How to produce a usable iso out of this repository?

[Guelakais]

I've tried to run:

nix-build -A isoGnome

which produced:

error: attribute 'isoGnome' in selection path 'isoGnome' not found

[samueldr]

You generally wouldn't... but I'm not saying you shouldn't.

To help us help you:

• can you explain the reasoning that led you to want to produce an iso?
• can you explain how you got to try nix-build -A isoGnome?
• can you detail the overall goal you are trying to achieve here?

[Guelakais]

• I thought the whole idea of Jovian-NIXOS is to install another operating system on the Steam deck. What else is it for? I'm a bit confused to be honest.
• I got it from here
• I am trying to generate a bootable iso image, which I then want to put on a USB stick. I want to have jovian os on my steam deck.

[samueldr]

Thanks, the questions might have seemed a bit abrupt, but they greatly help me help you.

---

Right, I understand the steps you have taken. Though the guide you followed is from January 3, 2023, a lot has changed since.

Jovian NixOS is a configuration that is meant to be composed on top of a NixOS system. As such, you would install NixOS as you would usually on another system, on the Steam Deck first. And then, the configuration can be imported in your system configuration to get the Steam OS experience.

See the getting started page.

At this point in time, using Jovian NixOS presupposes some level of experience with NixOS.

[Guelakais]

sudo nixos-rebuild switch does work now

[Vonixxx]

I do it this way:

I have a configuration specifically for ISOs.

You can generate one for either a Vanilla desktop or a SteamDeck. You do this by using this command: nix build .#nixosConfigurations.{Vanilla or SteamDeck}.config.system.build.isoImage

This ISO has a builtin shell script, launched by entering start in the shell, which installs the actual system, on the disk you point the setup to.

This is mainly meant for me and acquaintances, however it is very modular.