Nixos installer fails with nix-build: Input/output error

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1

I am installing nixos using the gnome graphical installer (23.11). I have a Thinkpad x395 AMD laptop. I used to have an Arch and Windows dual boot, but i’m interested in erasing the disk and installing nixos.

The installer hits ~40% and crashes with the following error log: termbin.com/blbw

"nixos-install: /run/current-system/sw/bin/nixos-install: line 168: /run/current-system/sw/bin/nix-build: Input/output error"

Something I found odd: from reboot, the installer suggests autoformatting, but when it errors and I open the installer again, i only have the option to manual partition. Manually setting the /boot and / mountpoints leads to the same error as above.

The same “nix-build: Input/output error” appears when I call nix-rebuild switch from the live usb terminal. The configuration is just

{ config, pkgs, ... }:

{
  imports = [ <nixpkgs/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-calamares-gnome.nix> ];
}

Also, just calling nix-build with no arguments results in bash: /run/current-system/sw/bin/nix-build: Input/output error. All nix specific commands do the same.

Any ideas for what could be going wrong?

2

Is it possible your installation media is corrupt or going bad? Alternatively is it possible your drive is going bad?

3

You can probably check for evidence of that in either dmesg or journctl -r.

4

Solved. I think the issue was probably an incomplete flash of the iso.

5

Can you mark the thread as solved with your last post ?

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