Install on existing system fails with "sudo: nix: command not found" #35

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opened 2024-08-24 22:40:51 +00:00 by libanp · 1 comment

libanp commented

2024-08-24 22:40:51 +00:00

Distro: Bluefin (Fedora Linux 40.20240817.0 (Silverblue))
Original nix install method: Determinate systems installer

When trying to follow the instructions for converting an existing system at https://lix.systems/install/, the command fails with: sudo: nix: command not found.

The command did run successfully when adding env before nix run:

sudo --preserve-env=PATH env nix run \
    --experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
    --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o=" \
    'git+https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix?ref=refs/tags/2.91.0' -- \
    upgrade-nix \
    --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o="

I'm not sure why --preserve-env=PATH doesn't work for me on its own.

**Distro:** Bluefin (Fedora Linux 40.20240817.0 (Silverblue)) **Original nix install method:** Determinate systems installer When trying to follow the instructions for converting an existing system at https://lix.systems/install/, the command fails with: `sudo: nix: command not found`. The command did run successfully when adding `env` before `nix run`: ``` sudo --preserve-env=PATH env nix run \ --experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \ --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o=" \ 'git+https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix?ref=refs/tags/2.91.0' -- \ upgrade-nix \ --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o=" ``` I'm not sure why `--preserve-env=PATH` doesn't work for me on its own.

lawcho commented

2025-08-05 12:01:45 +00:00

I encountered this error too, on Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS (Sudo version 1.9.15p5)

Hardcoding the path to nix was not enough, that just changed the error to

error: couldn't figure out how Nix is installed, so I can't upgrade it

I managed to avoid both errors by adapting this answer from the NixOS discourse to use Lix's arguments

i.e. by running the command inside a sudo -i shell:

$ sudo -i
# nix run \
     --experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
     --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o=" \
     'git+https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix?ref=refs/tags/2.93.3' -- \
     upgrade-nix \
     --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o="

I encountered this error too, on Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS (Sudo version 1.9.15p5) Hardcoding the path to `nix` was not enough, that just changed the error to ``` error: couldn't figure out how Nix is installed, so I can't upgrade it ``` I managed to avoid both errors by adapting this [answer from the NixOS discourse] to use [Lix's arguments] [answer from the NixOs discourse]: https://discourse.nixos.org/t/cant-upgrade-multiuser-nix-installation/8401/2 [Lix's arguments]: https://lix.systems/install/#existing-installs i.e. by running the command inside a `sudo -i` shell: ```console $ sudo -i # nix run \ --experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \ --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o=" \ 'git+https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix?ref=refs/tags/2.93.3' -- \ upgrade-nix \ --extra-substituters https://cache.lix.systems --extra-trusted-public-keys "cache.lix.systems:aBnZUw8zA7H35Cz2RyKFVs3H4PlGTLawyY5KRbvJR8o=" ```

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Reference: lix-project/lix-website#35

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