This repository shows how to install NixOS on a Raspberry Pi 5 using a minimal configuration for the nixos-raspberrypi flake configuration by nvmd.

My flake.nix comes from nixos-raspberrypi-demo with modifications for simplicity.

I don't know what I'm doing here and writing it up clearly is a way for me to learn.

Prerequisites

• nix with flakes and cross-compilation enabled - put this in /etc/nix/nix.conf:

  sandbox = false
  extra-platforms = aarch64-linux
  experimental-features = nix-command flakes
  

• emulated execution in your OS (e.g. install qemu-user-static on Ubuntu)
• zstd (you can run nix-shell -p zstd for example)
• Raspberry Pi Imager
• 8GB+ microSD card

Installing via microSD

1. nix build .#installerImages
2. zstd -d result/sd-image/nixos-installer-rpi5-kernelboot.img.zst -o nixos-installer-rpi5-kernelboot.img
3. Load file in Raspberry Pi Imager
4. (Why can't we configure config.txt settings here?)
5. Write image to microSD card
6. Insert card into Raspberry Pi 5 and boot

Initial configuration

1. For WiFi, run iwctl, then station wlan0 connect <networkname> where <networkname> is the name of your wireless network.
2. Exit iwct.
3. Set a root password with passwd.
4. Log back out to see the IP address.
5. Make sure you can connect with ssh root@<ip>.

Configuration setup

1. Clone this repository.
2. Copy private_template.nix to private.nix and edit with your private user configuration.
3. Run these weird commands to make flakes work without having to add private.nix (!!!):

   git add -f --intent-to-add private.nix
   git update-index --assume-unchanged private.nix
   

4. Edit config as desired.

Loading this nixos configuration

1. nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#rpi5 --target-host root@<ip>
2. Enter your root password twice.
3. When it says "Done" you can reboot and everything will be configured as specified.

Note: you can also run

nix build .#nixosConfigurations.rpi5.config.system.build.toplevel

to build the system as a result link. This might be useful, for example, to prevent it from getting garbage collected between builds.

TODO

• Desktop environments - I can't figure out how to get these to build now.