Re: [Xen-users] WinXP cannot partition disk

[Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I disabled selinux in /etc/selinux/config and all problems were gone.. the
> iso works (cdrom) and windows is able to partition and format the disk.
>
> I wonder what consequences this has on the overall security of the Xen host
> though.
>
> Anyway, I can continue installing and testing with Xen. Thank you for your
> time and effort! You've been a great help.

Looking at the Fedora Xen quickstart at 
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FedoraXenQuickstartFC6 I can't see anything 
obvious that would cause SELinux to break here.  If you were exporting a .iso 
to the guest it would need to be in /var/lib/xen/images in order to pass 
SELinux checks.

I'm not sure exactly how SELinux / Fedora handle the LVM volume you're storing 
your guest on, nor am I sure how the /dev/cdrom export would be treated.

I don't have an up-to-date Fedora / RHEL system here (though I wish I did, I 
love what they're doing with Xen / SELinux) that I can check on.

I've cc-ed Daniel (hope you don't mind, Daniel!) who I think may have a better 
idea what's up.

Cheers,
Mark

> On Mon, 4 Jun 2007 14:51:11 +0200, Petersson, Mats wrote
>
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > [mailto:xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> > > Rob van Oostveen
> > > Sent: 04 June 2007 13:21
> > > To: Mark Williamson; xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Subject: Re: [Xen-users] WinXP cannot partition disk
> > >
> > > Mark,
> > >
> > > Thank you for your reply. I've tried your suggestions as
> > > well, but without
> > > success. This is my config file:
> > >
> > > kernel="/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader"
> > > builder="hvm"
> > > memory=512
> > > shadow_memory=8
> > > vif=['type=iomem, bridge=xenbr0']
> > > disk=['phy:/dev/vg/winxp,hda,w', 'phy:/dev/cdrom,hdc:cdrom,r']
> > > device_model='/usr/' + arch_libdir + '/xen/bin/qemu-dm'
> > > boot="d"
> > > sdl=0
> > > vnc=1
> > > stdvga=0
> > >
> > > All not mentioned is left default. I copied the default
> > > xmexample.hvm to
> > > winxp.hvm and changed it to above.
> > >
> > > I've tried to load the iso the way you suggested, but I still
> > > get the same
> > > results. It looks like dom0 cannot access the iso because of
> > > insufficient
> > > rights, tho the file is world readable.
> >
> > Are you by any chance running a "redhat" based Linux distro? That would
> > be RedHat, Fedora or a number of others? In that case, SELinux may be a
> > "culprit". You can either (unsafely) turn Selinux off, or find some
> > place that gives you information on how to "debug and fix Selinux
> > permissions for various files".
> >
> > --
> > Mats
> >
> > > Regards,
> > > Rob
> > >
> > > On Mon, 4 Jun 2007 06:35:23 +0100, Mark Williamson wrote
> > >
> > > > > I created a logical volume for usage by a guest OS:
> > >
> > > Windows XP. When
> > >
> > > > > Windows starts the setup and comes to the partitioning
> > >
> > > part, no partition
> > >
> > > > > can be created. When I hit 'C' (create partition) and
> > >
> > > provide the partition
> > >
> > > > > size, setup returns to the same previous screen where I
> > >
> > > need to hit 'C'
> > >
> > > > > again.. it looks like its looping..
> > > >
> > > > Weird.  Could you please post your domain config file?
> > > >
> > > > > Another issue is that the .iso image of Windows XP
> > >
> > > (created with `dd
> > >
> > > > > if=/dev/cdrom of=/tmp/winxp.iso`) cannot be used during
> > >
> > > creation of the new
> > >
> > > > > guest OS. It fails. When I provide '/dev/cdrom' the guest
> > >
> > > OS boots from cd.
> > >
> > > > > I can't figure out why.
> > > > >
> > > > >From the real CD, presumably?  You want something like:
> > > >
> > > > disk = [ 'file:/tmp/winxp.iso,hdc:cdrom,r', ... ]
> > > >
> > > > in your disk list.  This'll make hdc in the guest be an
> > >
> > > emulated CD-ROM drive
> > >
> > > > holding the contents of your ISO file.
> > > >
> > > > There's a boot order variable in the config, you'll need
> > >
> > > "c" to be first if
> > >
> > > > it's going to boot off the hard drive.  e.g.
> > > >
> > > > boot = "cda"
> > > >
> > > > will try initially to boot from the hard drive, fall back
> > >
> > > to the CD-ROM drive
> > >
> > > > if that fails, and finally try to boot from the emulated
> > >
> > > floppy drive.
> > >
> > > > > I'm running RedHat FC6 and used the Xen version shipped
> > >
> > > with FC6. I suspect
> > >
> > > > > it is version 3.0. I also want to upgrade that version to
> > >
> > > 3.1 later on. The
> > >
> > > > > above might be related to version 3.0?
> > > >
> > > > Those issues shouldn't be a issue with your particular version.
> > > >
> > > > FC6 shipped with a Xen based on 3.0.3.  Xen 3.0.1 to 3.0.4
> > >
> > > are feature
> > >
> > > > releases not just bugfixes as the numbers imply.  I have
> > >
> > > the impression that
> > >
> > > > 3.0.4 and above has better support for running HVM guests,
> > >
> > > so you may find
> > >
> > > > Windows works better if you upgrade.  3.1 is what *would*
> > >
> > > have been called
> > >
> > > > 3.0.5 in the old numbering scheme; you might want to
> > >
> > > consider upgrading to
> > >
> > > > that, although there are probably still some bugs to find
> > >
> > > in the new features
> > >
> > > > of that release :-)
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > > Mark
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Dave: Just a question. What use is a unicyle with no seat?
> > >
> > > And no pedals!
> > >
> > > > Mark: To answer a question with a question: What use is a
> > >
> > > skateboard?
> > >
> > > > Dave: Skateboards have wheels.
> > > > Mark: My wheel has a wheel!
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Xen-users mailing list
> > > > Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users



-- 
Dave: Just a question. What use is a unicyle with no seat?  And no pedals!
Mark: To answer a question with a question: What use is a skateboard?
Dave: Skateboards have wheels.
Mark: My wheel has a wheel!

_______________________________________________
Xen-users mailing list
Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users