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diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/installation/installing.chapter.md b/nixos/doc/manual/installation/installing.chapter.md index b1e58b14b7838..2c86cb923a5c1 100644 --- a/nixos/doc/manual/installation/installing.chapter.md +++ b/nixos/doc/manual/installation/installing.chapter.md @@ -1,30 +1,143 @@ # Installing NixOS {#sec-installation} -## Booting the system {#sec-installation-booting} +## Booting from the install medium {#sec-installation-booting} + +To begin the installation, you have to boot your computer from the install drive. + +1. Plug in the install drive. Then turn on or restart your computer. + +2. Open the boot menu by pressing the appropriate key, which is usually shown + on the display on early boot. + Select the USB flash drive (the option usually contains the word "USB"). + If you choose the incorrect drive, your computer will likely continue to + boot as normal. In that case restart your computer and pick a + different drive. + + ::: {.note} + The key to open the boot menu is different across computer brands and even + models. It can be <kbd>F12</kbd>, but also <kbd>F1</kbd>, + <kbd>F9</kbd>, <kbd>F10</kbd>, <kbd>Enter</kbd>, <kbd>Del</kbd>, + <kbd>Esc</kbd> or another function key. If you are unsure and don't see + it on the early boot screen, you can search online for your computers + brand, model followed by "boot from usb". + The computer might not even have that feature, so you have to go into the + BIOS/UEFI settings to change the boot order. Again, search online for + details about your specific computer model. + + For Apple computers with Intel processors press and hold the <kbd>⌥</kbd> + (Option or Alt) key until you see the boot menu. On Apple silicon press + and hold the power button. + ::: + + ::: {.note} + If your computer supports both BIOS and UEFI boot, choose the UEFI option. + ::: + + ::: {.note} + If you use a CD for the installation, the computer will probably boot from + it automatically. If not, choose the option containing the word "CD" from + the boot menu. + ::: + +3. Shortly after selecting the appropriate boot drive, you should be + presented with a menu with different installer options. Leave the default + and wait (or press <kbd>Enter</kbd> to speed up). + +4. The graphical images will start their corresponding desktop environment + and the graphical installer, which can take some time. The minimal images + will boot to a command line. You have to follow the instructions in + [](#sec-installation-manual) there. + +## Graphical Installation {#sec-installation-graphical} + +The graphical installer is recommended for desktop users and will guide you +through the installation. + +1. In the "Welcome" screen, you can select the language of the Installer and + the installed system. + + ::: {.tip} + Leaving the language as "American English" will make it easier to search for + error messages in a search engine or to report an issue. + ::: + +2. Next you should choose your location to have the timezone set correctly. + You can actually click on the map! + + ::: {.note} + The installer will use an online service to guess your location based on + your public IP address. + ::: + +3. Then you can select the keyboard layout. The default keyboard model should + work well with most desktop keyboards. If you have a special keyboard or + notebook, your model might be in the list. Select the language you are most + comfortable typing in. + +4. On the "Users" screen, you have to type in your display name, login name + and password. You can also enable an option to automatically login to the + desktop. + +5. Then you have the option to choose a desktop environment. If you want to + create a custom setup with a window manager, you can select "No desktop". + + ::: {.tip} + If you don't have a favorite desktop and don't know which one to choose, + you can stick to either GNOME or Plasma. They have a quite different + design, so you should choose whichever you like better. + They are both popular choices and well tested on NixOS. + ::: + +6. You have the option to allow unfree software in the next screen. + +7. The easiest option in the "Partitioning" screen is "Erase disk", which will + delete all data from the selected disk and install the system on it. + Also select "Swap (with Hibernation)" in the dropdown below it. + You have the option to encrypt the whole disk with LUKS. + + ::: {.note} + At the top left you see if the Installer was booted with BIOS or UEFI. If + you know your system supports UEFI and it shows "BIOS", reboot with the + correct option. + ::: + + ::: {.warning} + Make sure you have selected the correct disk at the top and that no + valuable data is still on the disk! It will be deleted when + formatting the disk. + ::: + +8. Check the choices you made in the "Summary" and click "Install". + + ::: {.note} + The installation takes about 15 minutes. The time varies based on the + selected desktop environment, internet connection speed and disk write speed. + ::: + +9. When the install is complete, remove the USB flash drive and + reboot into your new system! + +## Manual Installation {#sec-installation-manual} NixOS can be installed on BIOS or UEFI systems. The procedure for a UEFI -installation is by and large the same as a BIOS installation. The -differences are mentioned in the steps that follow. +installation is broadly the same as for a BIOS installation. The differences +are mentioned in the following steps. -The installation media can be burned to a CD, or now more commonly, -"burned" to a USB drive (see [](#sec-booting-from-usb)). +The NixOS manual is available by running `nixos-help` in the command line +or from the application menu in the desktop environment. -The installation media contains a basic NixOS installation. When it's -finished booting, it should have detected most of your hardware. - -The NixOS manual is available by running `nixos-help`. +To have access to the command line on the graphical images, open +Terminal (GNOME) or Konsole (Plasma) from the application menu. You are logged-in automatically as `nixos`. The `nixos` user account has an empty password so you can use `sudo` without a password: + ```ShellSession $ sudo -i ``` -If you downloaded the graphical ISO image, you can run `systemctl -start display-manager` to start the desktop environment. If you want -to continue on the terminal, you can use `loadkeys` to switch to your -preferred keyboard layout. (We even provide neo2 via `loadkeys de -neo`!) +You can use `loadkeys` to switch to your preferred keyboard layout. +(We even provide neo2 via `loadkeys de neo`!) If the text is too small to be legible, try `setfont ter-v32n` to increase the font size. @@ -33,7 +146,8 @@ To install over a serial port connect with `115200n8` (e.g. `picocom -b 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0`). When the bootloader lists boot entries, select the serial console boot entry. -### Networking in the installer {#sec-installation-booting-networking} +### Networking in the installer {#sec-installation-manual-networking} +[]{#sec-installation-booting-networking} <!-- legacy anchor --> The boot process should have brought up networking (check `ip a`). Networking is necessary for the installer, since it will @@ -100,7 +214,8 @@ placed by mounting the image on a different machine). Alternatively you must set a password for either `root` or `nixos` with `passwd` to be able to login. -## Partitioning and formatting {#sec-installation-partitioning} +### Partitioning and formatting {#sec-installation-manual-partitioning} +[]{#sec-installation-partitioning} <!-- legacy anchor --> The NixOS installer doesn't do any partitioning or formatting, so you need to do that yourself. @@ -112,7 +227,8 @@ below use `parted`, but also provides `fdisk`, `gdisk`, `cfdisk`, and The recommended partition scheme differs depending if the computer uses *Legacy Boot* or *UEFI*. -### UEFI (GPT) {#sec-installation-partitioning-UEFI} +#### UEFI (GPT) {#sec-installation-manual-partitioning-UEFI} +[]{#sec-installation-partitioning-UEFI} <!-- legacy anchor --> Here\'s an example partition scheme for UEFI, using `/dev/sda` as the device. @@ -158,9 +274,10 @@ update /etc/fstab. ``` Once complete, you can follow with -[](#sec-installation-partitioning-formatting). +[](#sec-installation-manual-partitioning-formatting). -### Legacy Boot (MBR) {#sec-installation-partitioning-MBR} +#### Legacy Boot (MBR) {#sec-installation-manual-partitioning-MBR} +[]{#sec-installation-partitioning-MBR} <!-- legacy anchor --> Here\'s an example partition scheme for Legacy Boot, using `/dev/sda` as the device. @@ -190,7 +307,7 @@ update /etc/fstab. ``` 4. Finally, add a *swap* partition. The size required will vary - according to needs, here a 8GiB one is created. + according to needs, here a 8GB one is created. ```ShellSession # parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary linux-swap -8GB 100% @@ -202,9 +319,10 @@ update /etc/fstab. ::: Once complete, you can follow with -[](#sec-installation-partitioning-formatting). +[](#sec-installation-manual-partitioning-formatting). -### Formatting {#sec-installation-partitioning-formatting} +#### Formatting {#sec-installation-manual-partitioning-formatting} +[]{#sec-installation-partitioning-formatting} <!-- legacy anchor --> Use the following commands: @@ -239,7 +357,8 @@ Use the following commands: - For creating software RAID devices, use `mdadm`. -## Installing {#sec-installation-installing} +### Installing {#sec-installation-manual-installing} +[]{#sec-installation-installing} <!-- legacy anchor --> 1. Mount the target file system on which NixOS should be installed on `/mnt`, e.g. @@ -410,7 +529,8 @@ Use the following commands: You may also want to install some software. This will be covered in [](#sec-package-management). -## Installation summary {#sec-installation-summary} +### Installation summary {#sec-installation-manual-summary} +[]{#sec-installation-summary} <!-- legacy anchor --> To summarise, [Example: Commands for Installing NixOS on `/dev/sda`](#ex-install-sequence) shows a typical sequence of commands for installing NixOS on an empty hard @@ -423,8 +543,8 @@ corresponding configuration Nix expression. ::: ```ShellSession # parted /dev/sda -- mklabel msdos -# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary 1MiB -8GiB -# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary linux-swap -8GiB 100% +# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary 1MB -8GB +# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary linux-swap -8GB 100% ``` ::: @@ -434,9 +554,9 @@ corresponding configuration Nix expression. ::: ```ShellSession # parted /dev/sda -- mklabel gpt -# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary 512MiB -8GiB -# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary linux-swap -8GiB 100% -# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart ESP fat32 1MiB 512MiB +# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary 512MB -8GB +# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary linux-swap -8GB 100% +# parted /dev/sda -- mkpart ESP fat32 1MB 512MB # parted /dev/sda -- set 3 esp on ``` ::: |