diff --git a/boot/builder.sh b/boot/builder.sh
index 63dbe39c081..d09eaa11d58 100755
--- a/boot/builder.sh
+++ b/boot/builder.sh
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ for i in $boot $halt $login $env; do
         -e "s^@shadowutils\@^$shadowutils^g" \
         -e "s^@iputils\@^$iputils^g" \
         -e "s^@gnumake\@^$gnumake^g" \
+        -e "s^@curl\@^$curl^g" \
+        -e "s^@gnused\@^$gnused^g" \
+        -e "s^@gnutar\@^$gnutar^g" \
+        -e "s^@gnugrep\@^$gnugrep^g" \
+        -e "s^@gzip\@^$gzip^g" \
         -e "s^@out\@^$out^g" \
         < $i > $dst
     chmod +x $dst
diff --git a/boot/default.nix b/boot/default.nix
index 84507a004ac..062fe2a4714 100644
--- a/boot/default.nix
+++ b/boot/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 { stdenv, bash, coreutils, findutils, utillinux, sysvinit, e2fsprogs
 , nettools, nix, subversion, gcc, wget, which, vim, less, screen, openssh
-, binutils, strace, shadowutils, iputils, gnumake}:
+, binutils, strace, shadowutils, iputils, gnumake, curl, gnused, gnugrep
+, gnutar, gzip}:
 
 derivation {
   name = "boot";
@@ -12,5 +13,6 @@ derivation {
   env = ./env.sh;
   inherit stdenv bash coreutils findutils utillinux sysvinit
           e2fsprogs nettools nix subversion gcc wget which vim less screen
-          openssh binutils strace shadowutils iputils gnumake;
+          openssh binutils strace shadowutils iputils gnumake curl gnused
+          gnutar gnugrep gzip;
 }
diff --git a/boot/env.sh b/boot/env.sh
index 627305570f6..33a6d1eb3ce 100644
--- a/boot/env.sh
+++ b/boot/env.sh
@@ -1 +1 @@
-export PATH=@nix@/bin:@bash@/bin:@coreutils@/bin:@findutils@/bin:@utillinux@/bin:@utillinux@/sbin:@sysvinit@/bin:@sysvinit@/sbin:@e2fsprogs@/bin:@e2fsprogs@/sbin:@nettools@/bin:@nettools@/sbin:@gcc@/bin:@subversion@/bin:@which@/bin:@wget@/bin:@vim@/bin:@less@/bin:@screen@/bin:@openssh@/bin:@binutils@/bin:@strace@/bin:@shadowutils@/bin:@shadowutils@/sbin:@iputils@/bin:@gnumake@/bin
+export PATH=@nix@/bin:@bash@/bin:@coreutils@/bin:@findutils@/bin:@utillinux@/bin:@utillinux@/sbin:@sysvinit@/bin:@sysvinit@/sbin:@e2fsprogs@/bin:@e2fsprogs@/sbin:@nettools@/bin:@nettools@/sbin:@gcc@/bin:@subversion@/bin:@which@/bin:@wget@/bin:@vim@/bin:@less@/bin:@screen@/bin:@openssh@/bin:@binutils@/bin:@strace@/bin:@shadowutils@/bin:@shadowutils@/sbin:@iputils@/bin:@gnumake@/bin:@curl@/bin:@gnused@/bin:@gnutar@/bin:@gnugrep@/bin:@gzip@/bin
diff --git a/fill-disk.sh b/fill-disk.sh
index 89a5f992ade..0873badcff8 100755
--- a/fill-disk.sh
+++ b/fill-disk.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ make_dir() {
 
 touch_file() {
     name=$1
-    echo creating $name...
+    echo touching $name...
     if ! test -d $root/$name; then touch $root/$name; fi
 }
 root=/tmp/mnt
@@ -22,11 +22,12 @@ root=/tmp/mnt
 echo mounting...
 mount -t ext2 /dev/discs/disc0/disc $root
 
+make_dir 00755 /bin
 make_dir 00755 /dev
 make_dir 00755 /proc
 make_dir 01777 /tmp
 make_dir 00755 /etc # global non-constant configuration
-make_dir 00755 /etc-secret # global non-constant configuration
+make_dir 00755 /etc-secret
 make_dir 00755 /var
 make_dir 00755 /nix
 make_dir 00755 /nix/store
diff --git a/make-disk.sh b/make-disk.sh
index 3e55795a480..87e761110cd 100755
--- a/make-disk.sh
+++ b/make-disk.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #! /bin/sh -e
 
 image=/tmp/disk.img
-size=$(expr 256 \* 1024 \* 1024)
+size=$(expr 2048 \* 1024 \* 1024)
 storePaths=/tmp/storepaths
 successors=/tmp/successors
 
diff --git a/pkgs.nix b/pkgs.nix
index 1ffa835f584..cb80054bca3 100644
--- a/pkgs.nix
+++ b/pkgs.nix
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 rec {
   inherit (import /usr/home/nix/nixpkgs-0.6pre1121/pkgs/system/i686-linux.nix)
     stdenv bash coreutils findutils utillinux sysvinit e2fsprogs
-    nettools nix subversion gcc wget which vim less screen openssh binutils strace shadowutils iputils gnumake;
+    nettools nix subversion gcc wget which vim less screen openssh binutils
+    strace shadowutils iputils gnumake curl gnused gnutar gnugrep gzip;
 
   boot = (import ./boot) {inherit stdenv bash coreutils findutils
-    utillinux sysvinit e2fsprogs nettools nix subversion gcc wget which vim less screen openssh binutils strace shadowutils iputils gnumake;};
+    utillinux sysvinit e2fsprogs nettools nix subversion gcc wget which vim
+    less screen openssh binutils strace shadowutils iputils gnumake curl
+    gnused gnutar gnugrep gzip;};
 
   everything = [boot sysvinit];
 }