Bootloader - Revision history

Arnecc: snippet on how to enable gdm doesn't belong here

2025-12-12T13:13:05Z

snippet on how to enable gdm doesn't belong here

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:13, 12 December 2025
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	~~# Pre 25.11~~
	~~services.xserver.enable = true;~~
	~~services.xserver.displayManager.gdm.enable = true;~~
	~~services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome.enable = true;~~

	~~# As of 25.11~~
	~~services.displayManager.gdm.enable = true;~~
	~~services.desktopManager.gnome.enable = true;~~

	== FAQ ==		== FAQ ==

Cagoliodoemelita: hkps://keys.openpgp.org

2025-10-19T14:59:58Z

hkps://keys.openpgp.org

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:59, 19 October 2025
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			# Pre 25.11
			services.xserver.enable = true;
			services.xserver.displayManager.gdm.enable = true;
			services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome.enable = true;

			# As of 25.11
			services.displayManager.gdm.enable = true;
			services.desktopManager.gnome.enable = true;

	== FAQ ==		== FAQ ==

Klinger: wiki links to GNU GRUB, systemd/boot and Limine articles

2025-07-08T16:39:58Z

wiki links to GNU GRUB, systemd/boot and Limine articles

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:39, 8 July 2025
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	A bootloader is a type of software that manages the loading of the operating system (OS) on the computer at startup. It is responsible for preparing the system before passing control to the OS. Here are the types of bootloaders commonly used in NixOS:		A bootloader is a type of software that manages the loading of the operating system (OS) on the computer at startup. It is responsible for preparing the system before passing control to the OS. Here are the types of bootloaders commonly used in NixOS:
	* '''GRUB (Grand Unified Bootloader)''': Widely used, supports multiple operating systems, and provides a boot menu to select how the system boots.		* '''[[GNU GRUB]] (Grand Unified Bootloader)''': Widely used, supports multiple operating systems, and provides a boot menu to select how the system boots.
	* '''systemd-boot''': Simple UEFI-only bootloader, formerly known as gummiboot.		* '''[[Systemd/boot\|systemd-boot]]''': Simple UEFI-only bootloader, formerly known as gummiboot.
	* '''Limine''': Modern, advanced, multiprotocol bootloader and boot manager.		* '''[[Limine]]''': Modern, advanced, multiprotocol bootloader and boot manager.
	* '''EFISTUB''': Utilizes the UEFI firmware itself to boot the kernel, without the need for a traditional bootloader.		* '''EFISTUB''': Utilizes the UEFI firmware itself to boot the kernel, without the need for a traditional bootloader.

Lzcunt: Add Limine to bootloaders list. The Limine NixOS module has been in stable for some time now.

2025-07-05T10:00:20Z

Add Limine to bootloaders list. The Limine NixOS module has been in stable for some time now.

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:00, 5 July 2025
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	* '''GRUB (Grand Unified Bootloader)''': Widely used, supports multiple operating systems, and provides a boot menu to select how the system boots.		* '''GRUB (Grand Unified Bootloader)''': Widely used, supports multiple operating systems, and provides a boot menu to select how the system boots.
	* '''systemd-boot''': Simple UEFI-only bootloader, formerly known as gummiboot.		* '''systemd-boot''': Simple UEFI-only bootloader, formerly known as gummiboot.
			* '''Limine''': Modern, advanced, multiprotocol bootloader and boot manager.
	* '''EFISTUB''': Utilizes the UEFI firmware itself to boot the kernel, without the need for a traditional bootloader.		* '''EFISTUB''': Utilizes the UEFI firmware itself to boot the kernel, without the need for a traditional bootloader.

Phanirithvij: copied from old wiki

2025-03-13T04:12:18Z

copied from old wiki

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:12, 13 March 2025
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	};		};
	</nowiki>}}		</nowiki>}}

			=== Show a custom label or tags for my build in the bootloader menu ===

			Most bootloaders like GRUB will show the NixOS version as the name of the generation (as shown with nixos-rebuild list-generations). To add a custom name for your build use [https://search.nixos.org/options?channel=unstable&from=0&size=50&sort=relevance&type=packages&query=system.nixos.label system.nixos.label]

	== Troubleshooting ==		== Troubleshooting ==

FliegendeWurst: /* How do I remove older generations from the bootloader? */ Answer the question exactly

2025-02-26T08:18:40Z

How do I remove older generations from the bootloader?: Answer the question exactly

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:18, 26 February 2025
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	=== How do I remove older generations from the bootloader? ===		=== How do I remove older generations from the bootloader? ===

	First, ~~collect garbages in~~ your system, then rebuild. The ~~scripts~~ will ~~collect leftover files~~.		First, remove some system generations of your system, then rebuild. The rebuild script will remove stale boot entries.

	The first command, in the example below, removes ~~everything~~ older than 14 days.		The first command, in the example below, removes system generations older than 14 days.

	<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
	sudo nix-~~collect~~-~~garbage~~ --~~delete~~-~~older~~-~~than~~ 14d		sudo nix-env --delete-generations --profile /nix/var/nix/profiles/system 14d
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>
	<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">

Phanirithvij: oopsie, fix iso url

2024-09-14T08:28:43Z

oopsie, fix iso url

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:28, 14 September 2024
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	Some laptops, mostly those based on Intel Atom (and first-gen 2006-2007 Intel Macs), have a very strange setup: x86_64 CPU, 2-4GB of RAM, and ia-32 bootloader. They usually come with 64-bit Windows 10, which is slow and jerky on such configurations. Installing Linux on these systems is trivial, because most of the time you can just install 32-bit versions, which come with 32-bit UEFI bootloader, and not lose practically anything as amount of RAM is small enough for 32 bits of address. This is not the case with NixOS, though, because by choosing a 32-bit version you lose the prebuilt packages from nixos cache. To install a full 64-bit system with 32-bit bootloader, you need to take the following steps:		Some laptops, mostly those based on Intel Atom (and first-gen 2006-2007 Intel Macs), have a very strange setup: x86_64 CPU, 2-4GB of RAM, and ia-32 bootloader. They usually come with 64-bit Windows 10, which is slow and jerky on such configurations. Installing Linux on these systems is trivial, because most of the time you can just install 32-bit versions, which come with 32-bit UEFI bootloader, and not lose practically anything as amount of RAM is small enough for 32 bits of address. This is not the case with NixOS, though, because by choosing a 32-bit version you lose the prebuilt packages from nixos cache. To install a full 64-bit system with 32-bit bootloader, you need to take the following steps:
	# Download both latest "Minimal installation CD, 32-bit Intel/AMD" and "Minimal installation CD, 64-bit Intel/AMD" from ~~httpshttps~~://nixos.org/download/#nixos-iso.		# Download both latest "Minimal installation CD, 32-bit Intel/AMD" and "Minimal installation CD, 64-bit Intel/AMD" from https://nixos.org/download/#nixos-iso.
	# Flash 32-bit version on USB stick and boot it. If it does not boot, then you probably have a 64-bit bootloader and do not need to worry about this tutorial.		# Flash 32-bit version on USB stick and boot it. If it does not boot, then you probably have a 64-bit bootloader and do not need to worry about this tutorial.
	# Note: if your system hangs randomly when booted, you can try adding <nowiki>intel_idle.max_cstate=1</nowiki> to kernel parameters before booting (press e when you see systemd-boot prompt to enter editing mode).		# Note: if your system hangs randomly when booted, you can try adding <nowiki>intel_idle.max_cstate=1</nowiki> to kernel parameters before booting (press e when you see systemd-boot prompt to enter editing mode).
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	</nowiki>}}		</nowiki>}}
	to the grub section of your configuration.		to the grub section of your configuration.


	=== Manually adding EFI boot entry ===		=== Manually adding EFI boot entry ===

Phanirithvij: update nixos iso url

2024-09-14T08:27:50Z

update nixos iso url

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:27, 14 September 2024
Line 160:		Line 160:

	Some laptops, mostly those based on Intel Atom (and first-gen 2006-2007 Intel Macs), have a very strange setup: x86_64 CPU, 2-4GB of RAM, and ia-32 bootloader. They usually come with 64-bit Windows 10, which is slow and jerky on such configurations. Installing Linux on these systems is trivial, because most of the time you can just install 32-bit versions, which come with 32-bit UEFI bootloader, and not lose practically anything as amount of RAM is small enough for 32 bits of address. This is not the case with NixOS, though, because by choosing a 32-bit version you lose the prebuilt packages from nixos cache. To install a full 64-bit system with 32-bit bootloader, you need to take the following steps:		Some laptops, mostly those based on Intel Atom (and first-gen 2006-2007 Intel Macs), have a very strange setup: x86_64 CPU, 2-4GB of RAM, and ia-32 bootloader. They usually come with 64-bit Windows 10, which is slow and jerky on such configurations. Installing Linux on these systems is trivial, because most of the time you can just install 32-bit versions, which come with 32-bit UEFI bootloader, and not lose practically anything as amount of RAM is small enough for 32 bits of address. This is not the case with NixOS, though, because by choosing a 32-bit version you lose the prebuilt packages from nixos cache. To install a full 64-bit system with 32-bit bootloader, you need to take the following steps:
	# Download both latest "Minimal installation CD, 32-bit Intel/AMD" and "Minimal installation CD, 64-bit Intel/AMD" from ~~https~~://nixos.org/nixos~~/download.html~~.		# Download both latest "Minimal installation CD, 32-bit Intel/AMD" and "Minimal installation CD, 64-bit Intel/AMD" from httpshttps://nixos.org/download/#nixos-iso.
	# Flash 32-bit version on USB stick and boot it. If it does not boot, then you probably have a 64-bit bootloader and do not need to worry about this tutorial.		# Flash 32-bit version on USB stick and boot it. If it does not boot, then you probably have a 64-bit bootloader and do not need to worry about this tutorial.
	# Note: if your system hangs randomly when booted, you can try adding <nowiki>intel_idle.max_cstate=1</nowiki> to kernel parameters before booting (press e when you see systemd-boot prompt to enter editing mode).		# Note: if your system hangs randomly when booted, you can try adding <nowiki>intel_idle.max_cstate=1</nowiki> to kernel parameters before booting (press e when you see systemd-boot prompt to enter editing mode).

0x4A6F: remove link to legacy wiki

2024-07-10T19:38:36Z

remove link to legacy wiki

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:38, 10 July 2024
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	* '''EFI ARM bootloaders''': Some ARM devices support UEFI, allowing the use of standard UEFI bootloaders like GRUB or systemd-boot.		* '''EFI ARM bootloaders''': Some ARM devices support UEFI, allowing the use of standard UEFI bootloaders like GRUB or systemd-boot.

	For more detailed information on NixOS and ARM architecture, refer to the [https://nixos.~~wiki~~/wiki/NixOS_on_ARM NixOS on ARM] docs.		For more detailed information on NixOS and ARM architecture, refer to the [https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/NixOS_on_ARM NixOS on ARM] docs.

	=== Am I booted in Legacy or UEFI? ===		=== Am I booted in Legacy or UEFI? ===

Mic92: imported from old wiki

2024-04-25T10:44:57Z

imported from old wiki

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{expansion|Explain what the bootloader does and which bootloader exists. Also explain Legacy Boot vs. UEFI and bootloaders for ARM platforms (with links)}}
+== FAQ ==
-== FAQ ==
+For more detailed information on NixOS and ARM architecture, refer to the [https://nixos.wiki/wiki/NixOS_on_ARM NixOS on ARM] docs.
 === Am I booted in Legacy or UEFI? ===