nixos-install: add options --closure, --no-channel-copy, --no-root-passwd, and --no-bootloader

Closes #17236

nix-build -A tests.installer.simple '<nixos/release.nix>' succeeds ✓

1 files changed, 30 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-install.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-install.xml
index 7ad1be1ec105..15c603256ca7 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-install.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-install.xml
@@ -26,6 +26,19 @@
       <replaceable>root</replaceable>
     </arg>
     <arg>
+      <arg choice='plain'><option>--closure</option></arg>
+      <replaceable>closure</replaceable>
+    </arg>
+    <arg>
+      <arg choice='plain'><option>--no-channel-copy</option></arg>
+    </arg>
+    <arg>
+      <arg choice='plain'><option>--no-root-passwd</option></arg>
+    </arg>
+    <arg>
+      <arg choice='plain'><option>--no-bootloader</option></arg>
+    </arg>
+    <arg>
       <group choice='req'>
         <arg choice='plain'><option>--max-jobs</option></arg>
         <arg choice='plain'><option>-j</option></arg>
@@ -71,12 +84,13 @@ the following steps:
   <filename>/mnt/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</filename>.</para></listitem>
 
   <listitem><para>It installs the GRUB boot loader on the device
-  specified in the option <option>boot.loader.grub.device</option>,
+  specified in the option <option>boot.loader.grub.device</option>
+  (unless <option>--no-bootloader</option> is specified),
   and generates a GRUB configuration file that boots into the NixOS
   configuration just installed.</para></listitem>
 
-  <listitem><para>It prompts you for a password for the root
-  account.</para></listitem>
+  <listitem><para>It prompts you for a password for the root account
+  (unless <option>--no-root-passwd</option> is specified).</para></listitem>
 
 </itemizedlist>
 
@@ -104,6 +118,19 @@ it.</para>
   </varlistentry>
 
   <varlistentry>
+    <term><option>--closure</option></term>
+    <listitem>
+      <para>If this option is provided, <command>nixos-install</command> will install the specified closure
+      rather than attempt to build one from <filename>/mnt/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</filename>.</para>
+
+      <para>The closure must be an appropriately configured NixOS system, with boot loader and partition
+      configuration that fits the target host. Such a closure is typically obtained with a command such as
+      <command>nix-build -I nixos-config=./configuration.nix '&lt;nixos&gt;' -A system --no-out-link</command>
+      </para>
+    </listitem>
+  </varlistentry>
+
+  <varlistentry>
     <term><option>-I</option></term>
     <listitem>
       <para>Add a path to the Nix expression search path. This option may be given multiple times.