nixos/zeta/install.txt

#
# preparation of installer on NixOS machine
# details see https://github.com/nix-community/nixos-apple-silicon/blob/main/docs/uefi-standalone.md
#

# get the Apple Silicon support git
git clone https://github.com/nix-community/nixos-apple-silicon.git
cd nixos-apple-silicon

# build m1n1
nix build .#m1n1 -o m1n1

# build uboot
nix build .#uboot-asahi -o u-boot

# add to nixos-apple-silicon/iso-configuration/installer-configuration.nix

    networking.hostId = "cce4e4c1";
    boot.supportedFilesystems.zfs = lib.mkForce true;

to have ZFS support

# build installer ISO
nix build .#installer-bootstrap -o installer -j4 -L

# write to USB stick
doas dd if=installer/iso/nixos-25.11.20250528.96ec055-aarch64-linux.iso of=/dev/sda bs=4M conv=fsync

# on the Mac

curl https://alx.sh | sh

# follow instructions on the guide https://github.com/nix-community/nixos-apple-silicon/blob/main/docs/uefi-standalone.md

# boot with installer stick on Mac

I did need to do: (If "mounting `/dev/root` on `/mnt-root/iso` failed: No such file or directory" during boot…)

    Some flash drives have quirks. Try a different drive, or use the following steps:

    Attempt to start the installer normally
    When the boot fails and you are prompted, hit i to start a shell
    Unplug your flash drive, plug it into a different port, then wait 30 seconds
    Run the command mount -t iso9660 /dev/root /mnt-root/iso
    Exit the shell by running exit to continue the boot process

#
# enable ssh for root
#

sudo bash
systemctl start sshd
passwd

# get wlan
iwctl
    station wlan0 scan
    station wlan0 connect <SSID>
    station wlan0 show
    exit

# create the system partition

# first: take a peek

sgdisk /dev/nvme0n1 -p

    Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
    1               6          128005   500.0 MiB   AF0B  iBootSystemContainer
    2          128006       121547013   463.2 GiB   AF0A  Container
    3       121547014       122157317   2.3 GiB     AF0A
    4       122157318       122279429   477.0 MiB   EF00
    5       242965551       244276259   5.0 GiB     AF0C  RecoveryOSContainer

# create partition

sgdisk /dev/nvme0n1 -n 0:0 -s

# take a look again

sgdisk /dev/nvme0n1 -p

    Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
    1               6          128005   500.0 MiB   AF0B  iBootSystemContainer
    2          128006       121547013   463.2 GiB   AF0A  Container
    3       121547014       122157317   2.3 GiB     AF0A
    4       122157318       122279429   477.0 MiB   EF00
    5       122279430       242965550   460.4 GiB   8300
    6       242965551       244276259   5.0 GiB     AF0C  RecoveryOSContainer

#
# install script below
#

# host name to use
HOST=zeta

# partitions to use
BOOT=/dev/disk/by-id/nvme-APPLE_SSD_AP1024Z_0ba01e0141400628-part4
RAID=/dev/disk/by-id/nvme-APPLE_SSD_AP1024Z_0ba01e0141400628-part5

# take a look at the partitions
lsblk

# ZFS zpool creation with compression and encryption
zpool create \
    -o ashift=13 \
    -o autotrim=off \
    -O acltype=posixacl \
    -O atime=off \
    -O canmount=off \
    -O checksum=blake3 \
    -O compression=lz4 \
    -O dnodesize=auto \
    -O utf8only=on \
    -O normalization=none \
    -O xattr=sa \
    -O mountpoint=none \
    -O encryption=on \
    -O keylocation=prompt \
    -O keyformat=passphrase \
    -f zpool $RAID

sleep 5

# take a look at the partitions
lsblk

# show the pool
zpool status

sleep 5

# create all the volumes
zfs create -o recordsize=64K -o mountpoint=legacy zpool/data
zfs create -o recordsize=64K -o mountpoint=legacy zpool/nix
zfs create -o recordsize=64K -o mountpoint=legacy zpool/root

sleep 5

# show the pool
zpool status

sleep 5

# create ZFS snapshot that we'll rollback to on boot
# see https://ryanseipp.com/post/nixos-encrypted-root/
zfs snapshot zpool/root@blank

sleep 5

# prepare install, root
mount -t zfs zpool/root /mnt

# Create directories to mount file systems on
mkdir -p /mnt/{data,nix,boot,root,etc/nixos}

# mount the ESP
mount $BOOT /mnt/boot

# mount volumes
mount -t zfs zpool/data /mnt/data
mount -t zfs zpool/nix /mnt/nix

# bind mount persistent stuff to data
mkdir -p /mnt/data/{root,nixos/$HOST}
mount --bind /mnt/data/root /mnt/root
mount --bind /mnt/data/nixos/$HOST /mnt/etc/nixos

# create fake /data to have the right paths
mkdir -p /data
mount --bind /mnt/data /data

# take a look
mount

# configure
nixos-generate-config --root /mnt

# copy config data from another machine including secrets
doas scp -r /data/nixos root@192.168.13.113:/mnt/data

# add apple silicon support
cp -r /etc/nixos/apple-silicon-support /mnt/etc/nixos/
chmod -R +w /mnt/etc/nixos/

# install
nixos-install --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' --no-root-passwd --root /mnt

# unmount all stuff and sync
umount -Rl /data /mnt
zpool export -a
sync

# shutdown once
shutdown now