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diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi index 688b5e3d34..7187f76936 100644 --- a/doc/guix.texi +++ b/doc/guix.texi @@ -126,6 +126,11 @@ GNU Guix is available for download from its website at software requirements of Guix, as well as how to install it and get ready to use it. +Note that this section is concerned with the installation of the package +manager, which can be done on top of a running GNU/Linux system. If, +instead, you want to install the complete GNU operating system, +@ref{System Installation}. + The build procedure for Guix is the same as for other GNU software, and is not covered here. Please see the files @file{README} and @file{INSTALL} in the Guix source tree for additional details. @@ -2598,6 +2603,7 @@ For information on porting to other architectures or kernels, @xref{Porting}. @menu +* System Installation:: Installing the whole operating system. * Installing Debugging Files:: Feeding the debugger. * Package Modules:: Packages from the programmer's viewpoint. * Packaging Guidelines:: Growing the distribution. @@ -2609,6 +2615,172 @@ For information on porting to other architectures or kernels, Building this distribution is a cooperative effort, and you are invited to join! @ref{Contributing}, for information about how you can help. +@node System Installation +@section System Installation + +This section explains how to install the complete GNU operating system +on a machine. The Guix package manager can also be installed on top of +a running GNU/Linux system, @ref{Installation}. + +@ifinfo +@c This paragraph is for people reading this from tty2 of the +@c installation image. +You're reading this documentation with an Info reader. For details on +how to use it, hit the @key{RET} key (``return'' or ``enter'') on the +link that follows: @ref{Help,,, info, Info: An Introduction}. Hit +@kbd{l} afterwards to come back here. +@end ifinfo + +@emph{This section documents work-in-progress. The system lacks +features and may be buggy. You've been warned. But more than a +disclaimer, this is an invitation to report issues (and success +stories!), and join us in improving it. @xref{Contributing}, for more +info.} + +@subsection USB Stick Installation + +An installation image for USB sticks can be downloaded from +@url{ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/gnu-usb-install-@value{VERSION}.@var{system}.xz}, +where @var{system} is one of: + +@table @code +@item x86_64-linux +for a GNU/Linux system on Intel/AMD-compatible 64-bit CPUs; + +@item i686-linux +for a 32-bit GNU/Linux system on Intel-compatible CPUs. +@end table + +This image contains a single partition with the tools necessary for an +installation. It is meant to be copied @emph{as is} to a large-enough +USB stick. + +To copy the image to a USB stick, follow these steps: + +@enumerate +@item +Decompress the image using the @command{xz} command: + +@example +xz -d gnu-usb-install-@value{VERSION}.@var{system}.xz +@end example + +@item +Insert a USB stick of 1@tie{}GiB or more in your machine, and determine +its device name. Assuming that USB stick is known as @file{/dev/sdX}, +copy the image with: + +@example +dd if=gnu-usb-install-20140629.x86_64 of=/dev/sdX +@end example + +Access to @file{/dev/sdX} usually requires root privileges. +@end enumerate + +Once this is done, you should be able to reboot the system and boot from +the USB stick. The latter usually requires you to get in the BIOS' boot +menu, where you can choose to boot from the USB stick. + +@subsection Preparing for Installation + +Once you have successfully booted the image on the USB stick, you should +end up with a root prompt. Several console TTYs are configured and can +be used to run commands as root. TTY2 shows this documentation, +browsable using the Info reader commands (@pxref{Help,,, info, Info: An +Introduction}). + +To install the system, you would: + +@enumerate + +@item +Configure the network, by running @command{dhclient eth0} (to get an +automatically assigned IP address from the wired network interface +controller), or using the @command{ifconfig} command. + +The system automatically loads drivers for your network interface +controllers. + +Setting up network access is almost always a requirement because the +image does not contain all the software and tools that may be needed. + +@item +Unless this has already been done, you must partition and format the +target partitions. + +The installation image includes Parted (@pxref{Overview,,, parted, GNU +Parted User Manual}), @command{fdisk}, and e2fsprogs, the suite of tools +to manipulate ext2/ext3/ext4 file systems. + +@end enumerate + +Once that is done, mount the target root partition under @file{/mnt}. + +@subsection Proceeding with the Installation + +With the target partitions ready, you now have to edit a file and +provide the declaration of the operating system to be installed. To +that end, the installation system comes with two text editors: GNU nano +(@pxref{Top,,, nano, GNU nano Manual}), and GNU Zile, an Emacs clone. +It is better to store that file on the target root file system, say, as +@file{/mnt/etc/config.scm}. + +A minimal operating system configuration, with just the bare minimum and +only a root account would look like this: + +@example +(use-modules (gnu)) + +(operating-system + (host-name "foo") + (timezone "Europe/Paris") + (locale "en_US.UTF-8") + + ;; Assuming /dev/sdX is the target hard disk, and /dev/sdX1 the + ;; target root file system. + (bootloader (grub-configuration (device "/dev/sdX"))) + (file-systems (list (file-system + (device "/dev/sdX1") + (mount-point "/") + (type "ext4"))))) +@end example + +@noindent +For more information on @code{operating-system} declarations, +@xref{Using the Configuration System}. + +Once that is done, the new system must be initialized (remember that the +target root file system is mounted under @file{/mnt}): + +@example +guix system init /mnt/etc/config.scm /mnt +@end example + +@noindent +This will copy all the necessary files, and install GRUB on +@file{/dev/sdX}, unless you pass the @option{--no-grub} option. For +more information, @xref{Invoking guix system}. This command may trigger +downloads or builds of missing packages, which can take some time. + +Once that command has completed---and hopefully succeeded!---you can +unmount @file{/mnt} and boot into the new system. Cross fingers, and +join us on @code{#guix} on the Freenode IRC network or on +@file{guix-devel@@gnu.org} to share your experience---good or not so +good. + +@subsection Building the Installation Image + +The installation image described above was built using the @command{guix +system} command, specifically: + +@example +guix system disk-image --image-size=800MiB gnu/system/install.scm +@end example + +@xref{Invoking guix system}, for more information. See +@file{gnu/system/install.scm} in the source tree for more information +about the installation image. + @node Installing Debugging Files @section Installing Debugging Files @@ -3079,10 +3251,6 @@ reason. @node System Configuration @section System Configuration -@emph{This section documents work-in-progress. As such it may be -incomplete, outdated, or open to discussions. Please discuss it on -@email{guix-devel@@gnu.org}.} - @cindex system configuration The GNU system supports a consistent whole-system configuration mechanism. By that we mean that all aspects of the global system |