Netboot - Revision history

Onny: Cleanup page

2026-02-24T22:32:38Z

Cleanup page

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:32, 24 February 2026
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	~~== Building and serving a netboot image ==~~
	This provides an easy way to serve the NixOS installer over netboot, such as when you already have a working NixOS machine and want to install NixOS on a second machine connected to the same network.		This provides an easy way to serve the NixOS installer over netboot, such as when you already have a working NixOS machine and want to install NixOS on a second machine connected to the same network.

	==~~= Example =~~==		== Setup ==
	This example uses [https://github.com/danderson/netboot/tree/main/pixiecore Pixiecore] for hosting, which works in an ordinary network environment with an existing DHCP server.		This example uses [https://github.com/danderson/netboot/tree/main/pixiecore Pixiecore] for hosting, which works in an ordinary network environment with an existing DHCP server. Pixiecore will notice when the booted machine talks to the network's existing DHCP server, and send netboot information to it at that time.
			{{Note\|Your iPXE must be recent enough to support https:// links}}<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
			services.pixiecore = {
			enable = true;
			openFirewall = true;
			dhcpNoBind = true;
			kernel = "https://boot.netboot.xyz";
			};

	~~Pixiecore~~ will ~~notice when the booted machine talks~~ to the ~~network's existing DHCP server~~, ~~and send netboot information to it at that time~~.		</syntaxhighlight>The Pixicore server will provide a [https://netboot.xyz netboot.xyz] multi-boot image to the clients, offering various operating systems which will get downloaded by the client on demand.

			== Tips and tricks ==

			=== Serve custom NixOS installation images ===
	Create file <code>system.nix</code>:		Create file <code>system.nix</code>:
	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang=nix>		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">let
	let
	nixpkgs = builtins.getFlake "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-25.11";		nixpkgs = builtins.getFlake "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-25.11";

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	'';		'';
	in		in
	run-pixiecore		run-pixiecore</syntaxhighlight>Building:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
	</~~syntaxHighlight~~>Building:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
	# Build pixiecore runner		# Build pixiecore runner
	nix-build system.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore		nix-build system.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore
Line 63:		Line 70:
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

	=== Another example ===		==== Another example ====
	{{file\|netboot.nix\|nix\|3={		{{file\|netboot.nix\|nix\|3={
	name ? "netboot",		name ? "netboot",
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	* Error "'''autoexec.ipxe... Operation not supported'''": See [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/378513#pullrequestreview-3081586117 this issue].		* Error "'''autoexec.ipxe... Operation not supported'''": See [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/378513#pullrequestreview-3081586117 this issue].

	=== See also ===		== See also ==
	~~NixOS: [https://search.nixos.org/options?type=packages&query=services.pixiecore Pixiecore module].~~

	~~NixOS manual: [https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#sec-booting-from-pxe PXE booting].~~

	~~== netboot.xyz ==~~		* NixOS manual: [https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#sec-booting-from-pxe PXE booting].
	~~There is now official~~ [https://~~netboot~~.~~xyz~~/ ~~netboot~~.~~xyz~~] ~~support.~~
	~~Just select <b>NixOS</b> from Linux installs and you should be ready to go~~.

	~~<b>Note:</b> Your iPXE must be recent enough to support https:// links~~
	[[Category:Booting]]		[[Category:Booting]]

Sandro: /* Example */

2026-01-25T20:24:17Z

Example

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:24, 25 January 2026
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	<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>		<syntaxHighlight lang=nix>
	let		let
	~~# NixOS 22.11 as of 2023-01-12~~		nixpkgs = builtins.getFlake "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-25.11";
	nixpkgs = builtins.getFlake "github:nixos/nixpkgs/~~54644f409ab471e87014bb305eac8c50190bcf48~~";

	sys = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {		sys = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {

Nh2: Link issue

2025-08-03T00:00:41Z

Link issue

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:00, 3 August 2025
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	* Run the example exactly like the other example further up on the page.		* Run the example exactly like the other example further up on the page.

			=== Troubleshooting ===

			* Error "'''autoexec.ipxe... Operation not supported'''": See [https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/378513#pullrequestreview-3081586117 this issue].

	=== See also ===		=== See also ===

Nh2: Reduce build time of second example

2025-08-02T23:51:19Z

Reduce build time of second example

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:51, 2 August 2025
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	modules = [		modules = [
	<nixpkgs/nixos/modules/installer/netboot/netboot-minimal.nix>		<nixpkgs/nixos/modules/installer/netboot/netboot-minimal.nix>
			# Reduce build time by ~7x (~1 minute instead of many minutes) by not using the highest compression (image is 5% larger).
			({ ... }: { netboot.squashfsCompression = "zstd -Xcompression-level 6"; })
	version-module		version-module
	example-configuration		example-configuration
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	in		in
	if legacy then run-dnsmasq else run-pixiecore}}		if legacy then run-dnsmasq else run-pixiecore\|name=netboot.nix\|lang=nix}}

	Building:		Building:

Nh2: Switch from "nix build" to "nix-build" command so it works out-of-the-box without experimental features

2025-08-02T22:36:23Z

Switch from "nix build" to "nix-build" command so it works out-of-the-box without experimental features

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:36, 2 August 2025
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	</syntaxHighlight>Building:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">		</syntaxHighlight>Building:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
	# Build pixiecore runner		# Build pixiecore runner
	nix build -f system.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore		nix-build system.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore
	</syntaxhighlight>Running:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">		</syntaxhighlight>Running:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
	# Open required firewall ports		# Open required firewall ports
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	Building:		Building:
	<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"># Build pixiecore runner		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"># Build pixiecore runner
	nix build -f netboot.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore		nix-build netboot.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore

	# Build dnsmasq + pxelinux runner		# Build dnsmasq + pxelinux runner
	nix build -f netboot.nix --arg legacy true -o /tmp/run-dnsmasq		nix-build netboot.nix --arg legacy true -o /tmp/run-dnsmasq

	# Build for some ancient system with a serial console		# Build for some ancient system with a serial console
	nix build -f netboot.nix --arg name '"ancient-netboot"' -o /tmp/run-netboot \		nix-build netboot.nix --arg name '"ancient-netboot"' -o /tmp/run-netboot \
	--arg configuration 'import ./ancient-config.nix' \		--arg configuration 'import ./ancient-config.nix' \
	--arg legacy true --arg proxynets '["10.2.1.0"]' \		--arg legacy true --arg proxynets '["10.2.1.0"]' \

Nh2: Clarify how to run the second example

2025-08-02T22:34:59Z

Clarify how to run the second example

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:34, 2 August 2025
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	== Building and serving a netboot image ==		== Building and serving a netboot image ==
			This provides an easy way to serve the NixOS installer over netboot, such as when you already have a working NixOS machine and want to install NixOS on a second machine connected to the same network.

	=== Example ===		=== Example ===
	This example uses [https://github.com/danderson/netboot/tree/main/pixiecore Pixiecore] for hosting, which works in an ordinary network environment with an existing DHCP server.		This example uses [https://github.com/danderson/netboot/tree/main/pixiecore Pixiecore] for hosting, which works in an ordinary network environment with an existing DHCP server.

			Pixiecore will notice when the booted machine talks to the network's existing DHCP server, and send netboot information to it at that time.

	Create file <code>system.nix</code>:		Create file <code>system.nix</code>:
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	in		in
	run-pixiecore		run-pixiecore
	</syntaxHighlight>		</syntaxHighlight>Building:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">

	~~Run pixiecore~~:
	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang=bash>
	# Build pixiecore runner		# Build pixiecore runner
	nix build -f system.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore		nix build -f system.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore
			</syntaxhighlight>Running:<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
	# Open required firewall ports		# Open required firewall ports
	sudo iptables -w -I nixos-fw -p udp -m multiport --dports 67,69,4011 -j ACCEPT		sudo iptables -w -I nixos-fw -p udp -m multiport --dports 67,69,4011 -j ACCEPT
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	sudo iptables -w -D nixos-fw -p tcp -m tcp --dport 64172 -j ACCEPT		sudo iptables -w -D nixos-fw -p tcp -m tcp --dport 64172 -j ACCEPT

	</~~syntaxHighlight~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	=== Another example ===		=== Another example ===
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	if legacy then run-dnsmasq else run-pixiecore}}		if legacy then run-dnsmasq else run-pixiecore}}

	~~Usage example~~:		Building:
	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang=bash>		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash"># Build pixiecore runner
	# Build pixiecore runner
	nix build -f netboot.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore		nix build -f netboot.nix -o /tmp/run-pixiecore

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	--arg configuration 'import ./ancient-config.nix' \		--arg configuration 'import ./ancient-config.nix' \
	--arg legacy true --arg proxynets '["10.2.1.0"]' \		--arg legacy true --arg proxynets '["10.2.1.0"]' \
	--arg serialconsole true --arg serialport 3 --arg serialspeed 115200		--arg serialconsole true --arg serialport 3 --arg serialspeed 115200</syntaxhighlight>Running:

	~~</syntaxHighlight>~~		* Run the example exactly like the other example further up on the page.

	=== See also ===		=== See also ===

Nh2: Fix advanced script for NixOS 25.05; especially: Failed assertions: - 25.05.git.d19a0d79723b is an invalid value for 'system.stateVersion'; it must be in the format "YY.MM",

2025-08-02T22:07:13Z

Fix advanced script for NixOS 25.05; especially: Failed assertions: - 25.05.git.d19a0d79723b is an invalid value for 'system.stateVersion'; it must be in the format "YY.MM",

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:07, 2 August 2025
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	mutt		mutt
	borgbackup		borgbackup
	~~rxvt_unicode.terminfo~~		rxvt-unicode
	];		];
	# users.users.nixos.openssh.authorizedKeys.keys = [ … ];		# users.users.nixos.openssh.authorizedKeys.keys = [ … ];
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	{ config, ... }:		{ config, ... }:
	{		{
	system.stateVersion = config.system.nixos.version; ~~# be quiet~~		system.stateVersion = builtins.substring 0 (builtins.stringLength "XX.XX") config.system.nixos.version;
	system.nixos.tags = [ name ];		system.nixos.tags = [ name ];
	};		};

Pigs: /* See also */Use current channel for search.nixos.org link

2025-05-07T17:11:22Z

See also: Use current channel for search.nixos.org link

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:11, 7 May 2025
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	=== See also ===		=== See also ===
	NixOS: [https://search.nixos.org/options?~~channel=24.11&from=0&size=30&sort=relevance&~~type=packages&query=services.pixiecore Pixiecore module].		NixOS: [https://search.nixos.org/options?type=packages&query=services.pixiecore Pixiecore module].

	NixOS manual: [https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#sec-booting-from-pxe PXE booting].		NixOS manual: [https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#sec-booting-from-pxe PXE booting].

Kiesen: Updated link from 23.11 to 24.11, as the old link is dead.

2025-02-07T11:18:18Z

Updated link from 23.11 to 24.11, as the old link is dead.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:18, 7 February 2025
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	=== See also ===		=== See also ===
	NixOS: [https://search.nixos.org/options?channel=23.11&from=0&size=30&sort=relevance&type=packages&query=services.pixiecore Pixiecore module].		NixOS: [https://search.nixos.org/options?channel=24.11&from=0&size=30&sort=relevance&type=packages&query=services.pixiecore Pixiecore module].

	NixOS manual: [https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#sec-booting-from-pxe PXE booting].		NixOS manual: [https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#sec-booting-from-pxe PXE booting].

C-x-berger: fix netboot.nix

2024-11-27T21:07:28Z

fix netboot.nix

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:07, 27 November 2024
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	=== Another example ===		=== Another example ===
	{{file\|netboot.nix\|nix\|		{{file\|netboot.nix\|nix\|3={
	~~<nowiki>~~
	{
	name ? "netboot",		name ? "netboot",
	arch ? "x86_64-linux",		arch ? "x86_64-linux",
Line 207:		Line 205:

	in		in
	if legacy then run-dnsmasq else run-pixiecore		if legacy then run-dnsmasq else run-pixiecore}}

	~~</nowiki>~~
	}}

	Usage example:		Usage example: