XEN 3.3 on OpenSuse 10.3

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 02:18 PM

XEN 3.3 install

Ok, I give up and cry "mercy" !

After 3 days on this I am stuck and the README is no help it seems. I did everything like I 'think' the readme tells me to.

Basically I install all of the dependencies first, which there is quite a few. I download the XEN 3.3 source and unpack it.

I then do make world followed by make install. I do not do make dist as it reads from the readme as being 'optional'. All really goes well it seems and the proper files are under the /boot directory but this is where it takes a dive. I edit the menu.lst and add something like this.

Code:

title Xen 3.3
     root (hd0,1)
     kernel /boot/xen-3.3.gz console=vga
     module /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18.8-xen root=/dev/sda2 ro console=tty0
     module /boot/initrd-2.6.18.8-xen

I make my mkinitrd.

After the machine tries to boot I eventually get a

Waiting for device /dev/sda2 to appear

I have been throught the Xensource forum looking for answers and it just does not seem like a very common problem. I have done this same procedure from within an ESXi virtual machine and with my Dell Laptop with the same results and that leads me to believe I am doing something totally wrong.

irishbitte · 10-07-2008, 02:29 PM

Why are you using this:

Quote:

root=/dev/sda2

I would suggest that you try using something like:

Code:

root=/dev/sda1

unless there is a particular reason for using sda2? Surely in XEN you have defined a Virtual harddrive for use by the VM? Or are you trying to assign a physical partition on your physical harddrive to your VM?

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 02:33 PM

I do not understand your remark ?

/dev/sda2 is my root partition, that is what I am telling the Xen kernel to use for root. It clearly says to do this in the README.

irishbitte · 10-07-2008, 02:39 PM

is not /dev/sda2 the root partition of your host machine? on your physical harddrive?

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 02:42 PM

Yes it is and I tried /dev/sda1 for kicks with the same results.

You drop to a minimal shell prompt and the /dev directory shows not physical disk so i am guessing something is wrong with my initrd.

irishbitte · 10-07-2008, 02:45 PM

And since XEN is a VM, would it not make sense to you that it have a virtual harddrive? Unless I have the wrong end of the stick? Have you not defined a virtual harddrive?

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 02:47 PM

You have the wrong end of the stick. XEN is a kernel just like the Linux kernel but it is a hypervisor for running VM's.

irishbitte · 10-07-2008, 02:49 PM

Ok, but can XEN use the same root filesystem as your physical machine? I didn't think that would either be possible or desirable.

Total-MAdMaN · 10-07-2008, 02:52 PM

Try changing it to /dev/hda2.

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 02:52 PM

Of course it does. Basically it loads the XEN kernel just like a normal Linux kernel. Once it boots you can then create your virtual machines and everything is stored in the normal file system. I do believe the images for the XEN domains are stored under /var

I have run XEN for quite some time, this is just a newer version and I normally do not compile it from source.

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Total-MAdMaN

Try changing it to /dev/hda2.

Same thing

Code:

Want me to fall back to /dev/sda2 ? (Y/n)
not found -- exiting to /bin/sh
sh: no job control in shell

irishbitte · 10-07-2008, 03:01 PM

As a troubleshooting exercise, will you just check the output of

Code:

df -h

and see what device your root partition is mounted on?

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 03:30 PM

Oh yeah did the normal.

mount

and

df -h

irishbitte · 10-07-2008, 03:35 PM

Hmmm. Bit of a pain. :$ Have you any option to use another version or binary of XEN? Or do you need this one?

Reefcrazed · 10-07-2008, 03:37 PM

XEN 3.3 is when they started utilizing Powernow and Enhanced speed-stepping so yeah this is the version I will be running.