[Xen-users] Howto setup a AMD 32bit HVM on a notebook ASUS A6T

[Bernd Broermann <bernd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Goal was to have a notebook with a modern linux desktop and the 
possibility  to run a native windows as a guest system.


1. About the Hardware
The ASUS A6T is quite new  an cost about 1100 EUR.
Hardware in brief:
- AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-52
- processor on a nVidia C51 board.
- 1GB Memory
- 100GB disk space ( 60 GB for Dom-0 rest LVM )
- RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit ( dont work with  SMP-kernel)

This just fits  the requirement for starting a couple of guest systems.
 
2. Basic Install
Dom-0 OS is Kubuntu Dapper Drake.
First I used the howto for setup the base xen server, but I used the 
XEN-3.0.2-2 binaries for 32-Bit systems.
(On my Desktop I have no demand for 64-Bit  Applications.)
http://www.howtoforge.com/xen_3.0_ubuntu_dapper_drake [1]


3. Checking HVM capabilities
The running xen kernel shows the olbliatory svm flag in the output of
root@asus:~# cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep svm
flags           : fpu tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr mca cmov pat pse36
clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt lm 3dnowext
3dnow pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm cr8legacy ts fid vid ttp tm stc
flags           : fpu tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr mca cmov pat pse36
clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt lm 3dnowext
3dnow pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm cr8legacy ts fid vid ttp tm stc


Note:
On AMD you must look for the "svm" flag. I did only  see the "svm" flag
when I start the XEN kernel.

The SMP Kernel seems to have Problems with the PCI routing on this
board. So I decided to plugin a PCMCIA Network card and adjust it in
/etc/iftab to become "eth0".  So I didn't need to change the entrys in
/etc/xen/xend-config.sxp.

The started XEN daemon should show now:

# xm dmesg | grep "SVM Extension is enabled"
(XEN) AMD SVM Extension is enabled for cpu 0.
(XEN) AMD SVM Extension is enabled for cpu 1.

Before I started to put on an WINXP I decided to get a never version of XEN
XEN 3.0.2-2 , because to this time  3.0.2-2 was 2 mounth old.
testing is 3.0.2-3.

4. Update to testing
a) Getting the software
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/Research/SRG/netos/xen/downloads.html [2]
# apt-get install mercurial
# cd /usr/src/
# hg clone http://xenbits.xensource.com/xen-3.0-testing.hg
# cd xen-3.0-testing.hg
# make world
# make install
# mkinitrd -o initrd.img-2.6.16.13-xen 2.6.16.13-xen
# ln -sf initrd.img-2.6.16.13-xen initrd.img-2.6-xen

Adust the ubuntu specials like in the HOWTO [1]

b) I removed the asus-apci module, because it didn't work.
# make linux-2.6-xen-config CONFIGMODE=menuconfig
# make linux-2.6-xen-build
# make linux-2.6-xen-install

# mkinitramfs  -o initrd.img-2.6.16.13-xen  2.6.16.13-xen

c) Check grub
# cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
title Xen 3.0 / XenLinux 2.6
root            (hd0,0)
kernel /xen-3.gz dom0_mem=768000
module /vmlinuz-2.6-xen root=/dev/hdc3 ro
module /initrd.img-2.6-xen


Note: When you dont set the dom0_mem parameter, the systems crashes or
freeze.
768MB for the kubuntu  system is sufficient.

d) Prepare the virtual disk.
# lvcreate -L 4GB -n winxp vg01


e) Setting up XEN config for use with LVM
I followed advices in the following link an the this mailing list.
http://en.opensuse.org/Xen_Full_Virtualization_Example [3]
except I use the LVM.


Note:  Put in the hole path of the LV device !!!!.
# cat /etc/xen/winxp.hvm
disk    = [ 'phy:/dev/vg01/winxp,ioemu:hda,w']
cdrom='/dev/hda'
boot='d'
sdl=1
vncviewer=0


5. Setup KDE for user root to install VM as this.
# passwd root
# vi  /etc/kde3/kdm/kdmrc
# AllowRootLogin=true

In KDE I choose "Start a new desktop" to login as root
In a Terminal I start

# xm create /etc/xen/winxp.hvm
The installation runs smoothly.
Change boot='d' -> boot='c'

6. Setting up autostart
After finishing Installation, enable the remote desktop support and
change from
sdl to vnc, because I want to autostart the winxp guest.

# cat /etc/xen/winxp.hvm
sdl=0
vnc=1

7. Connect to the VM
At least one  could connect to the winxp guest with
krdc rdp:/192.168.x.x

This installation succeded on following hardware as well
MB: K9N Neo-F nForce550,AMD AM2  ( ~60 EUR )
CPU: AMD Athlon 64  3000+ Socket AM2  ( ~90 EUR )


WinXP runs smoothy and I did not recognized any  errors as posted on
this list in the past.

cool software.


-- 
Broermann Technologie-Beratung
Maria-Louisen-Str. 102
22301 Hamburg
Tel: 040/53888870 
Fax: 040/53888869
Mobil: 0172/2982498


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