diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7011ff26..a2e2b545 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ Mostly focusing on setting things up on NixOS, but supporting other OSes where p
 1. change password for the default user `nixos`
 1. ssh from another, already bootstrapped, machine
 
+remote:
+
 ```bash
 sudo su -
 # `efibootmgr -b 000x -B` if you want to remove entry number x
@@ -21,10 +23,14 @@ parted /dev/sda -- mkpart primary 1GiB 100%
 cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/sda2
 ```
 
+remote:
+
 ```bash
 cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda2 crypt
 ```
 
+remote:
+
 ```bash
 mkfs.fat -F 32 -n boot /dev/sda1
 mkfs.btrfs -L nixos /dev/mapper/crypt
@@ -33,10 +39,34 @@ mount /dev/disk/by-label/nixos /mnt
 mkdir -p /mnt/boot
 mount /dev/disk/by-label/boot /mnt/boot
 nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
+nixos-install
 ```
 
+local:
+
 ```bash
+tar -cvz . > ../dotfiles.tar.gz
+scp ../dotfiles.tar.gz nixos@remote:/tmp
+```
+
+remote:
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p /mnt/home/cyryl/dev/dotfiles/
+tar -xvf /tmp/dotfiles.tar.gz -C /mnt/home/cyryl/dev/dotfiles
+cp /mnt/etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix /mnt/home/cyryl/dev/dotfiles/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/
+ln -vfs /mnt/home/cyryl/dev/dotfiles/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/1.nix /mnt/etc/nixos/configuration.nix
 nixos-install
+reboot
+```
+
+logged in as root on the target box:
+
+```bash
+ln -vfs /home/cyryl/dev/dotfiles/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/2.nix /etc/nixos/configuration.nix
+vim /home/cyryl/dev/dotfiles/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/2.nix
+nixos-rebuild switch
+passwd cyryl
 ```
 
 ## guix
diff --git a/nixos/boot.nix b/nixos/boot.nix
index c7af2aa9..be30d62c 100644
--- a/nixos/boot.nix
+++ b/nixos/boot.nix
@@ -10,12 +10,8 @@
       "kernel.unprivileged_userns_clone" = 1;
       "net.core.bpf_jit_harden" = true;
     };
-    loader.grub = {
-      enable = true;
-      version = 2;
-      useOSProber = true;
-      memtest86.enable = true;
-    };
   };
 
+
 }
+
diff --git a/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/1.nix b/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/1.nix
index 4bc55deb..d01e593a 100644
--- a/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/1.nix
+++ b/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/1.nix
@@ -6,17 +6,12 @@
     ./hardware-configuration.nix
     ../../boot.nix
     ../../common.nix
-    ../../gfx-intel.nix
-    ../../zerotier.nix
-    ../../i3
     ../../distributed-builds.nix
-    ../../gui
-    ../../git
-    ../../backups.nix
   ];
 
   boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_latest_hardened;
-  time.timeZone = "Europe/London";
+  boot.loader.systemd-boot.enable = true;
+  boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;
 
-  fonts.fontconfig.enable = true;
+  time.timeZone = "Europe/London";
 }
diff --git a/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/2.nix b/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/2.nix
index 987d4d84..3ec8e49c 100644
--- a/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/2.nix
+++ b/nixos/boxes/bootstrap/2.nix
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
   ];
 
   boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_latest_hardened;
+  boot.loader.systemd-boot.enable = true;
+  boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;
   time.timeZone = "Europe/London";
 
   fonts.fontconfig.enable = true;
diff --git a/nixos/boxes/foureighty/default.nix b/nixos/boxes/foureighty/default.nix
index 527f8267..3360a3ab 100644
--- a/nixos/boxes/foureighty/default.nix
+++ b/nixos/boxes/foureighty/default.nix
@@ -19,7 +19,12 @@
   ];
 
   boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.unstable.linuxPackages_latest_hardened;
-
+  loader.grub = {
+   enable = true;
+   version = 2;
+   useOSProber = true;
+   memtest86.enable = true;
+  };
   time.hardwareClockInLocalTime = true;
   time.timeZone = "Europe/London";