NixOS Setup

This repo contains a custom wrapper to build NixOS/nix-darwin/home-manager:

nix run github:mirkolenz/nixos -- --help

NixOS

Graphical Setup

1. Install NixOS with provided ISO
2. Create config: nixos-generate-config
3. Migrate generated /etc/nixos/configuration.nix and /etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix to this flake manually
4. Eventually install git in a temporary shell: nix shell nixpkgs#git

# Large changes (like first time)
sudo nix run github:mirkolenz/nixos -- -o boot
# Small changes
sudo nix run github:mirkolenz/nixos

Terminal Setup

• https://www.adaltas.com/en/2022/02/08/nixos-installation/
• https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/NixOS_Installation_Guide
• https://gist.github.com/Vincibean/baf1b76ca5147449a1a479b5fcc9a222

Partitioning using parted

parted -l # find device name, most likely /dev/sda
wipefs -a /dev/sda
parted /dev/sda
mklabel gpt
mkpart boot fat32 0% 512MiB
set 1 esp on
unit GiB print free
# determine the swap size by substractting the amount of your ram from the free size
# for instance, free size here is 238GiB and the ram of the system is 8GiB
mkpart root ext4 512MiB 230GiB
mkpart swap linux-swap 230GiB 100%

Partitioning using fdisk

One can also use the ncurses-based program cfdisk.

# Find out the device name, most likely /dev/sda
fdisk -l # or lsblk
wipefs -a /dev/sda
fdisk /dev/sda
g # empty gpt partition table
n # new partition
1 # partition number
2048 # first sector, default
+512M # last sector
t # change partition type
1 # partition number (if not already selected)
1 # efi partition type
n # new partition
2 # partition number
# first sector, default
-16G # last sector, size of swap (about the size of your ram)
n # new partition
3 # partition number
# first sector, default
# last sector, default
t # change partition type
3 # partition number
19 # linux swap
v # verify
w # write

Formatting

mkfs.fat -F 32 -n boot /dev/sda1
mkfs.ext4 -L root /dev/sda2
mkswap -L swap /dev/sda3

Mounting

mount /dev/disk/by-label/root /mnt
swapon /dev/disk/by-label/swap
mkdir -p /mnt/boot
mount /dev/disk/by-label/boot /mnt/boot

Installation

If you get an error like too many open files during nixos-install, try one of the following options:

• Execute ulimit -n 65535 before installing to increase the number of open files for the current shell session
• Use --max-jobs 2 to limit the number of parallel jobs (could also try with 1 max job)

nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
cd /mnt/etc/nixos/
# Now verify that the hardware configuration of this flake is in sync with the generated `hardware-configuration.nix`
# The machine name is required for the nixos-install command, even if hostname is updated
nixos-install --flake github:mirkolenz/nixos#MACHINE_NAME
# One could append --no-root-passwd to the command, but that may affect the ability to enter emergency mode

A warning about /boot being world-readable is not an issue, the permissions are correctly set after a reboot.

Troubleshooting

If getting an error like Getting status of /nix/store/...: No such file or directory, try the following

nix-store --verify --check-contents --repair

Tailscale

• Create auth key: https://login.tailscale.com/admin/settings/keys
• SSH into the machine
• Save the auth key to ./tsauth.txt
• Run sudo tailscale up --auth-key file:tsauth.txt
• Run tailscale status to verify the connection
• Remove the auth key file: rm ./tsauth.txt
• Approve exit-node/routes: https://login.tailscale.com/admin/machines

Mac Computers

Installation

1. Install Apple Developer Tools: xcode-select --install
2. Install Homebrew
3. Install Nix
4. Sign into the App Store
5. Enable Full Disk Access for terminal application

sudo nix run github:mirkolenz/nixos
sudo reboot
# Add ssh key to keychain
ssh-add --apple-use-keychain ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Uninstallation

chsh -s /bin/zsh
# if nix is not in PATH, use this: /nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix
sudo nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" run github:mirkolenz/nixos#darwin-uninstaller
sudo /nix/nix-installer uninstall

Applications and Settings

Shell

• Copy $HOME/.local/share/fish/fish_history
• Copy $HOME/.ssh/id_ed25519

Zed

• Copy keymap/settings/tasks from $HOME/.config/zed

System Preferences

• General > About: Set name
• Wallpaper: Solid color (black)
• Appearance > Allow wallpaper tinting in windows: Off
• Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Modifier Keys: Caps Lock -> Option
• Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts: Disable all
• Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Spotlight: Disable all

Raycast

• Settings > Advanced > Import/Export (also set up new schedule)
• Settings > Account > Login
• Settings > Extensions > Scripts > Plus: iCloud Drive
• Launch > Manage Fallback Command: Add Kagi

Visual Studio Code

• Settings > Backup and Sync Setting > GitHub

Zotero

• Install Better BibTeX
• Install Open PDF
• Settings > General > Customize Filename Format > {{ creators max="1" case="hyphen" }}-{{ year }}-{{ title truncate="50" case="hyphen" }}
• Settings General > Reader > Tabs > Creator - Title - Year
• Settings > Export > Item Format > Better BibTeX Citation Key Quick Copy
• Settings > Export > Note Format > Markdown + Rich Text
• Settings > Better BibTeX > Citation Key Format > auth.capitalize + year + shorttitle(3,3)
• Settings > Better BibTeX > Citation Key Format > Automatic Export > Delay > 10 seconds
• Settings > Better BibTeX > Fields > Omit > file, keywords

Default Folder X

• Settings > Options > Sync settings via iCloud

iA Presenter

• Move theme to $HOME/Library/Containers/net.ia.presenter/Data/Library/Application Support/iA Presenter/Themes

Arq Backup

Additional wildcard exclude rules:

.cache
.devenv
.direnv
.orbstack
.venv
node_modules
*/OrbStack
*/Library/CloudStorage
*/Library/Application Support/

Home-Manger Standalone

Note: Reconnect via SSH after installing nix.

ssh-copy-id -i "$HOME/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub" "USER@MACHINE_NAME"
sudo /nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix upgrade-nix
nix run github:mirkolenz/nixos
sudo usermod -s $(which fish) "$USER"

Utilities and Snippets

Nix Access Tokens

To avoid rate limiting, add a GitHub access token. Add the following to /etc/nix/nix.secrets.conf:

access-tokens = github.com=github_pat_XXX

Image Building

If building for another architecture on NixOS: Enable cross compiling

# for iso installer disc
nix build --system x86_64-linux github:mirkolenz/nixos#installers.unstable.iso-installer
# for raspberry pi sd card
nix build --system aarch64-linux github:mirkolenz/nixos#installers.raspi

Update Raspberry Pi

https://nix.dev/tutorials/installing-nixos-on-a-raspberry-pi#updating-firmware

sudo mount /dev/disk/by-label/FIRMWARE /mnt
sudo env BOOTFS=/mnt FIRMWARE_RELEASE_STATUS=default rpi-eeprom-update -d -a
sudo reboot

Use MakeMKV

# otherwise the optical drive is not found: https://discourse.nixos.org/t/makemkv-cant-find-my-usb-blu-ray-drive/23714
sudo modprobe sg
# if that does not work, try again with sudo
nix run github:mirkolenz/nixos#makemkv

Investigate ID Mappings

sudo podman run --rm --subuidname=$USER ubuntu cat /proc/self/uid_map

Password Hashing

mkdir -p /etc/nixos/secrets
chmod 700 /etc/nixos/secrets
mkpasswd -m yescrypt > /etc/nixos/secrets/USER.passwd
chmod 600 /etc/nixos/secrets/USER.passwd