Errors installing extensions after upgrading home-manager: `Unrecognized archive format`

[mawkler]

I updated home-manager to github:nix-community/home-manager/release-25.11 and suddenly I get a bunch of errors when I do home-manager switch. I have installed vicinae using the official home-manager setup.

I'm not sure how to interpret the error message. I'm guessing that the smoking gun is Unrecognized archive format?

error: Cannot build '/nix/store/jf8pr3gjd16iav4xkbsn3l8jybmnzl4r-bluetooth.drv'.
       Reason: builder failed with exit code 1.
       Output paths:
         /nix/store/534mkmfnvcam1wwy6mjglxl9rd7f4j0z-bluetooth
       Last 21 log lines:
       > Running phase: unpackPhase
       > unpacking source archive /nix/store/gw0g429kz361lz92j3dbslsvkwipxz94-source/extensions/bluetooth
       > source root is bluetooth
       > Running phase: patchPhase
       > Running phase: updateAutotoolsGnuConfigScriptsPhase
       > Running phase: configurePhase
       > no configure script, doing nothing
       > Executing npmConfigHook
       > Configuring npm
Installing patched package.json/package-lock.json
       > Installing dependencies
       > npm warn tar TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE: Unrecognized archive format
       > npm error code ENODATA
       > npm error Cache input stream was empty
       > npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: /build/.npm/_logs/2025-11-26T21_35_41_868Z-debug-0.log
       >
       > ERROR: npm failed to install dependencies
       >
       > Here are a few things you can try, depending on the error:
       > 1. Set `npmFlags = [ "--legacy-peer-deps" ]`
       >
       For full logs, run:
         nix log /nix/store/jf8pr3gjd16iav4xkbsn3l8jybmnzl4r-bluetooth.drv
options.json> building '/nix/store/nkv61w3rsdy5ai6fqlpx133l6n0ic909-options.json.drv'
source> building '/nix/store/8aa0i1g8qv4y4h08q8k1mkwkcdqa6sjy-source.drv'
error: Cannot build '/nix/store/gdg8p6jlpyabmcxh6nd0m1bmwx4fm7xj-home-manager-files.drv'.
       Reason: 1 dependency failed.
       Output paths:
         /nix/store/lfjk5ky4cbpqrydl35idhrfbsyw3rw3c-home-manager-files
error: Cannot build '/nix/store/bx5y1vfg62nmi3c566ddwipsfxbk80m1-home-manager-generation.drv'.
       Reason: 1 dependency failed.
       Output paths:
         /nix/store/27nas0qbwzgycji4a9gqjlfjggajsmca-home-manager-generation

I'm on the latest extensions commit (ec7334e).

[aurelleb]

is that still an issue today?

[mawkler]

No, but I get another npm error now specifically when trying to install the systemd extension:

Click to expand

error: Cannot build '/nix/store/w6xis1iw5pz047ygr3k4k05impklhak8-systemd.drv'.
       Reason: builder failed with exit code 7.
       Output paths:
         /nix/store/q3md9fm5brr8clnipis5j6gh79f5fpq3-systemd
       Last 25 log lines:
       > node_modules/npm/bin/npx: interpreter directive changed from "#!/usr/bin/env bash" to "/nix/store/rlq03x4cwf8zn73hxaxnx0zn5q9kifls-bash-5.3p3/bin/bash"
       > node_modules/npm/bin/npm: interpreter directive changed from "#!/usr/bin/env bash" to "/nix/store/rlq03x4cwf8zn73hxaxnx0zn5q9kifls-bash-5.3p3/bin/bash"
       > npm error code 7
       > npm error path /build/systemd/node_modules/usocket
       > npm error command failed
       > npm error command sh -c node-gyp rebuild
       > npm error gyp info it worked if it ends with ok
       > npm error gyp info using node-gyp@7.1.2
       > npm error gyp info using node@22.21.1 | linux | x64
       > npm error (node:709) [DEP0060] DeprecationWarning: The `util._extend` API is deprecated. Please use Object.assign() instead.
       > npm error (Use `node --trace-deprecation ...` to show where the warning was created)
       > npm error gyp info find Python using Python version 3.13.9 found at "/nix/store/3lll9y925zz9393sa59h653xik66srjb-python3-3.13.9/bin/python3"
       > npm error gyp ERR! UNCAUGHT EXCEPTION
       > npm error gyp ERR! stack TypeError: Cannot assign to read only property 'cflags' of object '#<Object>'
       > npm error gyp ERR! stack     at createConfigFile (/build/systemd/node_modules/node-gyp/lib/configure.js:117:21)
       > npm error gyp ERR! stack     at /build/systemd/node_modules/node-gyp/lib/configure.js:84:9
       > npm error gyp ERR! stack     at FSReqCallback.oncomplete (node:fs:187:23)
       > npm error gyp ERR! System Linux 6.12.63
       > npm error gyp ERR! command "/nix/store/l85fis49agvp5q1ild1rfh4rrgmn92sr-nodejs-22.21.1/bin/node" "/build/systemd/node_modules/.bin/node-gyp" "rebuild"
       > npm error gyp ERR! cwd /build/systemd/node_modules/usocket
       > npm error gyp ERR! node -v v22.21.1
       > npm error gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v7.1.2
       > npm error gyp ERR! Node-gyp failed to build your package.
       > npm error gyp ERR! Try to update npm and/or node-gyp and if it does not help file an issue with the package author.
       > npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: /build/.npm/_logs/2025-12-23T20_49_15_964Z-debug-0.log
       For full logs, run:
         nix log /nix/store/w6xis1iw5pz047ygr3k4k05impklhak8-systemd.drv
error: Cannot build '/nix/store/lp2srrzfykkb9ppll1xvvdglch56x07g-home-manager-files.drv'.
       Reason: 1 dependency failed.
       Output paths:
         /nix/store/3b42l93n36f5y2iqskdim4q37y9ls5a6-home-manager-files
error: Cannot build '/nix/store/qjlfdvh0wf1jl3q56jjd91icrm7ygs3y-home-manager-generation.drv'.
       Reason: 1 dependency failed.
       Output paths:
         /nix/store/pr0wbi9ygy2vcn4ldgq9arvx8g8flnzx-home-manager-generation

All these other extensions work:

• mullvad
• bluetooth
• nix
• niri
• power-profile
• port-killer
• wifi-commander

[aurelleb]

Yeah it's related to nix + dbus binding stuff see #61
No solution yet