NixOS inside LXC on Proxmox - Revision history

Leo at 17:57, 18 September 2025

2025-09-18T17:57:09Z

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
    ];
-   # start tty0 on serial console
+   # start tty1 on serial console
    systemd.services."getty@tty1" = {
-     enable = lib.mkForce true;
+     enable = true;
      wantedBy = [ "getty.target" ]; # to start at boot
      serviceConfig.Restart = "always"; # restart when session is closed
    };
@@ Line 64: / Line 65: @@
 === Trouble with nix-channel --update ===
 If you did not nesting in the CT options, you will get: <code>unexpected Nix daemon error: error: remounting /nix/store writable: Permission denied</code>.

Leo at 05:44, 13 July 2023

2023-07-13T05:44:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:44, 13 July 2023
Line 9:		Line 9:

	=== Step 1: Obtain the container tarball ===		=== Step 1: Obtain the container tarball ===
	Find and download a recently generated NixOS container tarball from https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixos/trunk-combined/nixos.containerTarball.x86_64-linux. Place the .tar.xz archive in your CT Volumes store in Proxmox (which is typically located under <code>/var/lib/vz/template/cache/</code>)		Find and download a recently generated NixOS container tarball from https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixos/trunk-combined/nixos.containerTarball.x86_64-linux. Place the <code>.tar.xz</code> archive in your CT Volumes store in Proxmox (which is typically located under <code>/var/lib/vz/template/cache/</code>)

	=== Step 2: Create the container ===		=== Step 2: Create the container ===
Line 19:		Line 19:
	\| lang = terminal		\| lang = terminal
	}}		}}
	Open PVE and adjust the size of the storage if desired (it defaults to 4GB which may not be enough). You may also want to change the other resource allocations ~~now~~.		Open PVE and enable nesting. This is required by Nix. Not enabling nesting would cause the nix-daemon to have issues remounting <code>/nix/store</code> or setting up namespaces.

			You may optionally adjust the size of the storage if desired (it defaults to 4GB which may not be enough). You may also want to change the other resource allocations before starting the container.

	=== Step 3: Start the container and configure it ===		=== Step 3: Start the container and configure it ===
Line 34:		Line 36:
	\| lang = terminal		\| lang = terminal
	}}		}}
	That's better! Next, we'll fix the blank console. Edit the <code>/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</code> such that the getty on tty1 works. Add in the following lines to configuration.nix:		That's better! Next, we'll fix the blank console. Edit the <code>/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</code> such that the getty on tty1 works. Add in the following lines to <code>configuration.nix</code>:
	{{Highlight		{{Highlight
	\| code = # Supress systemd units that don't work because of LXC		\| code = # Supress systemd units that don't work because of LXC
Line 57:		Line 59:
	}}		}}
	Then run <code>nixos-rebuild switch</code> to update.		Then run <code>nixos-rebuild switch</code> to update.

			== Troubleshooting ==

			=== Trouble with nix-channel --update ===
			If you did not nesting in the CT options, you will get: <code>unexpected Nix daemon error: error: remounting /nix/store writable: Permission denied</code>.

Leo: Created page with "This page will go over how you can set up and run NixOS in LXC on Proxmox. The instructions here are based on the following resources: * https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Proxmox_Linux_Container * https://blog.xirion.net/posts/nixos-proxmox-lxc/ == Guide == === Step 1: Obtain the container tarball === Find and download a recently generated NixOS container tarball from https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixos/trunk-combined/nixos.containerTarball.x86_64-linux. Place the .tar.xz archi..."

2023-07-13T04:05:09Z

Created page with "This page will go over how you can set up and run NixOS in LXC on Proxmox. The instructions here are based on the following resources: * https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Proxmox_Linux_Container * https://blog.xirion.net/posts/nixos-proxmox-lxc/ == Guide == === Step 1: Obtain the container tarball === Find and download a recently generated NixOS container tarball from https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixos/trunk-combined/nixos.containerTarball.x86_64-linux. Place the .tar.xz archi..."

New page

This page will go over how you can set up and run NixOS in LXC on Proxmox.

The instructions here are based on the following resources:

* https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Proxmox_Linux_Container
* https://blog.xirion.net/posts/nixos-proxmox-lxc/

== Guide ==

=== Step 1: Obtain the container tarball ===
Find and download a recently generated NixOS container tarball from https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixos/trunk-combined/nixos.containerTarball.x86_64-linux. Place the .tar.xz archive in your CT Volumes store in Proxmox (which is typically located under <code>/var/lib/vz/template/cache/</code>)

=== Step 2: Create the container ===
In Proxmox shell, create the container with the following command:
{{Highlight
| code = # pct create 300 --arch amd64 --description nixos --ostype unmanaged \
--net0 name=eth0 --storage local-lvm --unprivileged 1 \
local:vztmpl/nixos-system-x86_64-linux.tar.xz
| lang = terminal
}}
Open PVE and adjust the size of the storage if desired (it defaults to 4GB which may not be enough). You may also want to change the other resource allocations now.

=== Step 3: Start the container and configure it ===
Start the CT. The console will be blank. We'll fix this shortly. However, to connect to our container in the current state, we'll have to use the Proxmox shell and run:
{{Highlight
| code = # lxc-attach --name 300
| lang = terminal
}}
Note that because we dropped into the container without any of the environment variables set, nothing other than your shell will work. To fix this, update your path with the NixOS bin path and start bash:
{{Highlight
| code = sh-5.2# PATH=$PATH:/run/current-system/sw/bin/
sh-5.2# bash
[root@nixos:~]#
| lang = terminal
}}
That's better! Next, we'll fix the blank console. Edit the <code>/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</code> such that the getty on tty1 works. Add in the following lines to configuration.nix:
{{Highlight
| code = # Supress systemd units that don't work because of LXC
systemd.suppressedSystemUnits = [
"dev-mqueue.mount"
"sys-kernel-debug.mount"
"sys-fs-fuse-connections.mount"
];

# start tty0 on serial console
systemd.services."getty@tty1" = {
enable = lib.mkForce true;
wantedBy = [ "getty.target" ]; # to start at boot
serviceConfig.Restart = "always"; # restart when session is closed
};

environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
vim # Do not forget to add an editor to edit configuration.nix! The Nano editor is also installed by default.
binutils
];
| lang = text
}}
Then run <code>nixos-rebuild switch</code> to update.