Xen

[pr144]

I reformatted my Window Media Ceter PC w/ AMD Athlon processor.

Installed Kubuntu 7.10

Now I want to Install Xen, and eventually Windows MC

Anyone know how?

Thanks,
pr

[jankushka]

Re: Xen

any particular reason why you want to go xen rather than kvm?

anyway, xen installs pretty easily from the universe repos.
you'll either need ubuntu-xen-desktop or ubuntu-xen-server.
a bunch of stuff will be installed, including doc.

your grub will need something like the following:

title     xen 3.0-i386 / kubuntu 7.10, kernel 2.6.19-4-generic
root     (hd0,1)
kernel     /xen-3.0-i386.gz
module     /vmlinuz-2.6.19-4-generic root=UUID=aaa4f6fc-342d-4a5c-a02b-89b0205f9527 ro console=tty0
module     /initrd.img-2.6.19-4-generic

in order to boot.

last time i checked, only the given kernel (v2.6.19-4) would run.

then i went kvm.
simpler for me, since i only really need to run a few virtual machines concurrently.

hth

[pr144]

Re: Xen

I only knew of Xen. It looks like kvm might be better because it's build into the kernel. Is that so?

What is support like for kvm? Any issues or gotchas installing/running Windows Media Center

pr

[lingenfr]

Re: Xen

In general, I doubt that is going to work well. You really ought to check out mythtv or on of the linux solutions.

[Fintan]

Re: Xen

If you are just want a media center try this:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...item=919&num=1

[pr144]

Re: Xen

Actually, my target configuration is.

Virtual machine..Xen or kvm

Kubntu 7.10 with LinuxMCS when it's available, hopefully soon.
http://linuxmce.com/

I am also going to reinstall Windows Media Center. This is a HP AMD Media Center Machine, I reformatted and just installed Kubuntu.

pr

[jankushka]

Re: Xen

It looks like kvm might be better because it's build into the kernel. Is that so?

i'm not sure it's better.
it's a different approach.
it's a "smaller footprint".
your system doesn't depend on it.
you don't have to change your kernel or anything.
you only install a kernel module and a few user's tools.
but you'll have to put up with using emulated devices:
cirrus clgd 5446 vga card for graphics
creative soundblaster 16 for sound
...
good enough for me (i.e. i can see and hear stuff alright).
wouldn't know if it is for you.

What is support like for kvm? Any issues or gotchas installing/running Windows Media Center

i have kubuntu kde4 rc2, ubuntu 7.10 and also (just recently) windoze xp in 3 different vms.
kvm works no problems.
i only have to put the "noapic nolapic" directives on the vm kernel line for the ubuntus.
withouth those they're terribly slow.
no issues with wxp.

though, i don't do any multimedia stuff, so i can't say much on that.

configuring the network is probably the most annoying thing.
i use a bridge on my wired ethernet.
but you can use other strategies.

here's a starting point.

hth

[pr144]

Re: Xen

Why isin't the author using Adept?

When I get to this step I get the following error,

pr@AMD:~$ kvm -m 750 -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img
open /dev/kvm: Permission denied
Could not initialize KVM, will disable KVM suppor

..when I try,

sudo kvm -m 750 -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img

I don't get any errors, only a blank QEMU/KVM screen

Any suggestions?

thanks,
pr

[jankushka]

Re: Xen

Why isin't the author using Adept?

because some of us still prefer the command line.
if you know what you're doing, it's still the faster way to do things.
besides...adept sucks.

When I get to this step I get the following error,

pr@AMD:~$ kvm -m 750 -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img
open /dev/kvm: Permission denied
Could not initialize KVM, will disable KVM suppor

you should configure your user accout to be part of the kvm group.

..when I try,

sudo kvm -m 750 -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img

I don't get any errors, only a blank QEMU/KVM screen

Any suggestions?

thanks,
pr

i have no experience with amd64.
with some ubuntu desktop cds i've tried i had to give kvm the "-no-kvm" option
to get it to do the graphical boot process alright.
but that has to do with the (in)famous exception 12/exception 13 errors...

don't really know...

sorry.

[pr144]

Re: Xen

I added the user to the kvm group and confirmed it,

pr@AMD:~$ sudo adduser pr kvm
The user `pr' is already a member of `kvm'.

Then, with this command,

pr@AMD:~$ kvm -std-vga -m 750 -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img
open /dev/kvm: Permission denied
Could not initialize KVM, will disable KVM support

I see the Kubuntu install screen in the QEMU/KVM screen but when I try and install I get a "I/O Error Error Reading Boot CD"

...when I enter this command,

sudo kvm -std-vga -m 750 -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img

I just get the "I/O Error Error Reading Boot CD" error in the QEMU/KVM screen,

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
pr

[jankushka]

Re: Xen

open /dev/kvm: Permission denied

something isn't right here...

could you pls login with the pr user and post the result of the following from konsole:

ls -l /dev/kvm

you should get something like:

crw-rw---- 1 root kvm 10, 232 2007-12-17 01:04 /dev/kvm

and

id

you should get something like:

uid=1001(pr) gid=1001(pr) groups=4(adm),20(dialout),24(cdrom),25(floppy),29( audio),30(dip),44(video),46(plugdev),100(users),10 4(scanner),112(netdev),113(lpadmin),115(powerdev), 117(fuse),118(admin),120(kvm)

thanks

[pr144]

Re: Xen

I am not able to work on that box for few days, I'll post the results then. I did get this response on the kvm mail list...

> pr@AMD:~$ kvm -std-vga -m 750 -cdrom
> /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img
> open /dev/kvm: Permission denied

You have to log out and log in for this to take effect.

> sudo kvm -std-vga -m 750 -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso
> -boot d gutsy-desktop.img
> I just get the “I/O Error Error Reading Boot CD” error in the QEMU/KVM
> screen,

add the -hda option before gutsy-desktop.img. Also verify if the hash of the
ISO is correct (md5sum / sha1)


thanks for you're help...
pr

[jankushka]

Re: Xen

I did get this response on the kvm mail list...

You have to log out and log in for this to take effect.

yes.
when you add a group membership, you'll have to log out and back in to see the change.
that is the reason i asked you to run the id command...
to see if your user is an actual member of the kvm group...
the permission error you get tells me that
either your user is not a member of the kvm group
or your /dev/kvm has a wrong permission mask...

I did get this response on the kvm mail list...

add the -hda option before gutsy-desktop.img. Also verify if the hash of the
ISO is correct (md5sum / sha1)

both suggestions make sense.
your .iso image file might be corrupted.
and i'd also problably try without the -std-vga option, too.

cheers

[pr144]

Re: Xen

This command now start a VM,

kvm -m 750 -no-acpi -cdrom /home/pr/kubuntu-7.10-desktop-amd64.iso -boot d gutsy-desktop.img

...but it is so slow...any suggestion on speeding it up?

...pr

[jankushka]

Re: Xen

i guess you could have a go at installing your .iso into the .img.
then try again by booting off the .img.
from the vm's grub menu i have disabled the splash.
as i said in a previous post, i have no experience with amd64.
i don't know if there are any issues.
my kvm vms are as fast my my real machine (as it should be).
i can't say much more, sorry.

hth