Nixpkgs: NixOS fails to install

Created on 2 Feb 2018 · 29Comments · Source: NixOS/nixpkgs

Issue description

I want to install nixos on my Lenovo T420 laptop, and since my config always gets an error i tried the basic generated config, un-commenting the stuff that was there, no more and still getting the same error which is following:

Failed to create EFI Boot variable entry: No space left on device
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/nix/store/w3kckp1k7hngiadrcllybnji9nc8di25-systemd-boot-builder.py", line 102, in <module>
    subprocess.check_call(["/nix/store/mnbl0f66cykmwjin47r7rlnwwgiac7ys-systemd-231/bin/bootctl", "--path=/boot", "install"])
  File "/nix/store/ignn33dyacf5vm5hsmwiaj617226x1js-python-2.7.12/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 541, in check_call
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, cmd)
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '['/nix/store/mnbl0f66cykmwjin47r7rlnwwgiac7ys-systemd-231/bin/bootctl', '--path=/boot', 'install']' returned non-zero exit status 1

Steps to reproduce

nixos-install (classic stuff before that, creating the partitions using gdisk, mounting the main partition on /mnt and efi boot partition on /mnt/boot)

Source

savorocks

All 29 comments

The problem persists on Fujitsu Lifebook E754...

savorocks on 2 Feb 2018

No space left on device

Could you post the output of df after the error?

erictapen on 2 Feb 2018

Related, possibly helpful: #27821.

Not sure if it'd result in the problems you're seeing, but make sure you're booting the install media with UEFI...

What are the relevant configuration.nix options you're setting?

dtzWill on 2 Feb 2018

\Filesystem     1K-blocks    Used Available Use% Mounted on
devtmpfs          299840       0    299840   0% /dev
tmpfs            2998400       0   2998400   0% /dev/shm
tmpfs            1499200    6660   1492540   1% /run
tmpfs            2998396  195368   2803028   7% /
/dev/root        3922944 1492096   2430848  39% /iso
/dev/loop0        891264  891264         0 100% /nix/.ro-store
tmpfs            2998396  103816   2894580   4% /nix/.rw-store
unionfs          3889660  995080   2894580  26% /nix/store
tmpfs            2998396       0   2998396   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
tmpfs             599676       4    599672   1% /run/user/0
/dev/sda2       25671996 4545880  19799012  19% /mnt
/dev/sda1         523248     176    523072   1% /mnt/boot

savorocks on 2 Feb 2018

The config is nixos-generate-config for uefi installation and still fails.

savorocks on 2 Feb 2018

I somehow managed to install default nixos generated config (without the kde desktop environment) from the 17.09 live cd (i previously tried with the older live cd 16.09). When I tried to install with the older live cd, I of course added a new nixos channel (either unstable or 17.03, from the current nixos manual) and then run nix-channel --update, but it failed every time.

When I did that, I managed to boot into the installed system and ran nixos-rebuild switch without problems. So I guess this is kind of an ad-hoc solution...

savorocks on 2 Feb 2018

17.09 is what NixOS manual would refer you to
While 16.09 is no longer supported, what you did generally does work although occasionally a newer installer is needed.

Quick clarification, for posterity's sake if nothing else:

Is it accurate that the problems occurred when using 16.09 installation media but did not occur (at all) using latest (17.09)?

dtzWill on 2 Feb 2018

They did occur using the latest live cd (17.09), but that's when trying to install my full config (which works on my other devices, so I don't think my config is the problem). I haven't tried installing basic nixos-generated config first with 17.09.

The whole process went like this:

-Downloaded the 17.09 graphical live cd, tried to install nixos with my config - failed.
-Tried 16.09 graphical medium which I had lying around, tried to install my config - failed.
-Tried to install nixos with default 16.09 nixos-generate-config configuration with everything uncommented except the kde desktop environment. Still failed.
-Tried the 17.09 installation with nixos-generate-config, and uncommenting everything except the desktop environment - SUCCESS.
-Once the install finished I booted it up, and proceeded to install my configuration and succeeded without problems.

savorocks on 2 Feb 2018

have the same error using this steps https://github.com/BjornMelgaard/dotfiles#how-to-install-on-new-computer

$ nixos-install --root /mnt
....
cp: error writing '/nix/store/4x3gckrdpjfh65vi099x4gcj00kfwhwa-nvidia-x11-384.111/lib/libvdpau_nvidia.so.384.111': No space left on device
cp: error writing '/nix/store/4x3gckrdpjfh65vi099x4gcj00kfwhwa-nvidia-x11-384.111/lib/tls/libnvidia-tls.so.384.111': No space left on device
note: build failure may have been caused by lack of free disk space
builder for ‘/nix/store/kmy4wnzdqxbx4p09lm96myk035nav3vq-nvidia-x11-384.111.drv’ failed with exit code 1
building path(s) ‘/nix/store/6fypgi2p68asaqnm863d52dq1jcfkalp-opengl-drivers-32bit’
cannot build derivation ‘/nix/store/s4svfrqw2q18lf4pqlqsyw2mr5z24rvc-primusrun.drv’: 1 dependencies couldn't be built
cannot build derivation ‘/nix/store/1calf7d7l8k1skwj3h699dkvdgv39js8-system-path.drv’: 1 dependencies couldn't be built
cannot build derivation ‘/nix/store/nascnazd6xgxs28ala3lwpxyh5h97lb2-nixos-system-machine-17.09.2905.c1d9aff56e0.drv’: 1 dependencies couldn't be built
error: build of ‘/nix/store/nascnazd6xgxs28ala3lwpxyh5h97lb2-nixos-system-machine-17.09.2905.c1d9aff56e0.drv’ failed

[root@nixos:~]# df
Filesystem     1K-blocks    Used Available Use% Mounted on
devtmpfs          403068       0    403068   0% /dev
tmpfs            4030652   35800   3994852   1% /dev/shm
tmpfs            2015328    6464   2008864   1% /run
tmpfs            4030648     320   4030328   1% /run/wrappers
tmpfs            4030648  134784   3895864   4% /
/dev/root         837632  837632         0 100% /iso
/dev/loop0        809984  809984         0 100% /nix/.ro-store
tmpfs            4030648 4030648         0 100% /nix/.rw-store
unionfs          4840632 4840632         0 100% /nix/store
tmpfs            4030648       0   4030648   0% /sys/fs/cgroup
tmpfs             806128       8    806120   1% /run/user/0
/dev/sdb3      114288112   70112 108369460   1% /mnt
/dev/sdb1           2028       0      2028   0% /mnt/boot

srghma on 3 Feb 2018

[root@nixos:~]# ls -al /nix/store/4x3gckrdpjfh65vi099x4gcj00kfwhwa-nvidia-x11-384.111
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 1 nixbld1 nixbld     60 Feb  3 19:18 .
drwxrwxr-t 1 root    nixbld 110760 Feb  3 19:18 ..
drwxr-xr-x 1 nixbld1 nixbld    760 Feb  3 19:18 lib

[root@nixos:~]# ls -al /mnt/nix/
total 8
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 4096 Feb  3 18:36 .
drwxr-xr-x 10 root root 4096 Feb  3 18:36 ..

I always thought the packages should install to /mnt during nixos-install O_O

srghma on 3 Feb 2018

👍1

Yes, it should copy to /mnt/nix/store. based on manual.

It copies Nix and its dependencies to /mnt/nix/store.

How to install old system-path package?

[root@nixos:~]# whereis nixos-install
nixos-install: /nix/store/4q4dj5p4lm6jmsypa0kf8pwl2fq5b0sq-system-path/bin/nixos-install

[root@nixos:~]# nix-env -qaP system-path
error: selector ‘system-path’ matches no derivations

srghma on 3 Feb 2018

@BjornMelgaard your error sounds like an instance of https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/27307

pbogdan on 3 Feb 2018

👍1

@pbogdan this error is preserved in latest unstable iso

srghma on 3 Feb 2018

Correct, the issue I referenced hasn't been fixed as of yet, and AFAICT is present in both 17.09 and unstable ISO's..

pbogdan on 3 Feb 2018

@pbogdan any idea how can I fix it right now? maybe mount nix store to disk by hand?

srghma on 3 Feb 2018

AFAIK there is no good work around for that issue but assuming that is indeed the cause your options, as I understand it, are:

perform the installation using a minimal configuration, once the new system boots nixos-rebuild switch it with your full configuration..
assuming the full system configuration you are building may fit into memory (not sure how one would check it) remount the /nix/.rw-store so that it uses more RAM (by default it uses 50% I think). I think the right incantation to do that would be something like mount -o remount,size=7G /nix/.rw-store. You might be able to add swap to make it bigger than what would fit into RAM but I'm non 100% sure on that.

pbogdan on 3 Feb 2018

@pbogdan installed with minimal configuration, tnx

srghma on 4 Feb 2018

got the same issue, can't build because of no space left. Downloaded iso from here: https://nixos.org/nixos/download.html, this one: https://d3g5gsiof5omrk.cloudfront.net/nixos/17.09/nixos-17.09.3129.1dcd022f01b/nixos-minimal-17.09.3129.1dcd022f01b-x86_64-linux.iso

I see that my mounted volume is emoty when mounted unionfs volume /nix/store is full.

zarkone on 27 Mar 2018

Same here...

src386 on 31 Mar 2018

Assuming your instances are caused by #27307, that should be fixed on 18.03. That is supposed to be officially released any day now (we're a little late), but it should be very well usable now if you want: https://nixos.org/channels/nixos-18.03

vcunat on 31 Mar 2018

I’m getting this issue right now when trying to install 18.03 sadly.

sondr3 on 10 Apr 2018

👍1

I think the out of space error refers to the store under /mnt, the install
runs under a chroot.

So the problem is something else. Very odd.

On Tue, Apr 10, 2018, 6:11 PM Sondre Nilsen, notifications@github.com
wrote:

I’m getting this issue right now when trying to install 18.03 sadly.

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wmertens on 11 Apr 2018

Just a follow up, setting boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables to false (I had mine as true) fixed the installation issue and then once NixOS has been installed you can set it back to true.

sondr3 on 11 Apr 2018

👍1

wow - how would that result in an out-of-space error? 🤔

On Wed, Apr 11, 2018 at 1:00 PM Sondre Nilsen notifications@github.com
wrote:

Just a follow up, setting boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables to false
(I had mine as true) fixed the installation issue and then once NixOS has
been installed you can set it back to true.

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wmertens on 11 Apr 2018

Well, if _EFI_ setting storage is full (which happens)…

7c6f434c on 11 Apr 2018

Oh, sorry, I misread the top message. Mine was a very similar message, but /nix/.rw-store (or what the name is called) was what became filled up in my case, but in any case I did that and it worked. Not sure if it was related but in any case, it worked.

sondr3 on 11 Apr 2018

Just a follow up, setting boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables to false (I had mine as true) fixed the installation issue and then once NixOS has been installed you can set it back to true.

@sondr3 thanks, that allowed me to install 18.03