[Xen-users] Problem with VNC Console on Paravirtualization VMs

[David Goldsmith <dgoldsmith@xxxxxxxx>]

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I am running Xen 3.0.4.1 on CentOS 4.4 for the host.  I am testing both
full virtualization and para-virtualization VMs.

Full Virtualization
===================
I have a full virtualization VM running CentOS 4.4 using the following
key elements from the config file

builder='hvm'
kernel = '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader'
device_model = '/usr/lib/xen/bin/qemu-dm'
sdl = 0
vnc = 1
nographic = 0

When I start this VM with 'xm create', the qemu-dm process sets up a
network listener on TCP port 5900.  I can run vncviewer from my laptop
and connect to port 5900 on the Xen host and I get connected to the
'HVMXEN-<name>' console for my VM.  With this, I can use Alt-F# to jump
between the 6 virtual console that Linux provides.  If I run 'xm console
<vmid>' to try to connect to the HVM host, I get the error 'xenconsole:
Could not read tty from store: No such file or directory'


Should I be able to use 'xm console ...' to connect to an HVM VM?


Para-Virtualization
===================
I am using the CentOS 4.4 image from jailtime.org.  The default config
for this image was:

kernel = "/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-xenU"
memory = 128
name = "centos.4-4"
vif = [ '' ]
dhcp = "dhcp"
disk = ['file:/data2/xenimages/centos.4-4.img,sda1,w',
'file:/data2/xenimages/centos.swap,sda2,w']
root = "/dev/sda1 ro"

I have experimented with adding various vnc, vnclisten and vncviewer
options to the config file.

If I have only 'vnc = 1', then after I create the VM, I can run 'xm
console <vmid>' and I get connected to a pseudo-console.  I see the
equivalent of tty1 but cannot toggle between the six virtual consoles
that appear to be running.

With only 'vnc = 1', I also have no network listeners on ports 55xx or
59xx so I can not connect to the VM with vncviewer.

If I add 'vncviewer = 1' to the config file and try to create the VM, I
get the following output/error:

  # xm create centos.4-4.xen3.cfg
  Using config file "./centos.4-4.xen3.cfg".
  VNC= 1
  Error: Unable to connect to xend: Name or service not known. Is
  xend running?

The VM does not start, but a vncviewer process was started that is
listening on TCP port 5501.

  vncviewer -log *:stdout:0 -listen 5501

If I remove 'vncviewer = 1' and add 'vnclisten = <my IP>', then I can
start the VM but have no network listeners on any 55xx/59xx ports. I can
use 'xm console <vmid>' to connect to the console.


Should I be able to use a vncviewer to connect to the full console on a
paravirtualized VM?  And if so, what are the necessary config file
settings and external setting with regard to the vncserver/vncviewer?


Thanks,
David Goldsmith
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