Consolidate CI on codex-maintenance.sh; clean up dead scripts and docs

Both check-nixos.yml workflows (GitHub + Gitea) now call
scripts/codex-maintenance.sh instead of a hand-rolled eval-only loop,
closing a real gap: CI previously enforced none of the secret grep,
nixpkgs-fmt, or statix checks that codex-maintenance.sh already runs
locally — nothing was stopping that from regressing. One script now
backs both, instead of two copies that can drift from each other.

codex-maintenance.sh itself is extended to cover buildable surface
that wasn't validated anywhere before: packages.x86_64-linux.*, plus
config.system.build.tarball (lxc-* hosts) and
config.system.build.diskoImagesScript (proxmox-*, excluding the
installer's own proxmox-lxc target, which has no disko config).

Also:
- scripts/prepare-host-key.sh: dropped the redundant
  [path-to-nixos-repo] parameter — it always defaults to the repo the
  script itself lives in now, so a second argument never made sense
  after the nix-auto-installer migration.
- Removed prepare.sh (dead pre-disko manual parted/mkfs/mkswap
  partitioning, fully superseded) and
  scripts/create-linode-installer-disk.sh (incomplete draft for an
  abandoned dd-via-rescue-mode approach; Linode hosts already deploy
  fine through the normal auto-installer flow).
- docs/pxe-boot.md: fixed a stale `nixosConfigurations.pxe-boot` eval
  command (pre-refactor flat name, not a real flake attribute
  anymore) and added a cross-reference to docs/auto-installer.md.
- CLAUDE.md/README.md: full documentation pass reconciling this
  session's changes — modules/installer/, modules/pxe-boot/, the
  LXC/Proxmox image-building deployment paths, corrected the
  password-hash/SSH-key locations in the safety-rules section (both
  had drifted to reference files/paths that no longer exist), and
  added session-workflow guidance to prefer targeted host evals over
  full-repo sweeps for incremental changes (explicitly scoped to
  interactive sessions, not CI).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01La55Nsss8jZ7ZuzUV9mfot

.gitea/workflows/check-nixos.yml

@@ -17,13 +17,5 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install Nix
         uses: DeterminateSystems/nix-installer-action@v19
 
-      - name: Evaluate all NixOS hosts
-        run: |
-          set -euo pipefail
-          hosts="$(nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' eval --json \
-            .#nixosConfigurations --apply builtins.attrNames | jq -r '.[]')"
-          for host in $hosts; do
-            echo "Evaluating ${host}"
-            nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' eval \
-              ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.toplevel.drvPath" --raw
-          done
+      - name: Run maintenance checks (secrets, fmt, lint, eval)
+        run: bash scripts/codex-maintenance.sh

.github/workflows/check-nixos.yml

@@ -17,13 +17,5 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install Nix
         uses: DeterminateSystems/nix-installer-action@v19
 
-      - name: Evaluate all NixOS hosts
-        run: |
-          set -euo pipefail
-          hosts="$(nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' eval --json \
-            .#nixosConfigurations --apply builtins.attrNames | jq -r '.[]')"
-          for host in $hosts; do
-            echo "Evaluating ${host}"
-            nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' eval \
-              ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.toplevel.drvPath" --raw
-          done
+      - name: Run maintenance checks (secrets, fmt, lint, eval)
+        run: bash scripts/codex-maintenance.sh

CLAUDE.md

@@ -17,11 +17,19 @@ machines when deployed.
 - Validation is limited to evaluation, linting, formatting checks, and
   `nix build --dry-run --no-link`.
 - Do not add secrets, tokens, private keys, or new password hashes to the repo.
-- This repo currently contains **committed password hashes** (e.g.
-  `prepare.sh`, `hosts/nixos/configuration.nix`) and SSH public keys (e.g.
-  `modules/nix-cache/server.nix`). The hashes are known tech debt — do not use
-  them as a template for new hosts, and flag any *new* secret-like string you
-  encounter instead of committing it.
+- This repo currently contains **committed password hashes** in
+  `modules/installer/common.nix` (the auto-installer's own root/nixos login —
+  a deliberate, documented choice, see `docs/auto-installer.md`, not
+  accidental tech debt) and **SSH public keys** in `variables.nix`
+  (`vars.adminSshKey`, `vars.remoteBuilderAuthorizedKeys`) plus a couple of
+  per-host `KEY` values for beszel-agent auth (`hosts/server/host.nix`,
+  `hosts/nix-cache/host.nix`). Don't use the installer's hardcoded hash as a
+  template for a *real* host — every other host uses sops-nix
+  (`hashedPasswordFile`, see "Security Notes" in `README.md`). Flag any *new*
+  secret-like string you encounter instead of committing it.
+- `host-keys/` is gitignored — locally-generated *private* SSH host keys for
+  the auto-installer (see `docs/auto-installer.md`). Never commit its
+  contents; if `git status` ever shows it as trackable, something is wrong.
 
 ## Commands
 
@@ -50,6 +58,18 @@ maintenance script pulls them via `nix run github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-25.11#<too
 There is no test suite — "correctness" here means the flake evaluates and
 `nixpkgs-fmt`/`statix` are clean.
 
+**In an interactive agent session**, prefer targeted checks over full-repo
+sweeps: after editing one or two hosts/modules, evaluate just the
+`nixosConfigurations.<host>` you touched (plus any `config.system.build.tarball`
+/`diskoImagesScript`/package output affected) rather than looping over every
+host — `codex-maintenance.sh` evaluates 19 hosts plus every package/tarball/
+image variant now and is slow to run after each small change. Reserve a full
+`codex-maintenance.sh` run for changes that plausibly affect every host
+(`modules/common/*`, `flake.nix`, `variables.nix`) or as a final check before
+committing. This is a session-workflow preference only — it does not apply to
+CI, which should keep running the full script on every push/PR regardless of
+diff size; that's the point of it.
+
 ## Architecture
 
 `flake.nix` is the single entry point. It generates one
@@ -93,7 +113,10 @@ removing a host.
   hardware config, imported directly by the platform module itself
   (`../hardware-configuration/vm/{proxmox,linode}.nix`) — **not** wired in
   from `flake.nix`. `lxc.nix` has no hardware-configuration counterpart since
-  containers share the host kernel.
+  containers share the host kernel; instead it imports nixpkgs' own
+  `virtualisation/proxmox-lxc.nix`, which gives every `lxc-*` host a
+  `config.system.build.tarball` output (`pct restore`-ready, no install step
+  — see `docs/auto-installer.md`).
 - `modules/build-types/*.nix` — what a system is for:
   minimal/server/docker/gui/pxe-boot/nix-cache.
 - `modules/common/configuration.nix` — base NixOS config imported by every
@@ -102,8 +125,19 @@ removing a host.
   the `nixos` user; the `nixos` workstation (`gui` build type) has its own,
   other hosts share `modules/common/home.nix`.
 - `modules/disko/proxmox.nix` — declarative disk layout (GPT: ESP + swap +
-  ext4 root) via disko, used by all Proxmox-VM hosts.
+  ext4 root) via disko, used by all Proxmox-VM hosts (`proxmox-*`, not
+  `lxc-*`). Also carries `imageSize`/`imageName`, letting every `proxmox-*`
+  host be built as a standalone, `qm importdisk`-ready `.raw` image with no
+  install step — see `docs/proxmox-images.md`.
 - `modules/boot/efi.nix` — systemd-boot + EFI vars, paired with the disko module.
+- `modules/installer/` — the auto-installer environment (ISO/netboot/Proxmox
+  LXC): `common.nix` (shared config + the generated `auto-install.sh`),
+  `iso.nix`/`proxmox-lxc.nix` (per-variant), `host-keys.nix` (optionally
+  bakes `host-keys/` into the image under `--impure`). See
+  `docs/auto-installer.md`.
+- `modules/pxe-boot/stage-installer-artifacts.nix` — builds the installer's
+  netboot image and stages it on the `pxe-boot` host so its iPXE menu can
+  chain straight to it. See `docs/pxe-boot.md`.
 - `modules/nix-cache/{client,server,remote-builder-client}.nix` — binary cache
   substituter + SSH remote-builder wiring; see `docs/nix-cache.md` for the
   full design (per-host local stores, no shared `/nix/store`, and how the
@@ -129,6 +163,12 @@ duplicating config.
   handling.
 - `docs/pxe-boot.md` — the `pxe-boot` host's iPXE/TFTP/HTTP boot chain and
   directory layout under `/srv/pxe`.
+- `docs/auto-installer.md` — the installer environment (ISO/netboot/Proxmox
+  LXC), `host-keys/` and the sops-nix pre-seeding problem it solves, and why
+  `lxc-*` hosts are deliberately excluded from its menu.
+- `docs/proxmox-images.md` — building `proxmox-*` hosts as standalone `.raw`
+  disk images (disko's image builder) instead of installing, and deploying
+  the result to Proxmox.
 - `docs/flake-lock-automation.md` — how `flake.lock` updates flow through CI
   (scheduled `nix flake update` PR + host-eval-on-PR workflow) and why hosts
   should track the committed lock file rather than `nixos-rebuild --upgrade-all`.

README.md

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ nix eval --json .#nixosConfigurations --apply builtins.attrNames | jq -r '.[]'
 | `modules/nix-cache/` | Binary cache and remote builder client/server modules |
 | `modules/installer/` | Auto-installer environment (ISO/netboot/Proxmox LXC) — see `docs/auto-installer.md` |
 | `host-keys/` | Gitignored, locally-generated SSH host keys for the auto-installer — see `docs/auto-installer.md` |
-| `docs/` | Operational notes for cache, builders, lock updates, boot services, and the auto-installer |
+| `docs/` | Operational notes for cache, builders, lock updates, boot services, the auto-installer, and Proxmox image builds |
 | `scripts/` | Codex setup, validation, and host-key-prep helpers |
 
 ## Validation
@@ -87,6 +87,20 @@ review sessions.
   client hosts.
 - `pxe-boot` serves iPXE boot files over HTTP from `/srv/pxe`.
 
+### Deploying a new host
+
+Three different paths depending on target, none of them involving a manual
+`nixos-rebuild switch` from this repo:
+
+- Most hosts: boot the auto-installer, pick the target from its menu — see
+  `docs/auto-installer.md`.
+- `lxc-*` targets: not installed at all — build a ready-to-run container
+  tarball and `pct restore` it directly. `docs/auto-installer.md` covers why
+  (and the installer's menu excludes them for the same reason).
+- `proxmox-*` targets: can alternatively be built as a standalone `.raw`
+  disk image and attached to a new VM with no install step — see
+  `docs/proxmox-images.md`.
+
 ## Security Notes
 
 Do not commit tokens, private keys, live credentials, or new password hashes
@@ -107,6 +121,13 @@ enabled via `git config core.hooksPath .githooks`, done automatically by
 `scripts/codex-setup.sh`) runs `gitleaks protect --staged` to catch mistakes
 before they're committed.
 
+The auto-installer environment is the one deliberate exception to
+sops-nix-everywhere: it has a hardcoded login password instead (no stable
+per-boot host key for sops-nix to derive from on ephemeral media) — see
+"Host keys" in `docs/auto-installer.md` for why, and how the private keys it
+*does* pre-seed for target hosts stay out of git via the gitignored
+`host-keys/` directory.
+
 This repository's git *history* still contains secrets committed before this
 migration (see `remove-sensetive-info-refactor.md`) — those are being
 scrubbed and rotated separately; don't treat the repo as safe to make public

docs/pxe-boot.md

@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 # pxe-boot
 
-The `pxe-boot` host serves HTTP boot assets for iPXE clients.
+The `pxe-boot` host serves HTTP boot assets for iPXE clients — including a
+self-staged copy of this flake's own auto-installer netboot image, see
+`docs/auto-installer.md` for what that image actually is and does once
+booted.
 
 ## Host Role
 
@@ -83,7 +86,7 @@ uses `archiso_http_srv` to fetch the squashfs payload over HTTP.
 Safe evaluation check:
 
 ```bash
-nix eval .#nixosConfigurations.pxe-boot.config.system.build.toplevel.drvPath --raw
+nix eval .#nixosConfigurations.proxmox-pxe-boot.config.system.build.toplevel.drvPath --raw
 ```
 
 After deployment by an operator, basic service checks are:

prepare.sh

@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-#create MBR table
-parted /dev/sda -- mklabel msdos
-#create nixos partition
-parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary 1MB -8GB
-#set nixos partition to bootable
-parted /dev/sda -- set 1 boot on
-# create swap partition
-parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary linux-swap -8GB 100%
-
-#format OS partition
-mkfs.ext4 -L nixos /dev/sda1
-#format swap
-mkswap -L swap /dev/sda2
-
-#activate swap
-swapon /dev/sda2
-
-#mount nixos partition
-mount /dev/disk/by-label/nixos /mnt
-export TMPDIR=/mnt/install-tmp
-mkdir -p /mnt/install-tmp
-#Generate config
-#nixos-generate-config --root /mnt/
-
-#copy customised configuration over
-#cp configuration.nix /mnt/etc/nixos/configuration.nix
-
-#nixos-install --no-root-passwd
-
-#reboot

scripts/codex-maintenance.sh

@@ -55,6 +55,33 @@ echo "Evaluating host toplevel derivations..."
 for host in $hosts; do
   echo "==> $host"
   nix eval --raw --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.toplevel.drvPath"
+
+  # lxc-* hosts deploy via a directly pct-restore-able tarball instead of
+  # nixos-install (see docs/auto-installer.md); proxmox-* hosts (excluding
+  # proxmox-lxc, the installer's own LXC target, which has no disko config)
+  # can alternatively be built as a standalone disk image (see
+  # docs/proxmox-images.md). Both are otherwise-unvalidated buildable
+  # surface, easy to silently break without this.
+  case "$host" in
+    lxc-*)
+      echo "==> $host (tarball)"
+      nix eval --raw --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.tarball.drvPath"
+      ;;
+    proxmox-lxc) ;;
+    proxmox-*)
+      echo "==> $host (diskoImagesScript)"
+      nix eval --raw --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.diskoImagesScript.drvPath"
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+echo
+echo "Evaluating buildable packages..."
+packages_json="$(nix eval --json --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config .#packages.x86_64-linux --apply builtins.attrNames)"
+packages="$(echo "$packages_json" | jq -r '.[]')"
+for pkg in $packages; do
+  echo "==> packages.x86_64-linux.${pkg}"
+  nix eval --raw --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#packages.x86_64-linux.${pkg}"
 done
 
 if [[ "$MODE" == "dry-run" ]]; then
@@ -63,6 +90,25 @@ if [[ "$MODE" == "dry-run" ]]; then
   for host in $hosts; do
     echo "==> Dry-run build: $host"
     nix build --dry-run --no-link --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.toplevel"
+
+    case "$host" in
+      lxc-*)
+        echo "==> Dry-run build: $host (tarball)"
+        nix build --dry-run --no-link --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.tarball"
+        ;;
+      proxmox-lxc) ;;
+      proxmox-*)
+        echo "==> Dry-run build: $host (diskoImagesScript)"
+        nix build --dry-run --no-link --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#nixosConfigurations.${host}.config.system.build.diskoImagesScript"
+        ;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  echo
+  echo "Running dry-run builds for all packages."
+  for pkg in $packages; do
+    echo "==> Dry-run build: packages.x86_64-linux.${pkg}"
+    nix build --dry-run --no-link --no-use-registries --no-accept-flake-config ".#packages.x86_64-linux.${pkg}"
   done
 fi
 

scripts/create-linode-installer-disk.sh

@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -euo pipefail
-
-#boot to rescue mode
-# set root password
-scp $RESULT_ISO root@$LINODE_IP:/tmp/nixos-auto.iso
-
-#in LISH or ssh to rescue mode
-dd if=/tmp/nixos.iso of=/dev/sda bs=4M status=progress conv=fsync

scripts/prepare-host-key.sh

@@ -20,12 +20,11 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 repo_root="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
 
-hostname="${1:?usage: scripts/prepare-host-key.sh <hostname> [path-to-nixos-repo]}"
-nixos_repo="${2:-$repo_root}"
-sops_yaml="${nixos_repo}/.sops.yaml"
+hostname="${1:?usage: scripts/prepare-host-key.sh <hostname>}"
+sops_yaml="${repo_root}/.sops.yaml"
 
 if [[ ! -f "$sops_yaml" ]]; then
-  echo "ERROR: $sops_yaml not found. Pass the nixos repo path as the 2nd argument." >&2
+  echo "ERROR: $sops_yaml not found — is this script still under nixos/scripts/?" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -55,7 +54,7 @@ Generated: ${keyfile}(.pub)
  nix-cache/server.)
 
 === 3. Re-encrypt every secrets file you just added it to ===
-  nix-shell -p sops --run 'sops updatekeys ${nixos_repo}/secrets/common.yaml'
+  nix-shell -p sops --run 'sops updatekeys ${repo_root}/secrets/common.yaml'
 
 === 4. Commit + push this repo so the flake build picks up the new recipient ===