diskoImageScript: improve documentation for testing inside a VM

docs/disko-images.md

@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 # Generating Disk Images with Secrets Included using Disko
 
-Using Disko on NixOS allows you to efficiently create `.raw` VM images from a
-system configuration. The generated image can be used as a VM or directly
-written to a physical drive to create a bootable disk. Follow the steps below to
-generate disk images:
+Using Disko on NixOS allows you to efficiently create `.raw` disk images from a system configuration.
+Follow the steps below to generate disk images:
 
-## Generating the `.raw` VM Image
+## Generating the `.raw` Image
 
 1. **Create a NixOS configuration that includes the disko and the disk
    configuration of your choice**
@@ -24,16 +22,29 @@ In the this example we create a flake containing a nixos configuration for
     disko.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
   };
 
-  outputs = { self, disko, nixpkgs }: {
+  outputs = { self, disko, nixpkgs, ... }: {
     nixosConfigurations.myhost = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
       system = "x86_64-linux";
       modules = [
         # You can get this file from here: https://github.com/nix-community/disko/blob/master/example/simple-efi.nix
         ./simple-efi.nix
         disko.nixosModules.disko
-        ({ config, ... }: {
+        ({ config, modulesPath, ... }: {
+          imports = [
+            # include this line to boot to boot the image inside a VM
+            # "${modulesPath}/profiles/qemu-guest.nix"
+            # On other hardware, you may need a hardware-configuration.nix as generated by nixos-generate-config or use nixos-facter (https://github.com/numtide/nixos-facter)
+            # ./hardware-configuration.nix
+          ];
+
+          # Optional. Useful for testing
+          # users.users.root.initialPassword = "root";
+
+          boot.loader.grub.efiSupport = lib.mkDefault true;
+          boot.loader.grub.efiInstallAsRemovable = lib.mkDefault true;
+
           # shut up state version warning
-          system.stateVersion = config.system.nixos.version;
+          system.stateVersion = config.system.nixos.release;
           # Adjust this to your liking.
           # WARNING: if you set a too low value the image might be not big enough to contain the nixos installation
           disko.devices.disk.main.imageSize = "10G";
@@ -141,3 +152,58 @@ In the this example we create a flake containing a nixos configuration for
 
 By following these instructions and understanding the process, you can smoothly
 generate disk images with Disko for your NixOS system configurations.
+
+## Test the image inside a VM
+
+Make sure you uncommented the `"${modulesPath}/profiles/qemu-guest.nix"` import in the example above!
+
+Write the following script to `qemu.nix`. Note that it expects an UEFI compatible image!
+
+```
+with import <nixpkgs> {};
+
+writeShellApplication {
+  name = "test-image";
+  runtimeInputs = [ qemu ];
+  text = ''
+    if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+      echo "Usage: $0 <path-to-boot-image>"
+      exit 1
+    fi
+    tmpFile=$(mktemp /tmp/test-image.XXXXXX)
+    trap 'rm -f $tmpFile' EXIT
+    cp "$1" "$tmpFile"
+    qemu-system-x86_64 \
+      -enable-kvm \
+      -m 2G \
+      -cpu max \
+      -smp 2 \
+      -netdev user,id=net0,hostfwd=tcp::2222-:22 \
+      -device virtio-net-pci,netdev=net0 \
+      -drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly=on,file=${OVMF.firmware} \
+      -drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly=on,file=${OVMF.variables} \
+      -drive "if=virtio,format=raw,file=$tmpFile"
+  '';
+}
+```
+
+This command will run a qemu vm with your image:
+
+```
+$(nix-build ./qemu.nix)/bin/test-image ./main.raw
+```
+
+Replace `main.raw` with the image that you build!
+
+Tip: You can customize memory (`-m` flag) or cpu (`-smp` flag) available to the VM to your liking.
+
+## Build the image inside the nix sandbox
+
+Instead of the diskoImagesScript, we can also build the image inside the nix store.
+This approach is slower because it requires copying the image after the build and
+we also don't have a secure way to embed secrets this way.
+
+```
+nix build .#nixosConfigurations.myhost.config.system.build.diskoImages
+ls -a ./result/main.raw
+```

lib/make-disk-image.nix

@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ let
 
   installer = lib.optionalString cfg.copyNixStore ''
     ${binfmtSetup}
+    unset NIX_REMOTE
     # populate nix db, so nixos-install doesn't complain
     export NIX_STATE_DIR=${systemToInstall.config.disko.rootMountPoint}/nix/var/nix
     nix-store --load-db < "${closureInfo}/registration"