Re: [Xen-devel] [Embedded-pv-devel] [PATCH RFC 00/18] System adjustment to customer needs.

[Julien Grall <julien.grall@xxxxxxx>]

Hello Meng,

On 20/05/2016 16:21, Meng Xu wrote:
> On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 5:53 PM, Andrii Anisov
> <andrii.anisov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > If the board is not supported by Xen, can we say Xen will support the
> > > > board with the warkaround?
> > I would not say boards are supported by XEN (except earlyprintk).
> > Rather architectures are supported in general, and SoC's are supported
> > in architecture implementation defined deviations (i.e. SMMU absence).
> Yes. I searched around for the "Jacinto 6" Automotive processor.[1]
> It uses Cortex A15 processor...
> However, I tried the Arndale Octo board two years ago
> (http://www.arndaleboard.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page). From my
> previous experience, the board may not be supported by Xen even though
> the processor it uses has virtualization extension.. :-(
It would like to correct you here. Xen (and KVM) can run on any board 
providing virtual extensions, a GIC and an architectural timer are 
available.
However, some vendor ship boards with a firmware/bootloader that will 
enter the kernel in EL1 rather than EL2 (i.e the hyp mode).
The bootloader is often U-boot and the upstream version may support the 
board. So if the bootloader is entered in a mode that allows to switch 
to HYP mode (either EL3 or secure EL1), then you can recompile U-boot 
and flash your board. Otherwise, the source may be shipped and you can 
hack around to entered Xen to HYP mode.
Regards,

--
Julien Grall

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