to add something like this to your
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<literal>configuration.nix</literal>:
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</para>
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<programlisting language="bash">
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boot.loader.grub.extraEntries = ''
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menuentry "Ubuntu" {
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search --set=ubuntu --fs-uuid 3cc3e652-0c1f-4800-8451-033754f68e6e
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configfile "($ubuntu)/boot/grub/grub.cfg"
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}
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'';
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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(You can find the appropriate UUID for your partition in
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<literal>/dev/disk/by-uuid</literal>)
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Create the <literal>nixbld</literal> group and user on your
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original distribution:
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ sudo groupadd -g 30000 nixbld
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$ sudo useradd -u 30000 -g nixbld -G nixbld nixbld
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</programlisting>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Download/build/install NixOS:
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</para>
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<warning>
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<para>
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Once you complete this step, you might no longer be able to
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boot on existing systems without the help of a rescue USB
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drive or similar.
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</para>
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</warning>
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<note>
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<para>
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On some distributions there are separate PATHS for programs
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intended only for root. In order for the installation to
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succeed, you might have to use
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<literal>PATH="$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin"</literal> in
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the following command.
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</para>
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</note>
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<programlisting>
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||||
$ sudo PATH="$PATH" NIX_PATH="$NIX_PATH" `which nixos-install` --root /mnt
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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Again, please refer to the <literal>nixos-install</literal> step
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in <xref linkend="sec-installation" /> for more information.
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</para>
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<para>
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That should be it for installation to another partition!
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Optionally, you may want to clean up your non-NixOS
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distribution:
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ sudo userdel nixbld
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$ sudo groupdel nixbld
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</programlisting>
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<para>
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If you do not wish to keep the Nix package manager installed
|
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either, run something like
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<literal>sudo rm -rv ~/.nix-* /nix</literal> and remove the line
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that the Nix installer added to your
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<literal>~/.profile</literal>.
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</para>
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</listitem>
|
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<listitem>
|
||||
<note>
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||||
<para>
|
||||
The following steps are only for installing NixOS in place
|
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using <literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal>:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Generate your NixOS configuration:
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||||
</para>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
$ sudo `which nixos-generate-config` --root /
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</programlisting>
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||||
<para>
|
||||
Note that this will place the generated configuration files in
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||||
<literal>/etc/nixos</literal>. You'll probably want to edit the
|
||||
configuration files. Refer to the
|
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<literal>nixos-generate-config</literal> step in
|
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<xref linkend="sec-installation" /> for more information.
|
||||
</para>
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<para>
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You'll likely want to set a root password for your first boot
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using the configuration files because you won't have a chance to
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enter a password until after you reboot. You can initalize the
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root password to an empty one with this line: (and of course
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don't forget to set one once you've rebooted or to lock the
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account with <literal>sudo passwd -l root</literal> if you use
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<literal>sudo</literal>)
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</para>
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<programlisting language="bash">
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users.users.root.initialHashedPassword = "";
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</programlisting>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Build the NixOS closure and install it in the
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<literal>system</literal> profile:
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ nix-env -p /nix/var/nix/profiles/system -f '<nixpkgs/nixos>' -I nixos-config=/etc/nixos/configuration.nix -iA system
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</programlisting>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Change ownership of the <literal>/nix</literal> tree to root
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(since your Nix install was probably single user):
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</para>
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<programlisting>
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$ sudo chown -R 0.0 /nix
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</programlisting>
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</listitem>
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<listitem>
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<para>
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Set up the <literal>/etc/NIXOS</literal> and
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<literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> files:
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||||
</para>
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<para>
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<literal>/etc/NIXOS</literal> officializes that this is now a
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||||
NixOS partition (the bootup scripts require its presence).
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</para>
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||||
<para>
|
||||
<literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> tells the NixOS bootup
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scripts to move <emphasis>everything</emphasis> that's in the
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root partition to <literal>/old-root</literal>. This will move
|
||||
your existing distribution out of the way in the very early
|
||||
stages of the NixOS bootup. There are exceptions (we do need to
|
||||
keep NixOS there after all), so the NixOS lustrate process will
|
||||
not touch:
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||||
</para>
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||||
<itemizedlist>
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<listitem>
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||||
<para>
|
||||
The <literal>/nix</literal> directory
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</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The <literal>/boot</literal> directory
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</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Any file or directory listed in
|
||||
<literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> (one per line)
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
<note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Support for <literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> was added in
|
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NixOS 16.09. The act of "lustrating" refers to the
|
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wiping of the existing distribution. Creating
|
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<literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> can also be used on
|
||||
NixOS to remove all mutable files from your root partition
|
||||
(anything that's not in <literal>/nix</literal> or
|
||||
<literal>/boot</literal> gets "lustrated" on the
|
||||
next boot.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
lustrate /ˈlʌstreɪt/ verb.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
purify by expiatory sacrifice, ceremonial washing, or some
|
||||
other ritual action.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Let's create the files:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
$ sudo touch /etc/NIXOS
|
||||
$ sudo touch /etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Let's also make sure the NixOS configuration files are kept once
|
||||
we reboot on NixOS:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
$ echo etc/nixos | sudo tee -a /etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Finally, move the <literal>/boot</literal> directory of your
|
||||
current distribution out of the way (the lustrate process will
|
||||
take care of the rest once you reboot, but this one must be
|
||||
moved out now because NixOS needs to install its own boot files:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<warning>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Once you complete this step, your current distribution will no
|
||||
longer be bootable! If you didn't get all the NixOS
|
||||
configuration right, especially those settings pertaining to
|
||||
boot loading and root partition, NixOS may not be bootable
|
||||
either. Have a USB rescue device ready in case this happens.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</warning>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
$ sudo mv -v /boot /boot.bak &&
|
||||
sudo /nix/var/nix/profiles/system/bin/switch-to-configuration boot
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Cross your fingers, reboot, hopefully you should get a NixOS
|
||||
prompt!
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
If for some reason you want to revert to the old distribution,
|
||||
you'll need to boot on a USB rescue disk and do something along
|
||||
these lines:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
# mkdir root
|
||||
# mount /dev/sdaX root
|
||||
# mkdir root/nixos-root
|
||||
# mv -v root/* root/nixos-root/
|
||||
# mv -v root/nixos-root/old-root/* root/
|
||||
# mv -v root/boot.bak root/boot # We had renamed this by hand earlier
|
||||
# umount root
|
||||
# reboot
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
This may work as is or you might also need to reinstall the boot
|
||||
loader.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
And of course, if you're happy with NixOS and no longer need the
|
||||
old distribution:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
sudo rm -rf /old-root
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
It's also worth noting that this whole process can be automated.
|
||||
This is especially useful for Cloud VMs, where provider do not
|
||||
provide NixOS. For instance,
|
||||
<link xlink:href="https://github.com/elitak/nixos-infect">nixos-infect</link>
|
||||
uses the lustrate process to convert Digital Ocean droplets to
|
||||
NixOS from other distributions automatically.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</orderedlist>
|
||||
</section>
|
||||
@@ -0,0 +1,279 @@
|
||||
# Installing from another Linux distribution {#sec-installing-from-other-distro}
|
||||
|
||||
Because Nix (the package manager) & Nixpkgs (the Nix packages
|
||||
collection) can both be installed on any (most?) Linux distributions,
|
||||
they can be used to install NixOS in various creative ways. You can, for
|
||||
instance:
|
||||
|
||||
1. Install NixOS on another partition, from your existing Linux
|
||||
distribution (without the use of a USB or optical device!)
|
||||
|
||||
1. Install NixOS on the same partition (in place!), from your existing
|
||||
non-NixOS Linux distribution using `NIXOS_LUSTRATE`.
|
||||
|
||||
1. Install NixOS on your hard drive from the Live CD of any Linux
|
||||
distribution.
|
||||
|
||||
The first steps to all these are the same:
|
||||
|
||||
1. Install the Nix package manager:
|
||||
|
||||
Short version:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh
|
||||
$ . $HOME/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh # …or open a fresh shell
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
More details in the [ Nix
|
||||
manual](https://nixos.org/nix/manual/#chap-quick-start)
|
||||
|
||||
1. Switch to the NixOS channel:
|
||||
|
||||
If you\'ve just installed Nix on a non-NixOS distribution, you will
|
||||
be on the `nixpkgs` channel by default.
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ nix-channel --list
|
||||
nixpkgs https://nixos.org/channels/nixpkgs-unstable
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
As that channel gets released without running the NixOS tests, it
|
||||
will be safer to use the `nixos-*` channels instead:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ nix-channel --add https://nixos.org/channels/nixos-version nixpkgs
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
You may want to throw in a `nix-channel --update` for good measure.
|
||||
|
||||
1. Install the NixOS installation tools:
|
||||
|
||||
You\'ll need `nixos-generate-config` and `nixos-install`, but this
|
||||
also makes some man pages and `nixos-enter` available, just in case
|
||||
you want to chroot into your NixOS partition. NixOS installs these
|
||||
by default, but you don\'t have NixOS yet..
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ nix-env -f '<nixpkgs>' -iA nixos-install-tools
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. ::: {.note}
|
||||
The following 5 steps are only for installing NixOS to another
|
||||
partition. For installing NixOS in place using `NIXOS_LUSTRATE`,
|
||||
skip ahead.
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
Prepare your target partition:
|
||||
|
||||
At this point it is time to prepare your target partition. Please
|
||||
refer to the partitioning, file-system creation, and mounting steps
|
||||
of [](#sec-installation)
|
||||
|
||||
If you\'re about to install NixOS in place using `NIXOS_LUSTRATE`
|
||||
there is nothing to do for this step.
|
||||
|
||||
1. Generate your NixOS configuration:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo `which nixos-generate-config` --root /mnt
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
You\'ll probably want to edit the configuration files. Refer to the
|
||||
`nixos-generate-config` step in [](#sec-installation) for more
|
||||
information.
|
||||
|
||||
Consider setting up the NixOS bootloader to give you the ability to
|
||||
boot on your existing Linux partition. For instance, if you\'re
|
||||
using GRUB and your existing distribution is running Ubuntu, you may
|
||||
want to add something like this to your `configuration.nix`:
|
||||
|
||||
```nix
|
||||
boot.loader.grub.extraEntries = ''
|
||||
menuentry "Ubuntu" {
|
||||
search --set=ubuntu --fs-uuid 3cc3e652-0c1f-4800-8451-033754f68e6e
|
||||
configfile "($ubuntu)/boot/grub/grub.cfg"
|
||||
}
|
||||
'';
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
(You can find the appropriate UUID for your partition in
|
||||
`/dev/disk/by-uuid`)
|
||||
|
||||
1. Create the `nixbld` group and user on your original distribution:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo groupadd -g 30000 nixbld
|
||||
$ sudo useradd -u 30000 -g nixbld -G nixbld nixbld
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. Download/build/install NixOS:
|
||||
|
||||
::: {.warning}
|
||||
Once you complete this step, you might no longer be able to boot on
|
||||
existing systems without the help of a rescue USB drive or similar.
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
::: {.note}
|
||||
On some distributions there are separate PATHS for programs intended
|
||||
only for root. In order for the installation to succeed, you might
|
||||
have to use `PATH="$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin"` in the following command.
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo PATH="$PATH" NIX_PATH="$NIX_PATH" `which nixos-install` --root /mnt
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
Again, please refer to the `nixos-install` step in
|
||||
[](#sec-installation) for more information.
|
||||
|
||||
That should be it for installation to another partition!
|
||||
|
||||
1. Optionally, you may want to clean up your non-NixOS distribution:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo userdel nixbld
|
||||
$ sudo groupdel nixbld
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
If you do not wish to keep the Nix package manager installed either,
|
||||
run something like `sudo rm -rv ~/.nix-* /nix` and remove the line
|
||||
that the Nix installer added to your `~/.profile`.
|
||||
|
||||
1. ::: {.note}
|
||||
The following steps are only for installing NixOS in place using
|
||||
`NIXOS_LUSTRATE`:
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
Generate your NixOS configuration:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo `which nixos-generate-config` --root /
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
Note that this will place the generated configuration files in
|
||||
`/etc/nixos`. You\'ll probably want to edit the configuration files.
|
||||
Refer to the `nixos-generate-config` step in
|
||||
[](#sec-installation) for more information.
|
||||
|
||||
You\'ll likely want to set a root password for your first boot using
|
||||
the configuration files because you won\'t have a chance to enter a
|
||||
password until after you reboot. You can initalize the root password
|
||||
to an empty one with this line: (and of course don\'t forget to set
|
||||
one once you\'ve rebooted or to lock the account with
|
||||
`sudo passwd -l root` if you use `sudo`)
|
||||
|
||||
```nix
|
||||
users.users.root.initialHashedPassword = "";
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. Build the NixOS closure and install it in the `system` profile:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ nix-env -p /nix/var/nix/profiles/system -f '<nixpkgs/nixos>' -I nixos-config=/etc/nixos/configuration.nix -iA system
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. Change ownership of the `/nix` tree to root (since your Nix install
|
||||
was probably single user):
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo chown -R 0.0 /nix
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. Set up the `/etc/NIXOS` and `/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE` files:
|
||||
|
||||
`/etc/NIXOS` officializes that this is now a NixOS partition (the
|
||||
bootup scripts require its presence).
|
||||
|
||||
`/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE` tells the NixOS bootup scripts to move
|
||||
*everything* that\'s in the root partition to `/old-root`. This will
|
||||
move your existing distribution out of the way in the very early
|
||||
stages of the NixOS bootup. There are exceptions (we do need to keep
|
||||
NixOS there after all), so the NixOS lustrate process will not
|
||||
touch:
|
||||
|
||||
- The `/nix` directory
|
||||
|
||||
- The `/boot` directory
|
||||
|
||||
- Any file or directory listed in `/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE` (one per
|
||||
line)
|
||||
|
||||
::: {.note}
|
||||
Support for `NIXOS_LUSTRATE` was added in NixOS 16.09. The act of
|
||||
\"lustrating\" refers to the wiping of the existing distribution.
|
||||
Creating `/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE` can also be used on NixOS to remove
|
||||
all mutable files from your root partition (anything that\'s not in
|
||||
`/nix` or `/boot` gets \"lustrated\" on the next boot.
|
||||
|
||||
lustrate /ˈlʌstreɪt/ verb.
|
||||
|
||||
purify by expiatory sacrifice, ceremonial washing, or some other
|
||||
ritual action.
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
Let\'s create the files:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo touch /etc/NIXOS
|
||||
$ sudo touch /etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
Let\'s also make sure the NixOS configuration files are kept once we
|
||||
reboot on NixOS:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ echo etc/nixos | sudo tee -a /etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. Finally, move the `/boot` directory of your current distribution out
|
||||
of the way (the lustrate process will take care of the rest once you
|
||||
reboot, but this one must be moved out now because NixOS needs to
|
||||
install its own boot files:
|
||||
|
||||
::: {.warning}
|
||||
Once you complete this step, your current distribution will no
|
||||
longer be bootable! If you didn\'t get all the NixOS configuration
|
||||
right, especially those settings pertaining to boot loading and root
|
||||
partition, NixOS may not be bootable either. Have a USB rescue
|
||||
device ready in case this happens.
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
$ sudo mv -v /boot /boot.bak &&
|
||||
sudo /nix/var/nix/profiles/system/bin/switch-to-configuration boot
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
Cross your fingers, reboot, hopefully you should get a NixOS prompt!
|
||||
|
||||
1. If for some reason you want to revert to the old distribution,
|
||||
you\'ll need to boot on a USB rescue disk and do something along
|
||||
these lines:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
# mkdir root
|
||||
# mount /dev/sdaX root
|
||||
# mkdir root/nixos-root
|
||||
# mv -v root/* root/nixos-root/
|
||||
# mv -v root/nixos-root/old-root/* root/
|
||||
# mv -v root/boot.bak root/boot # We had renamed this by hand earlier
|
||||
# umount root
|
||||
# reboot
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
This may work as is or you might also need to reinstall the boot
|
||||
loader.
|
||||
|
||||
And of course, if you\'re happy with NixOS and no longer need the
|
||||
old distribution:
|
||||
|
||||
```ShellSession
|
||||
sudo rm -rf /old-root
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
1. It\'s also worth noting that this whole process can be automated.
|
||||
This is especially useful for Cloud VMs, where provider do not
|
||||
provide NixOS. For instance,
|
||||
[nixos-infect](https://github.com/elitak/nixos-infect) uses the
|
||||
lustrate process to convert Digital Ocean droplets to NixOS from
|
||||
other distributions automatically.
|
||||
@@ -1,364 +0,0 @@
|
||||
<!-- vim: set expandtab ts=2 softtabstop=2 shiftwidth=2 smarttab textwidth=80 wrapmargin=2 -->
|
||||
<section
|
||||
xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
|
||||
xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
|
||||
xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
|
||||
version="5.0"
|
||||
xml:id="sec-installing-from-other-distro">
|
||||
<title>Installing from another Linux distribution</title>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Because Nix (the package manager) & Nixpkgs (the Nix packages collection)
|
||||
can both be installed on any (most?) Linux distributions, they can be used to
|
||||
install NixOS in various creative ways. You can, for instance:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<orderedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Install NixOS on another partition, from your existing Linux distribution
|
||||
(without the use of a USB or optical device!)
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Install NixOS on the same partition (in place!), from your existing
|
||||
non-NixOS Linux distribution using <literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal>.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Install NixOS on your hard drive from the Live CD of any Linux
|
||||
distribution.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</orderedlist>
|
||||
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The first steps to all these are the same:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
|
||||
<orderedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Install the Nix package manager:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Short version:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>. $HOME/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh # …or open a fresh shell</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
More details in the
|
||||
<link
|
||||
xlink:href="https://nixos.org/nix/manual/#chap-quick-start">
|
||||
Nix manual</link>
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Switch to the NixOS channel:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
If you've just installed Nix on a non-NixOS distribution, you will be on
|
||||
the <literal>nixpkgs</literal> channel by default.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>nix-channel --list
|
||||
nixpkgs https://nixos.org/channels/nixpkgs-unstable</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
As that channel gets released without running the NixOS tests, it will be
|
||||
safer to use the <literal>nixos-*</literal> channels instead:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>nix-channel --add https://nixos.org/channels/nixos-<replaceable>version</replaceable> nixpkgs</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
You may want to throw in a <literal>nix-channel --update</literal> for good
|
||||
measure.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Install the NixOS installation tools:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
You'll need <literal>nixos-generate-config</literal> and
|
||||
<literal>nixos-install</literal>, but this also makes some man pages
|
||||
and <literal>nixos-enter</literal> available, just in case you want to chroot into your
|
||||
NixOS partition. NixOS installs these by default, but you don't have
|
||||
NixOS yet..
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen><prompt>$ </prompt>nix-env -f '<nixpkgs>' -iA nixos-install-tools</screen>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The following 5 steps are only for installing NixOS to another partition.
|
||||
For installing NixOS in place using <literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal>,
|
||||
skip ahead.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Prepare your target partition:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
At this point it is time to prepare your target partition. Please refer to
|
||||
the partitioning, file-system creation, and mounting steps of
|
||||
<xref linkend="sec-installation" />
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
If you're about to install NixOS in place using
|
||||
<literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> there is nothing to do for this step.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Generate your NixOS configuration:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen><prompt>$ </prompt>sudo `which nixos-generate-config` --root /mnt</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
You'll probably want to edit the configuration files. Refer to the
|
||||
<literal>nixos-generate-config</literal> step in
|
||||
<xref
|
||||
linkend="sec-installation" /> for more
|
||||
information.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Consider setting up the NixOS bootloader to give you the ability to boot on
|
||||
your existing Linux partition. For instance, if you're using GRUB and your
|
||||
existing distribution is running Ubuntu, you may want to add something like
|
||||
this to your <literal>configuration.nix</literal>:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
<xref linkend="opt-boot.loader.grub.extraEntries"/> = ''
|
||||
menuentry "Ubuntu" {
|
||||
search --set=ubuntu --fs-uuid 3cc3e652-0c1f-4800-8451-033754f68e6e
|
||||
configfile "($ubuntu)/boot/grub/grub.cfg"
|
||||
}
|
||||
'';</programlisting>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
(You can find the appropriate UUID for your partition in
|
||||
<literal>/dev/disk/by-uuid</literal>)
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Create the <literal>nixbld</literal> group and user on your original
|
||||
distribution:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>sudo groupadd -g 30000 nixbld
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>sudo useradd -u 30000 -g nixbld -G nixbld nixbld</screen>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Download/build/install NixOS:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<warning>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Once you complete this step, you might no longer be able to boot on
|
||||
existing systems without the help of a rescue USB drive or similar.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</warning>
|
||||
<note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
On some distributions there are separate PATHS for programs intended only for root.
|
||||
In order for the installation to succeed, you might have to use <literal>PATH="$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin"</literal>
|
||||
in the following command.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</note>
|
||||
<screen><prompt>$ </prompt>sudo PATH="$PATH" NIX_PATH="$NIX_PATH" `which nixos-install` --root /mnt</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Again, please refer to the <literal>nixos-install</literal> step in
|
||||
<xref linkend="sec-installation" /> for more information.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
That should be it for installation to another partition!
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Optionally, you may want to clean up your non-NixOS distribution:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>sudo userdel nixbld
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>sudo groupdel nixbld</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
If you do not wish to keep the Nix package manager installed either, run
|
||||
something like <literal>sudo rm -rv ~/.nix-* /nix</literal> and remove the
|
||||
line that the Nix installer added to your <literal>~/.profile</literal>.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The following steps are only for installing NixOS in place using
|
||||
<literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal>:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Generate your NixOS configuration:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen><prompt>$ </prompt>sudo `which nixos-generate-config` --root /</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Note that this will place the generated configuration files in
|
||||
<literal>/etc/nixos</literal>. You'll probably want to edit the
|
||||
configuration files. Refer to the <literal>nixos-generate-config</literal>
|
||||
step in <xref
|
||||
linkend="sec-installation" /> for more
|
||||
information.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
You'll likely want to set a root password for your first boot using the
|
||||
configuration files because you won't have a chance to enter a password
|
||||
until after you reboot. You can initalize the root password to an empty one
|
||||
with this line: (and of course don't forget to set one once you've rebooted
|
||||
or to lock the account with <literal>sudo passwd -l root</literal> if you
|
||||
use <literal>sudo</literal>)
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<programlisting>
|
||||
<link linkend="opt-users.users._name_.initialHashedPassword">users.users.root.initialHashedPassword</link> = "";
|
||||
</programlisting>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Build the NixOS closure and install it in the <literal>system</literal>
|
||||
profile:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen><prompt>$ </prompt>nix-env -p /nix/var/nix/profiles/system -f '<nixpkgs/nixos>' -I nixos-config=/etc/nixos/configuration.nix -iA system</screen>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Change ownership of the <literal>/nix</literal> tree to root (since your
|
||||
Nix install was probably single user):
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen><prompt>$ </prompt>sudo chown -R 0.0 /nix</screen>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Set up the <literal>/etc/NIXOS</literal> and
|
||||
<literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> files:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
<literal>/etc/NIXOS</literal> officializes that this is now a NixOS
|
||||
partition (the bootup scripts require its presence).
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
<literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> tells the NixOS bootup scripts to
|
||||
move <emphasis>everything</emphasis> that's in the root partition to
|
||||
<literal>/old-root</literal>. This will move your existing distribution out
|
||||
of the way in the very early stages of the NixOS bootup. There are
|
||||
exceptions (we do need to keep NixOS there after all), so the NixOS
|
||||
lustrate process will not touch:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<itemizedlist>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The <literal>/nix</literal> directory
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
The <literal>/boot</literal> directory
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Any file or directory listed in <literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal>
|
||||
(one per line)
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</itemizedlist>
|
||||
<note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Support for <literal>NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> was added in NixOS 16.09.
|
||||
The act of "lustrating" refers to the wiping of the existing distribution.
|
||||
Creating <literal>/etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE</literal> can also be used on NixOS
|
||||
to remove all mutable files from your root partition (anything that's not
|
||||
in <literal>/nix</literal> or <literal>/boot</literal> gets "lustrated" on
|
||||
the next boot.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
lustrate /ˈlʌstreɪt/ verb.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
purify by expiatory sacrifice, ceremonial washing, or some other ritual
|
||||
action.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</note>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Let's create the files:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>sudo touch /etc/NIXOS
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>sudo touch /etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE
|
||||
</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Let's also make sure the NixOS configuration files are kept once we reboot
|
||||
on NixOS:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>echo etc/nixos | sudo tee -a /etc/NIXOS_LUSTRATE
|
||||
</screen>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Finally, move the <literal>/boot</literal> directory of your current
|
||||
distribution out of the way (the lustrate process will take care of the
|
||||
rest once you reboot, but this one must be moved out now because NixOS
|
||||
needs to install its own boot files:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<warning>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Once you complete this step, your current distribution will no longer be
|
||||
bootable! If you didn't get all the NixOS configuration right, especially
|
||||
those settings pertaining to boot loading and root partition, NixOS may
|
||||
not be bootable either. Have a USB rescue device ready in case this
|
||||
happens.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</warning>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt>$ </prompt>sudo mv -v /boot /boot.bak &&
|
||||
sudo /nix/var/nix/profiles/system/bin/switch-to-configuration boot
|
||||
</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
Cross your fingers, reboot, hopefully you should get a NixOS prompt!
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
If for some reason you want to revert to the old distribution, you'll need
|
||||
to boot on a USB rescue disk and do something along these lines:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>mkdir root
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>mount /dev/sdaX root
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>mkdir root/nixos-root
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>mv -v root/* root/nixos-root/
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>mv -v root/nixos-root/old-root/* root/
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>mv -v root/boot.bak root/boot # We had renamed this by hand earlier
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>umount root
|
||||
<prompt># </prompt>reboot</screen>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
This may work as is or you might also need to reinstall the boot loader
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
And of course, if you're happy with NixOS and no longer need the old
|
||||
distribution:
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
<screen>sudo rm -rf /old-root</screen>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
<listitem>
|
||||
<para>
|
||||
It's also worth noting that this whole process can be automated. This is
|
||||
especially useful for Cloud VMs, where provider do not provide NixOS. For
|
||||
instance,
|
||||
<link
|
||||
xlink:href="https://github.com/elitak/nixos-infect">nixos-infect</link>
|
||||
uses the lustrate process to convert Digital Ocean droplets to NixOS from
|
||||
other distributions automatically.
|
||||
</para>
|
||||
</listitem>
|
||||
</orderedlist>
|
||||
</section>
|
||||
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ Retype new UNIX password: ***</screen>
|
||||
|
||||
<xi:include href="../from_md/installation/installing-virtualbox-guest.section.xml" />
|
||||
|
||||
<xi:include href="installing-from-other-distro.xml" />
|
||||
<xi:include href="../from_md/installation/installing-from-other-distro.section.xml" />
|
||||
|
||||
<xi:include href="installing-behind-a-proxy.xml" />
|
||||
</section>
|
||||
|
||||
Reference in New Issue
Block a user