diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a6e56e3..78c7a02 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ $ sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake --upgrade path:/home/aaron/git/nixconfig#def
 
 ## basic system installation
 
+1. the partitioning layout will look like this.
+
 ```bash
 NAME          MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE  MOUNTPOINT
 sda             8:0    0 233.8G  0 disk
@@ -26,6 +28,8 @@ sda             8:0    0 233.8G  0 disk
     └─vg-root 254:2    0 225.3G  0 lvm   /
 ``` 
 
+2. prepare the installation
+
 ```bash
 # format the boot partition
 mkfs.fat -F 32 /dev/sda1 -n "nixboot"
@@ -62,6 +66,45 @@ mount --mkdir /dev/disk/by-label/nixhome /mnt/home
 swapon /dev/disk/by-label/nixswap
 ```
 
+3. prepare nixos
+
+
+```bash
+# generate templates and update the hardware-configuration.nix
+sudo nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
+
+# add cryptd to the kernelModules
+boot.initrd.kernelModules = [ "dm-snapshot" "cryptd" ];
+
+# add file systems using labels
+fileSystems."/" =
+  { device = "/dev/disk/by-label/nixroot";
+    fsType = "ext4";
+  };
+fileSystems."/boot" =
+  { device = "/dev/disk/by-label/nixboot";
+    fsType = "vfat";
+    options = [ "fmask=0022" "dmask=0022" ];
+  };
+fileSystems."/home" =
+  { device = "/dev/disk/by-label/nixhome";
+    fsType = "ext4";
+  };
+swapDevices =
+  [ { device = "/dev/disk/by-label/nixswap"; }
+  ];
+
+# point the bootloader to the luks device
+boot.initrd.luks.devices."cryptroot".device = "/dev/disk/by-label/nixcrypt";
+```
+
+4. install nixos
+
+```bash
+cd /mnt
+sudo nixos-install
+```
+
 ## author
 
 aaron <aaron@0x29a.ch>