Nix installation error. Now trying to install from tarball and can't find the tarball download.

[g-evan-c]

Platform

MacOS

Additional information

Tried to reinstall nix after MacOS update (due to nix not working correctly after MacOS updates).

Got multiple errors and attempted to resolve them, now from this output I did some research and my final option is to use the tarball, but I have been unable to find a download to the tarball on GitHub or the Nix website (assuming that I must download it).

I find it interesting that Nix says this:
3. Create the system users (uids [351..382]) and groups (gid 30000) that the Nix daemon uses to run builds. To create system users
in a different range, exit and run this tool again with NIX_FIRST_BUILD_UID set.

But then proceeds to get confused at UID 305, before the bracket is stated. This tells me that maybe editing the tarball like I intend will not solve the problem, but I'm not sure.

Output

Output

user executed: 
curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh

output:
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
  0     0    0     0    0     0      0      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--     0
100  4267  100  4267    0     0   7512      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--  7512
downloading Nix 2.26.1 binary tarball for aarch64-darwin from 'https://releases.nixos.org/nix/nix-2.26.1/nix-2.26.1-aarch64-darwin.tar.xz' to '/var/folders/rj/gjryz5z16_l91m550wvzmcvm0000gn/T/nix-binary-tarball-unpack.XXXXXXXXXX.cPd4bmGQyj'...
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100 26.2M  100 26.2M    0     0  8042k      0  0:00:03  0:00:03 --:--:-- 8041k
Switching to the Multi-user Installer
Welcome to the Multi-User Nix Installation

This installation tool will set up your computer with the Nix package
manager. This will happen in a few stages:

1. Make sure your computer doesn't already have Nix. If it does, I
   will show you instructions on how to clean up your old install.

2. Show you what I am going to install and where. Then I will ask
   if you are ready to continue.

3. Create the system users (uids [351..382]) and groups (gid 30000)
   that the Nix daemon uses to run builds. To create system users
   in a different range, exit and run this tool again with
   NIX_FIRST_BUILD_UID set.

4. Perform the basic installation of the Nix files daemon.

5. Configure your shell to import special Nix Profile files, so you
   can use Nix.

6. Start the Nix daemon.

Would you like to see a more detailed list of what I will do?
No TTY, assuming you would say yes :)

I will:

 - make sure your computer doesn't already have Nix files
   (if it does, I will tell you how to clean them up.)
 - create local users (see the list above for the users I'll make)
 - create a local group (nixbld)
 - install Nix in /nix
 - create a configuration file in /etc/nix
 - set up the "default profile" by creating some Nix-related files in
   /var/root
 - back up /etc/bashrc to /etc/bashrc.backup-before-nix
 - update /etc/bashrc to include some Nix configuration
 - back up /etc/zshrc to /etc/zshrc.backup-before-nix
 - update /etc/zshrc to include some Nix configuration
 - back up /etc/bash.bashrc to /etc/bash.bashrc.backup-before-nix
 - update /etc/bash.bashrc to include some Nix configuration
 - create a Nix volume and a LaunchDaemon to mount it
 - create a LaunchDaemon (at /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.nixos.nix-daemon.plist) for nix-daemon

Ready to continue?
No TTY, assuming you would say yes :)

---- let's talk about sudo -----------------------------------------------------
This script is going to call sudo a lot. Normally, it would show you
exactly what commands it is running and why. However, the script is
run in a headless fashion, like this:

  $ curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh

or maybe in a CI pipeline. Because of that, I'm going to skip the
verbose output in the interest of brevity.

If you would like to
see the output, try like this:

  $ curl -L -o install-nix https://nixos.org/nix/install
  $ sh ./install-nix


~~> Fixing any leftover Nix volume state
Before I try to install, I'll check for any existing Nix volume config
and ask for your permission to remove it (so that the installer can
start fresh). I'll also ask for permission to fix any issues I spot.

---- Found existing Nix volume -------------------------------------------------
  special:	disk3s7
     uuid:	EDED40EC-F1D0-4846-B7A9-8564B512F1B8
encrypted:	no

During install, I add 'nix' to /etc/synthetic.conf, which instructs
macOS to create an empty root directory for mounting the Nix volume.
Can I remove /etc/synthetic.conf?
No TTY, assuming you would say yes :)
Password:
During install, I add '/nix' to /etc/fstab so that macOS knows what
mount options to use for the Nix volume.
Can I remove /etc/fstab?
No TTY, assuming you would say yes :)

The installer adds a LaunchDaemon to mount your Nix volume: org.nixos.darwin-store
Can I remove it?
No TTY, assuming you would say yes :)

~~> Checking for artifacts of previous installs
Before I try to install, I'll check for signs Nix already is or has
been installed on this system.

---- Nix config report ---------------------------------------------------------
        Temp Dir:	/var/folders/rj/gjryz5z16_l91m550wvzmcvm0000gn/T/tmp.Wn2QB3GKZJ
        Nix Root:	/nix
     Build Users:	32
  Build Group ID:	30000
Build Group Name:	nixbld

build users:
    Username:	UID
     _nixbld1:	351
     _nixbld2:	352
     _nixbld3:	353
     _nixbld4:	354
     _nixbld5:	355
     _nixbld6:	356
     _nixbld7:	357
     _nixbld8:	358
     _nixbld9:	359
     _nixbld10:	360
     _nixbld11:	361
     _nixbld12:	362
     _nixbld13:	363
     _nixbld14:	364
     _nixbld15:	365
     _nixbld16:	366
     _nixbld17:	367
     _nixbld18:	368
     _nixbld19:	369
     _nixbld20:	370
     _nixbld21:	371
     _nixbld22:	372
     _nixbld23:	373
     _nixbld24:	374
     _nixbld25:	375
     _nixbld26:	376
     _nixbld27:	377
     _nixbld28:	378
     _nixbld29:	379
     _nixbld30:	380
     _nixbld31:	381
     _nixbld32:	382

Ready to continue?
No TTY, assuming you would say yes :)

---- Preparing a Nix volume ----------------------------------------------------
    Nix traditionally stores its data in the root directory /nix, but
    macOS now (starting in 10.15 Catalina) has a read-only root directory.
    To support Nix, I will create a volume and configure macOS to mount it
    at /nix.

~~> Configuring /etc/synthetic.conf to make a mount-point at /nix

~~> Creating a Nix volume
Volume Nix Store on disk3s7 force-unmounted

~~> Configuring /etc/fstab to specify volume mount options

~~> Configuring LaunchDaemon to mount 'Nix Store'

~~> Setting up the build group nixbld
            Exists:	Yes

~~> Setting up the build user _nixbld1
            Exists:	Yes
            Hidden:	Yes
    Home Directory:	/var/empty
              Note:	Nix build user 1
   Logins Disabled:	Yes
  Member of nixbld:	Yes
    PrimaryGroupID:	30000

~~> Setting up the build user _nixbld2
            Exists:	Yes
            Hidden:	Yes
    Home Directory:	/var/empty
              Note:	Nix build user 2
   Logins Disabled:	Yes
  Member of nixbld:	Yes
    PrimaryGroupID:	30000

~~> Setting up the build user _nixbld3
            Exists:	Yes
            Hidden:	Yes
    Home Directory:	/var/empty
              Note:	Nix build user 3
   Logins Disabled:	Yes
  Member of nixbld:	Yes
    PrimaryGroupID:	30000

~~> Setting up the build user _nixbld4
            Exists:	Yes
            Hidden:	Yes
    Home Directory:	/var/empty
              Note:	Nix build user 4
   Logins Disabled:	Yes
  Member of nixbld:	Yes
    PrimaryGroupID:	30000

~~> Setting up the build user _nixbld5

---- oh no! --------------------------------------------------------------------
It seems the build user _nixbld5 already exists, but with the UID
'305'. This script can't really handle that right
now, so I'm going to give up.

If you already created the users and you know they start from
305 and go up from there, you can edit this script and change
NIX_FIRST_BUILD_UID near the top of the file to 305 and try
again.

We'd love to help if you need it.

You can open an issue at
https://github.com/NixOS/nix/issues/new?labels=installer&template=installer.md

Or get in touch with the community: https://nixos.org/community

Checklist

• checked latest Nix manual (source)
• checked open installer issues and pull requests for possible duplicates

---

Add 👍 to issues you find important.

[g-evan-c]

MacOS Version: 15.1.1
Last time using nix was late v14, a few updates before the v15 update. I haven't used it in a while and have only been using it to run azuwis/PianoTrans. I am currently trialling other ways to run this program on MacOS.

[abathur]

You're seeing complications caused by the sequoia update described in this pinned issue:

• macOS 15 Sequoia clobbers _nixbld1-4 users #10892

Since you have tried to install over it already, however, I would just follow the uninstall instructions before reinstalling: https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/installation/uninstall.html#macos