image: Add a new API.

Raw disk-images and ISO9660 images are created in a Qemu virtual machine. This
is quite fragile, very slow, and almost unusable without KVM.

For all these reasons, add support for host image generation. This implies the
use new image generation mechanisms.

- Raw disk images: images of partitions are created using tools such as mke2fs
  and mkdosfs depending on the partition file-system type. The partition
  images are then assembled into a final image using genimage.

- ISO9660 images: the ISO root directory is populated within the store. GNU
  xorriso is then called on that directory, in the exact same way as this is
  done in (gnu build vm) module.

Those mechanisms are built upon the new (gnu image) module.

* gnu/image.scm: New file.
* gnu/system/image.scm: New file.
* gnu/build/image: New file.
* gnu/local.mk: Add them.
* gnu/system/vm.scm (system-disk-image): Rename to system-disk-image-in-vm.
* gnu/ci.scm (qemu-jobs): Adapt to new API.
* gnu/tests/install.scm (run-install): Ditto.
* guix/scripts/system.scm (system-derivation-for-action): Ditto.

8 files changed, 925 insertions, 44 deletions

diff --git a/gnu/build/image.scm b/gnu/build/image.scm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fe8e11aa1b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/build/image.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,273 @@
+;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
+;;; Copyright © 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2016 Christopher Allan Webber <cwebber@dustycloud.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2016, 2017 Leo Famulari <leo@famulari.name>
+;;; Copyright © 2017 Marius Bakke <mbakke@fastmail.com>
+;;; Copyright © 2020 Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me@tobias.gr>
+;;; Copyright © 2020 Mathieu Othacehe <m.othacehe@gmail.com>
+;;;
+;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+;;; under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+;;; the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+;;; your option) any later version.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+;;; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+;;; GNU General Public License for more details.
+;;;
+;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+;;; along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+(define-module (gnu build image)
+  #:use-module (guix build store-copy)
+  #:use-module (guix build syscalls)
+  #:use-module (guix build utils)
+  #:use-module (guix store database)
+  #:use-module (gnu build bootloader)
+  #:use-module (gnu build install)
+  #:use-module (gnu build linux-boot)
+  #:use-module (gnu image)
+  #:use-module (gnu system uuid)
+  #:use-module (ice-9 ftw)
+  #:use-module (ice-9 match)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-19)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-34)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-35)
+  #:export (make-partition-image
+            genimage
+            initialize-efi-partition
+            initialize-root-partition
+
+            make-iso9660-image))
+
+(define (sexp->partition sexp)
+  "Take SEXP, a tuple as returned by 'partition->gexp', and turn it into a
+<partition> record."
+  (match sexp
+    ((size file-system label uuid)
+     (partition (size size)
+                (file-system file-system)
+                (label label)
+                (uuid uuid)))))
+
+(define (size-in-kib size)
+  "Convert SIZE expressed in bytes, to kilobytes and return it as a string."
+  (number->string
+   (inexact->exact (ceiling (/ size 1024)))))
+
+(define (estimate-partition-size root)
+  "Given the ROOT directory, evalute and return its size.  As this doesn't
+take the partition metadata size into account, take a 25% margin."
+  (* 1.25 (file-size root)))
+
+(define* (make-ext4-image partition target root
+                          #:key
+                          (owner-uid 0)
+                          (owner-gid 0))
+  "Handle the creation of EXT4 partition images. See 'make-partition-image'."
+  (let ((size (partition-size partition))
+        (label (partition-label partition))
+        (uuid (partition-uuid partition))
+        (options "lazy_itable_init=1,lazy_journal_init=1"))
+    (invoke "mke2fs" "-t" "ext4" "-d" root
+            "-L" label "-U" (uuid->string uuid)
+            "-E" (format #f "root_owner=~a:~a,~a"
+                         owner-uid owner-gid options)
+            target
+            (format #f "~ak"
+                    (size-in-kib
+                     (if (eq? size 'guess)
+                         (estimate-partition-size root)
+                         size))))))
+
+(define* (make-vfat-image partition target root)
+  "Handle the creation of VFAT partition images.  See 'make-partition-image'."
+  (let ((size (partition-size partition))
+        (label (partition-label partition)))
+    (invoke "mkdosfs" "-n" label "-C" target "-F" "16" "-S" "1024"
+            (size-in-kib
+             (if (eq? size 'guess)
+                 (estimate-partition-size root)
+                 size)))
+    (for-each (lambda (file)
+                (unless (member file '("." ".."))
+                  (invoke "mcopy" "-bsp" "-i" target
+                          (string-append root "/" file)
+                          (string-append "::" file))))
+              (scandir root))))
+
+(define* (make-partition-image partition-sexp target root)
+  "Create and return the image of PARTITION-SEXP as TARGET.  Use the given
+ROOT directory to populate the image."
+  (let* ((partition (sexp->partition partition-sexp))
+         (type (partition-file-system partition)))
+    (cond
+     ((string=? type "ext4")
+      (make-ext4-image partition target root))
+     ((string=? type "vfat")
+      (make-vfat-image partition target root))
+     (else
+      (format (current-error-port)
+              "Unsupported partition type~%.")))))
+
+(define* (genimage config target)
+  "Use genimage to generate in TARGET directory, the image described in the
+given CONFIG file."
+  ;; genimage needs a 'root' directory.
+  (mkdir "root")
+  (invoke "genimage" "--config" config
+          "--outputpath" target))
+
+(define* (register-closure prefix closure
+                           #:key
+                           (deduplicate? #t) (reset-timestamps? #t)
+                           (schema (sql-schema)))
+  "Register CLOSURE in PREFIX, where PREFIX is the directory name of the
+target store and CLOSURE is the name of a file containing a reference graph as
+produced by #:references-graphs..  As a side effect, if RESET-TIMESTAMPS? is
+true, reset timestamps on store files and, if DEDUPLICATE? is true,
+deduplicates files common to CLOSURE and the rest of PREFIX."
+  (let ((items (call-with-input-file closure read-reference-graph)))
+    (register-items items
+                    #:prefix prefix
+                    #:deduplicate? deduplicate?
+                    #:reset-timestamps? reset-timestamps?
+                    #:registration-time %epoch
+                    #:schema schema)))
+
+(define* (initialize-efi-partition root
+                                   #:key
+                                   bootloader-package
+                                   #:allow-other-keys)
+  "Install in ROOT directory, an EFI loader using BOOTLOADER-PACKAGE."
+  (install-efi-loader bootloader-package root))
+
+(define* (initialize-root-partition root
+                                    #:key
+                                    bootcfg
+                                    bootcfg-location
+                                    (deduplicate? #t)
+                                    references-graphs
+                                    (register-closures? #t)
+                                    system-directory
+                                    #:allow-other-keys)
+  "Initialize the given ROOT directory. Use BOOTCFG and BOOTCFG-LOCATION to
+install the bootloader configuration.
+
+If REGISTER-CLOSURES? is true, register REFERENCES-GRAPHS in the store.  If
+DEDUPLICATE? is true, then also deduplicate files common to CLOSURES and the
+rest of the store when registering the closures. SYSTEM-DIRECTORY is the name
+of the directory of the 'system' derivation."
+  (populate-root-file-system system-directory root)
+  (populate-store references-graphs root)
+
+  (when register-closures?
+    (for-each (lambda (closure)
+                (register-closure root
+                                  closure
+                                  #:reset-timestamps? #t
+                                  #:deduplicate? deduplicate?))
+              references-graphs))
+
+  (when bootcfg
+    (install-boot-config bootcfg bootcfg-location root)))
+
+(define* (make-iso9660-image xorriso grub-mkrescue-environment
+                             grub bootcfg system-directory root target
+                             #:key (volume-id "Guix_image") (volume-uuid #f)
+                             register-closures? (references-graphs '())
+                             (compression? #t))
+  "Given a GRUB package, creates an iso image as TARGET, using BOOTCFG as
+GRUB configuration and OS-DRV as the stuff in it."
+  (define grub-mkrescue
+    (string-append grub "/bin/grub-mkrescue"))
+
+  (define grub-mkrescue-sed.sh
+    (string-append (getcwd) "/" "grub-mkrescue-sed.sh"))
+
+  ;; Use a modified version of grub-mkrescue-sed.sh, see below.
+  (copy-file (string-append xorriso
+                            "/bin/grub-mkrescue-sed.sh")
+             grub-mkrescue-sed.sh)
+
+  ;; Force grub-mkrescue-sed.sh to use the build directory instead of /tmp
+  ;; that is read-only inside the build container.
+  (substitute* grub-mkrescue-sed.sh
+    (("/tmp/") (string-append (getcwd) "/"))
+    (("MKRESCUE_SED_XORRISO_ARGS \\$x")
+     (format #f "MKRESCUE_SED_XORRISO_ARGS $(echo $x | sed \"s|/tmp|~a|\")"
+             (getcwd))))
+
+  ;; 'grub-mkrescue' calls out to mtools programs to create 'efi.img', a FAT
+  ;; file system image, and mtools honors SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH for the mtime of
+  ;; those files.  The epoch for FAT is Jan. 1st 1980, not 1970, so choose
+  ;; that.
+  (setenv "SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH"
+          (number->string
+           (time-second
+            (date->time-utc (make-date 0 0 0 0 1 1 1980 0)))))
+
+  ;; Our patched 'grub-mkrescue' honors this environment variable and passes
+  ;; it to 'mformat', which makes it the serial number of 'efi.img'.  This
+  ;; allows for deterministic builds.
+  (setenv "GRUB_FAT_SERIAL_NUMBER"
+          (number->string (if volume-uuid
+
+                              ;; On 32-bit systems the 2nd argument must be
+                              ;; lower than 2^32.
+                              (string-hash (iso9660-uuid->string volume-uuid)
+                                           (- (expt 2 32) 1))
+
+                              #x77777777)
+                          16))
+
+  (setenv "MKRESCUE_SED_MODE" "original")
+  (setenv "MKRESCUE_SED_XORRISO" (string-append xorriso "/bin/xorriso"))
+  (setenv "MKRESCUE_SED_IN_EFI_NO_PT" "yes")
+
+  (for-each (match-lambda
+              ((name . value) (setenv name value)))
+            grub-mkrescue-environment)
+
+  (apply invoke grub-mkrescue
+         (string-append "--xorriso=" grub-mkrescue-sed.sh)
+         "-o" target
+         (string-append "boot/grub/grub.cfg=" bootcfg)
+         root
+         "--"
+         ;; Set all timestamps to 1.
+         "-volume_date" "all_file_dates" "=1"
+
+         `(,@(if compression?
+                 '(;; ‘zisofs’ compression reduces the total image size by
+                   ;; ~60%.
+                   "-zisofs" "level=9:block_size=128k" ; highest compression
+                   ;; It's transparent to our Linux-Libre kernel but not to
+                   ;; GRUB.  Don't compress the kernel, initrd, and other
+                   ;; files read by grub.cfg, as well as common
+                   ;; already-compressed file names.
+                   "-find" "/" "-type" "f"
+                   ;; XXX Even after "--" above, and despite documentation
+                   ;; claiming otherwise, "-or" is stolen by grub-mkrescue
+                   ;; which then chokes on it (as ‘-o …’) and dies.  Don't use
+                   ;; "-or".
+                   "-not" "-wholename" "/boot/*"
+                   "-not" "-wholename" "/System/*"
+                   "-not" "-name" "unicode.pf2"
+                   "-not" "-name" "bzImage"
+                   "-not" "-name" "*.gz"   ; initrd & all man pages
+                   "-not" "-name" "*.png"  ; includes grub-image.png
+                   "-exec" "set_filter" "--zisofs"
+                   "--")
+                 '())
+           "-volid" ,(string-upcase volume-id)
+           ,@(if volume-uuid
+             `("-volume_date" "uuid"
+               ,(string-filter (lambda (value)
+                                 (not (char=? #\- value)))
+                               (iso9660-uuid->string
+                                volume-uuid)))
+             '()))))
diff --git a/gnu/build/install.scm b/gnu/build/install.scm
index 59a118e9058..b18654f1cc9 100644
--- a/gnu/build/install.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/install.scm
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
   #:export (install-boot-config
             evaluate-populate-directive
             populate-root-file-system
-            register-closure
             install-database-and-gc-roots
             populate-single-profile-directory))
 
diff --git a/gnu/ci.scm b/gnu/ci.scm
index fb2596c809c..0430cf594b7 100644
--- a/gnu/ci.scm
+++ b/gnu/ci.scm
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
                 #:select (lookup-compressor self-contained-tarball))
   #:use-module (gnu bootloader)
   #:use-module (gnu bootloader u-boot)
+  #:use-module (gnu image)
   #:use-module (gnu packages)
   #:use-module (gnu packages gcc)
   #:use-module (gnu packages base)
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
   #:use-module (gnu packages make-bootstrap)
   #:use-module (gnu packages package-management)
   #:use-module (gnu system)
+  #:use-module (gnu system image)
   #:use-module (gnu system vm)
   #:use-module (gnu system install)
   #:use-module (gnu tests)
@@ -209,32 +211,23 @@ system.")
     (expt 2 20))
 
   (if (member system %guixsd-supported-systems)
-      (if (member system %u-boot-systems)
-          (list (->job 'flash-image
-                       (run-with-store store
-                         (mbegin %store-monad
-                           (set-guile-for-build (default-guile))
-                           (system-disk-image
-                            (operating-system (inherit installation-os)
-                             (bootloader (bootloader-configuration
-                                          (bootloader u-boot-bootloader)
-                                          (target #f))))
-                            #:disk-image-size
-                            (* 1500 MiB))))))
-          (list (->job 'usb-image
-                       (run-with-store store
-                         (mbegin %store-monad
-                           (set-guile-for-build (default-guile))
-                           (system-disk-image installation-os
-                                              #:disk-image-size
-                                              (* 1500 MiB)))))
-                (->job 'iso9660-image
-                       (run-with-store store
-                         (mbegin %store-monad
-                           (set-guile-for-build (default-guile))
-                           (system-disk-image installation-os
-                                              #:file-system-type
-                                              "iso9660"))))))
+      (list (->job 'usb-image
+                   (run-with-store store
+                     (mbegin %store-monad
+                       (set-guile-for-build (default-guile))
+                       (system-image
+                        (image
+                         (inherit efi-disk-image)
+                         (size (* 1500 MiB))
+                         (operating-system installation-os))))))
+            (->job 'iso9660-image
+                   (run-with-store store
+                     (mbegin %store-monad
+                       (set-guile-for-build (default-guile))
+                       (system-image
+                        (image
+                         (inherit iso9660-image)
+                         (operating-system installation-os)))))))
       '()))
 
 (define channel-build-system
diff --git a/gnu/image.scm b/gnu/image.scm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b05fc69dc57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/image.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
+;;; Copyright © 2020 Mathieu Othacehe <m.othacehe@gmail.com>
+;;;
+;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+;;; under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+;;; the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+;;; your option) any later version.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+;;; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+;;; GNU General Public License for more details.
+;;;
+;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+;;; along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+(define-module (gnu image)
+  #:use-module (guix records)
+  #:export (partition
+            partition?
+            partition-device
+            partition-size
+            partition-file-system
+            partition-label
+            partition-uuid
+            partition-flags
+            partition-initializer
+
+            image
+            image-name
+            image-format
+            image-size
+            image-operating-system
+            image-partitions
+            image-compression?
+            image-volatile-root?
+            image-substitutable?))
+
+
+;;;
+;;; Partition record.
+;;;
+
+(define-record-type* <partition> partition make-partition
+  partition?
+  (device      partition-device (default #f))
+  (size        partition-size)
+  (file-system partition-file-system (default "ext4"))
+  (label       partition-label (default #f))
+  (uuid        partition-uuid (default #f))
+  (flags       partition-flags (default '()))
+  (initializer partition-initializer (default #f)))
+
+
+;;;
+;;; Image record.
+;;;
+
+(define-record-type* <image>
+  image make-image
+  image?
+  (format             image-format) ;symbol
+  (size               image-size  ;size in bytes as integer
+                      (default 'guess))
+  (operating-system   image-operating-system  ;<operating-system>
+                      (default #f))
+  (partitions         image-partitions ;list of <partition>
+                      (default '()))
+  (compression?       image-compression? ;boolean
+                      (default #t))
+  (volatile-root?     image-volatile-root? ;boolean
+                      (default #t))
+  (substitutable?     image-substitutable? ;boolean
+                      (default #t)))
diff --git a/gnu/local.mk b/gnu/local.mk
index daf6bd0306e..4e0521baa59 100644
--- a/gnu/local.mk
+++ b/gnu/local.mk
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ GNU_SYSTEM_MODULES =				\
   %D%/bootloader/u-boot.scm                     \
   %D%/bootloader/depthcharge.scm                \
   %D%/ci.scm                                    \
+  %D%/image.scm                                 \
   %D%/packages.scm                              \
   %D%/packages/abduco.scm                       \
   %D%/packages/abiword.scm                      \
@@ -606,6 +607,7 @@ GNU_SYSTEM_MODULES =				\
   %D%/system.scm                                \
   %D%/system/accounts.scm                       \
   %D%/system/file-systems.scm                   \
+  %D%/system/image.scm                          \
   %D%/system/install.scm                        \
   %D%/system/keyboard.scm                       \
   %D%/system/linux-container.scm                \
@@ -626,6 +628,7 @@ GNU_SYSTEM_MODULES =				\
   %D%/build/activation.scm                      \
   %D%/build/bootloader.scm                      \
   %D%/build/cross-toolchain.scm                 \
+  %D%/build/image.scm                           \
   %D%/build/file-systems.scm                    \
   %D%/build/install.scm                         \
   %D%/build/linux-boot.scm                      \
diff --git a/gnu/system/image.scm b/gnu/system/image.scm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..571b7af5f35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/system/image.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,532 @@
+;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
+;;; Copyright © 2020 Mathieu Othacehe <m.othacehe@gmail.com>
+;;;
+;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+;;; under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+;;; the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+;;; your option) any later version.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+;;; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+;;; GNU General Public License for more details.
+;;;
+;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+;;; along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+(define-module (gnu system image)
+  #:use-module (guix gexp)
+  #:use-module (guix modules)
+  #:use-module (guix monads)
+  #:use-module (guix records)
+  #:use-module (guix store)
+  #:use-module (guix ui)
+  #:use-module (guix utils)
+  #:use-module ((guix self) #:select (make-config.scm))
+  #:use-module (gnu bootloader)
+  #:use-module (gnu bootloader grub)
+  #:use-module (gnu image)
+  #:use-module (gnu services)
+  #:use-module (gnu services base)
+  #:use-module (gnu system)
+  #:use-module (gnu system file-systems)
+  #:use-module (gnu system uuid)
+  #:use-module (gnu system vm)
+  #:use-module (guix packages)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages base)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages bootloaders)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages cdrom)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages disk)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages gawk)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages genimage)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages guile)
+  #:autoload   (gnu packages gnupg) (guile-gcrypt)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages linux)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages mtools)
+  #:use-module ((srfi srfi-1) #:prefix srfi-1:)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-11)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-35)
+  #:use-module (rnrs bytevectors)
+  #:use-module (ice-9 match)
+  #:export (esp-partition
+            root-partition
+
+            efi-disk-image
+            iso9660-image
+
+            find-image
+            system-image))
+
+
+;;;
+;;; Images definitions.
+;;;
+
+(define esp-partition
+  (partition
+   (size (* 40 (expt 2 20)))
+   (label "GNU-ESP") ;cosmetic only
+   ;; Use "vfat" here since this property is used when mounting.  The actual
+   ;; FAT-ness is based on file system size (16 in this case).
+   (file-system "vfat")
+   (flags '(esp))
+   (initializer (gexp initialize-efi-partition))))
+
+(define root-partition
+  (partition
+   (size 'guess)
+   (label "Guix_image")
+   (file-system "ext4")
+   (flags '(boot))
+   (initializer (gexp initialize-root-partition))))
+
+(define efi-disk-image
+  (image
+   (format 'disk-image)
+   (partitions (list esp-partition root-partition))))
+
+(define iso9660-image
+  (image
+   (format 'iso9660)
+   (partitions
+    (list (partition
+           (size 'guess)
+           (label "GUIX_IMAGE")
+           (flags '(boot)))))
+   ;; XXX: Temporarily disable compression to speed-up the tests.
+   (compression? #f)))
+
+
+;;
+;; Helpers.
+;;
+
+(define not-config?
+  ;; Select (guix …) and (gnu …) modules, except (guix config).
+  (match-lambda
+    (('guix 'config) #f)
+    (('guix rest ...) #t)
+    (('gnu rest ...) #t)
+    (rest #f)))
+
+(define (partition->gexp partition)
+  "Turn PARTITION, a <partition> object, into a list-valued gexp suitable for
+'make-partition-image'."
+  #~'(#$@(list (partition-size partition))
+      #$(partition-file-system partition)
+      #$(partition-label partition)
+      #$(and=> (partition-uuid partition)
+               uuid-bytevector)))
+
+(define gcrypt-sqlite3&co
+  ;; Guile-Gcrypt, Guile-SQLite3, and their propagated inputs.
+  (srfi-1:append-map
+   (lambda (package)
+     (cons package
+           (match (package-transitive-propagated-inputs package)
+             (((labels packages) ...)
+              packages))))
+   (list guile-gcrypt guile-sqlite3)))
+
+(define-syntax-rule (with-imported-modules* gexp* ...)
+  (with-extensions gcrypt-sqlite3&co
+    (with-imported-modules `(,@(source-module-closure
+                                '((gnu build vm)
+                                  (gnu build image)
+                                  (guix store database))
+                                #:select? not-config?)
+                             ((guix config) => ,(make-config.scm)))
+      #~(begin
+          (use-modules (gnu build vm)
+                       (gnu build image)
+                       (guix store database)
+                       (guix build utils))
+          gexp* ...))))
+
+
+;;
+;; Disk image.
+;;
+
+(define* (system-disk-image image
+                            #:key
+                            (name "disk-image")
+                            bootcfg
+                            bootloader
+                            register-closures?
+                            (inputs '()))
+  "Return as a file-like object, the disk-image described by IMAGE.  Said
+image can be copied on a USB stick as is.  BOOTLOADER is the bootloader that
+will be installed and configured according to BOOTCFG parameter.
+
+Raw images of the IMAGE partitions are first created.  Then, genimage is used
+to assemble the partition images into a disk-image without resorting to a
+virtual machine.
+
+INPUTS is a list of inputs (as for packages).  When REGISTER-CLOSURES? is
+true, register INPUTS in the store database of the image so that Guix can be
+used in the image."
+
+  (define genimage-name "image")
+
+  (define (image->genimage-cfg image)
+    ;; Return as a file-like object, the genimage configuration file
+    ;; describing the given IMAGE.
+    (define (format->image-type format)
+      ;; Return the genimage format corresponding to FORMAT.  For now, only
+      ;; the hdimage format (raw disk-image) is supported.
+      (case format
+        ((disk-image) "hdimage")
+        (else
+         (raise (condition
+                 (&message
+                  (message
+                   (format #f (G_ "Unsupported image type ~a~%.") format))))))))
+
+    (define (partition->dos-type partition)
+      ;; Return the MBR partition type corresponding to the given PARTITION.
+      ;; See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_type.
+      (let ((flags (partition-flags partition)))
+        (cond
+         ((member 'esp flags) "0xEF")
+         (else "0x83"))))
+
+    (define (partition-image partition)
+      ;; Return as a file-like object, an image of the given PARTITION.  A
+      ;; directory, filled by calling the PARTITION initializer procedure, is
+      ;; first created within the store.  Then, an image of this directory is
+      ;; created using tools such as 'mke2fs' or 'mkdosfs', depending on the
+      ;; partition file-system type.
+      (let* ((os (image-operating-system image))
+             (schema (local-file (search-path %load-path
+                                              "guix/store/schema.sql")))
+             (graph (match inputs
+                      (((names . _) ...)
+                       names)))
+             (root-builder
+              (with-imported-modules*
+               (let* ((initializer #$(partition-initializer partition)))
+                 (sql-schema #$schema)
+
+                 ;; Allow non-ASCII file names--e.g., 'nss-certs'--to be
+                 ;; decoded.
+                 (setenv "GUIX_LOCPATH"
+                         #+(file-append glibc-utf8-locales "/lib/locale"))
+                 (setlocale LC_ALL "en_US.utf8")
+
+                 (initializer #$output
+                              #:references-graphs '#$graph
+                              #:deduplicate? #f
+                              #:system-directory #$os
+                              #:bootloader-package
+                              #$(bootloader-package bootloader)
+                              #:bootcfg #$bootcfg
+                              #:bootcfg-location
+                              #$(bootloader-configuration-file bootloader)))))
+             (image-root
+              (computed-file "partition-image-root" root-builder
+                             #:options `(#:references-graphs ,inputs)))
+             (type (partition-file-system partition))
+             (image-builder
+              (with-imported-modules*
+               (let ((inputs '#$(list e2fsprogs dosfstools mtools)))
+                 (set-path-environment-variable "PATH" '("bin" "sbin") inputs)
+                 (make-partition-image #$(partition->gexp partition)
+                                       #$output
+                                       #$image-root)))))
+        (computed-file "partition.img" image-builder)))
+
+    (define (partition->config partition)
+      ;; Return the genimage partition configuration for PARTITION.
+      (let ((label (partition-label partition))
+            (dos-type (partition->dos-type partition))
+            (image (partition-image partition)))
+        #~(format #f "~/partition ~a {
+                                      ~/~/partition-type = ~a
+                                      ~/~/image = \"~a\"
+                                      ~/}"  #$label #$dos-type #$image)))
+
+    (let* ((format (image-format image))
+           (image-type (format->image-type format))
+           (partitions (image-partitions image))
+           (partitions-config (map partition->config partitions))
+           (builder
+            #~(begin
+                (let ((format (@ (ice-9 format) format)))
+                  (call-with-output-file #$output
+                    (lambda (port)
+                      (format port
+                              "\
+image ~a {
+~/~a {}
+~{~a~^~%~}
+}~%" #$genimage-name #$image-type (list #$@partitions-config))))))))
+      (computed-file "genimage.cfg" builder)))
+
+  (let* ((substitutable? (image-substitutable? image))
+         (builder
+          (with-imported-modules*
+           (let ((inputs '#$(list genimage coreutils findutils)))
+             (set-path-environment-variable "PATH" '("bin" "sbin") inputs)
+             (genimage #$(image->genimage-cfg image) #$output))))
+         (image-dir (computed-file "image-dir" builder)))
+    (computed-file name
+                   #~(symlink
+                      (string-append #$image-dir "/" #$genimage-name)
+                      #$output)
+                   #:options `(#:substitutable? ,substitutable?))))
+
+
+;;
+;; ISO9660 image.
+;;
+
+(define (has-guix-service-type? os)
+  "Return true if OS contains a service of the type GUIX-SERVICE-TYPE."
+  (not (not (srfi-1:find (lambda (service)
+                           (eq? (service-kind service) guix-service-type))
+                         (operating-system-services os)))))
+
+(define* (system-iso9660-image image
+                               #:key
+                               (name "iso9660-image")
+                               bootcfg
+                               bootloader
+                               register-closures?
+                               (inputs '())
+                               (grub-mkrescue-environment '()))
+  "Return as a file-like object a bootable, stand-alone iso9660 image.
+
+INPUTS is a list of inputs (as for packages).  When REGISTER-CLOSURES? is
+true, register INPUTS in the store database of the image so that Guix can be
+used in the image. "
+  (define root-label
+    (match (image-partitions image)
+      ((partition)
+       (partition-label partition))))
+
+  (define root-uuid
+    (match (image-partitions image)
+      ((partition)
+       (uuid-bytevector (partition-uuid partition)))))
+
+  (let* ((os (image-operating-system image))
+         (bootloader (bootloader-package bootloader))
+         (compression? (image-compression? image))
+         (substitutable? (image-substitutable? image))
+         (schema (local-file (search-path %load-path
+                                          "guix/store/schema.sql")))
+         (graph (match inputs
+                  (((names . _) ...)
+                   names)))
+         (root-builder
+          (with-imported-modules*
+           (sql-schema #$schema)
+
+           ;; Allow non-ASCII file names--e.g., 'nss-certs'--to be decoded.
+           (setenv "GUIX_LOCPATH"
+                   #+(file-append glibc-utf8-locales "/lib/locale"))
+           (setlocale LC_ALL "en_US.utf8")
+
+           (initialize-root-partition #$output
+                                      #:references-graphs '#$graph
+                                      #:deduplicate? #f
+                                      #:system-directory #$os)))
+         (image-root
+          (computed-file "image-root" root-builder
+                         #:options `(#:references-graphs ,inputs)))
+         (builder
+          (with-imported-modules*
+           (let* ((inputs '#$(list parted e2fsprogs dosfstools xorriso
+                                   sed grep coreutils findutils gawk)))
+             (set-path-environment-variable "PATH" '("bin" "sbin") inputs)
+             (make-iso9660-image #$xorriso
+                                 '#$grub-mkrescue-environment
+                                 #$bootloader
+                                 #$bootcfg
+                                 #$os
+                                 #$image-root
+                                 #$output
+                                 #:references-graphs '#$graph
+                                 #:register-closures? #$register-closures?
+                                 #:compression? #$compression?
+                                 #:volume-id #$root-label
+                                 #:volume-uuid #$root-uuid)))))
+    (computed-file name builder
+                   #:options `(#:references-graphs ,inputs
+                               #:substitutable? ,substitutable?))))
+
+
+;;
+;; Image creation.
+;;
+
+(define (root-partition? partition)
+  "Return true if PARTITION is the root partition, false otherwise."
+  (member 'boot (partition-flags partition)))
+
+(define (find-root-partition image)
+  "Return the root partition of the given IMAGE."
+  (srfi-1:find root-partition? (image-partitions image)))
+
+(define (image->root-file-system image)
+  "Return the IMAGE root partition file-system type."
+  (let ((format (image-format image)))
+    (if (eq? format 'iso9660)
+        "iso9660"
+        (partition-file-system (find-root-partition image)))))
+
+(define (root-size image)
+  "Return the root partition size of IMAGE."
+  (let* ((image-size (image-size image))
+         (root-partition (find-root-partition image))
+         (root-size (partition-size root-partition)))
+    (cond
+     ((and (eq? root-size 'guess) image-size)
+      image-size)
+     (else root-size))))
+
+(define* (image-with-os base-image os)
+  "Return an image based on BASE-IMAGE but with the operating-system field set
+to OS.  Also set the UUID and the size of the root partition."
+  (define root-file-system
+    (srfi-1:find
+     (lambda (fs)
+       (string=? (file-system-mount-point fs) "/"))
+     (operating-system-file-systems os)))
+
+  (let*-values (((partitions) (image-partitions base-image))
+                ((root-partition other-partitions)
+                 (srfi-1:partition root-partition? partitions)))
+    (image
+     (inherit base-image)
+     (operating-system os)
+     (partitions
+      (cons (partition
+             (inherit (car root-partition))
+             (uuid (file-system-device root-file-system))
+             (size (root-size base-image)))
+            other-partitions)))))
+
+(define (operating-system-for-image image)
+  "Return an operating-system based on the one specified in IMAGE, but
+suitable for image creation.  Assign an UUID to the root file-system, so that
+it can be used for bootloading."
+  (define volatile-root? (image-volatile-root? image))
+
+  (define (root-uuid os)
+    ;; UUID of the root file system, computed in a deterministic fashion.
+    ;; This is what we use to locate the root file system so it has to be
+    ;; different from the user's own file system UUIDs.
+    (let ((type (if (eq? (image-format image) 'iso9660)
+                    'iso9660
+                    'dce)))
+      (operating-system-uuid os type)))
+
+  (let* ((root-file-system-type (image->root-file-system image))
+         (base-os (image-operating-system image))
+         (file-systems-to-keep
+          (srfi-1:remove
+           (lambda (fs)
+             (string=? (file-system-mount-point fs) "/"))
+           (operating-system-file-systems base-os)))
+         (format (image-format image))
+         (os
+          (operating-system
+            (inherit base-os)
+            (initrd (lambda (file-systems . rest)
+                      (apply (operating-system-initrd base-os)
+                             file-systems
+                             #:volatile-root? volatile-root?
+                             rest)))
+            (bootloader (if (eq? format 'iso9660)
+                            (bootloader-configuration
+                             (inherit
+                              (operating-system-bootloader base-os))
+                             (bootloader grub-mkrescue-bootloader))
+                            (operating-system-bootloader base-os)))
+            (file-systems (cons (file-system
+                                  (mount-point "/")
+                                  (device "/dev/placeholder")
+                                  (type root-file-system-type))
+                                file-systems-to-keep))))
+         (uuid (root-uuid os)))
+    (operating-system
+      (inherit os)
+      (file-systems (cons (file-system
+                            (mount-point "/")
+                            (device uuid)
+                            (type root-file-system-type))
+                          file-systems-to-keep)))))
+
+(define* (make-system-image image)
+  "Return the derivation of IMAGE.  It can be a raw disk-image or an ISO9660
+image, depending on IMAGE format."
+  (define substitutable? (image-substitutable? image))
+
+  (let* ((os (operating-system-for-image image))
+         (image* (image-with-os image os))
+         (register-closures? (has-guix-service-type? os))
+         (bootcfg (operating-system-bootcfg os))
+         (bootloader (bootloader-configuration-bootloader
+                      (operating-system-bootloader os))))
+    (case (image-format image)
+      ((disk-image)
+       (system-disk-image image*
+                          #:bootcfg bootcfg
+                          #:bootloader bootloader
+                          #:register-closures? register-closures?
+                          #:inputs `(("system" ,os)
+                                     ("bootcfg" ,bootcfg))))
+      ((iso9660)
+       (system-iso9660-image image*
+                             #:bootcfg bootcfg
+                             #:bootloader bootloader
+                             #:register-closures? register-closures?
+                             #:inputs `(("system" ,os)
+                                        ("bootcfg" ,bootcfg))
+                             #:grub-mkrescue-environment
+                             '(("MKRESCUE_SED_MODE" . "mbr_hfs")))))))
+
+(define (find-image file-system-type)
+  "Find and return an image that could match the given FILE-SYSTEM-TYPE.  This
+is useful to adapt to interfaces written before the addition of the <image>
+record."
+  ;; XXX: Add support for system and target here, or in the caller.
+  (match file-system-type
+    ("iso9660" iso9660-image)
+    (_ efi-disk-image)))
+
+(define (system-image image)
+  "Wrap 'make-system-image' call, so that it is used only if the given IMAGE
+is supported.  Otherwise, fallback to image creation in a VM.  This is
+temporary and should be removed once 'make-system-image' is able to deal with
+all types of images."
+  (define substitutable? (image-substitutable? image))
+  (define volatile-root? (image-volatile-root? image))
+
+  (let* ((image-os (image-operating-system image))
+         (image-root-filesystem-type (image->root-file-system image))
+         (bootloader (bootloader-configuration-bootloader
+                      (operating-system-bootloader image-os)))
+         (bootloader-name (bootloader-name bootloader))
+         (size (image-size image))
+         (format (image-format image)))
+    (mbegin %store-monad
+      (if (and (or (eq? bootloader-name 'grub)
+                   (eq? bootloader-name 'extlinux))
+               (eq? format 'disk-image))
+          ;; Fallback to image creation in a VM when it is not yet supported
+          ;; by this module.
+          (system-disk-image-in-vm image-os
+                                   #:disk-image-size size
+                                   #:file-system-type image-root-filesystem-type
+                                   #:volatile? volatile-root?
+                                   #:substitutable? substitutable?)
+          (lower-object
+           (make-system-image image))))))
+
+;;; image.scm ends here
diff --git a/gnu/system/vm.scm b/gnu/system/vm.scm
index 2fdf954883b..37840ce3555 100644
--- a/gnu/system/vm.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/vm.scm
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
 
             system-qemu-image/shared-store
             system-qemu-image/shared-store-script
-            system-disk-image
+            system-disk-image-in-vm
             system-docker-image
 
             virtual-machine
@@ -604,14 +604,13 @@ system."
 ;;; VM and disk images.
 ;;;
 
-
-(define* (system-disk-image os
-                            #:key
-                            (name "disk-image")
-                            (file-system-type "ext4")
-                            (disk-image-size (* 900 (expt 2 20)))
-                            (volatile? #t)
-                            (substitutable? #t))
+(define* (system-disk-image-in-vm os
+                                  #:key
+                                  (name "disk-image")
+                                  (file-system-type "ext4")
+                                  (disk-image-size (* 900 (expt 2 20)))
+                                  (volatile? #t)
+                                  (substitutable? #t))
   "Return the derivation of a disk image of DISK-IMAGE-SIZE bytes of the
 system described by OS.  Said image can be copied on a USB stick as is.  When
 VOLATILE? is true, the root file system is made volatile; this is useful
diff --git a/gnu/tests/install.scm b/gnu/tests/install.scm
index 23f60c68bf5..2e5913953e7 100644
--- a/gnu/tests/install.scm
+++ b/gnu/tests/install.scm
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@
 (define-module (gnu tests install)
   #:use-module (gnu)
   #:use-module (gnu bootloader extlinux)
+  #:use-module (gnu image)
   #:use-module (gnu tests)
   #:use-module (gnu tests base)
   #:use-module (gnu system)
+  #:use-module (gnu system image)
   #:use-module (gnu system install)
   #:use-module (gnu system vm)
   #:use-module ((gnu build vm) #:select (qemu-command))
@@ -229,14 +231,18 @@ packages defined in installation-os."
                        ;; we cheat a little bit by adding TARGET to its GC
                        ;; roots.  This way, we know 'guix system init' will
                        ;; succeed.
-                       (image  (system-disk-image
-                                (operating-system-with-gc-roots
-                                 os (list target))
-                                #:disk-image-size install-size
-                                #:file-system-type
-                                installation-disk-image-file-system-type
-                                ;; Don't provide substitutes; too big.
-                                #:substitutable? #f)))
+                       (image
+                        (system-image
+                         (image
+                          (inherit
+                           (find-image
+                            installation-disk-image-file-system-type))
+                          (size install-size)
+                          (operating-system
+                            (operating-system-with-gc-roots
+                             os (list target)))
+                          ;; Don't provide substitutes; too big.
+                          (substitutable? #f)))))
     (define install
       (with-imported-modules '((guix build utils)
                                (gnu build marionette))