Re: [Xen-users] How to add cdrom in linux guest

[Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > I have installed SLES10 as a guest on a para-virtualized XEN 3.0.4.
> > the host system is SLES10.
> > Now I want to add a cdrom to the guest machine, when I do
> > that by using "xm block-attach"
> > it adds a new hard disk to the guest not a cdrom.
>
> There doesn't seem to be a way to tell the guest that it's a CDROM -
> however, I'm not entirely sure that's necessary either - have you tried
> to mount the "disk" as a CDROM (something like "mount /dev/xvdb
> /mnt/cdrom -t iso9660 -r"). I think that should work - there's nothing
> really magical about a CDROM as long as you use it for data reads. If
> you want to use a CD recording facility, your only option is to have a
> separate disk controller and give that as a PCI device to the DomU.

There isn't a paravirtualised CDROM driver, just the "block driver" that makes 
everything appear as a hard disk.  As Mats says, you should still be able to 
mount it just fine, but getting the guest to see it as a CD-ROM isn't 
currently possible.

Is there any particular reason you need it to appear as a CD-ROM?

> > Also I need to make the guest boot from cd.
>
> You definitely can NOT boot from CDROM in a PV guest - only HVM guests
> can boot from CDROM.

Which is a shame.  It'd be nice one day to have a PV spec for booting from CD; 
currently we don't, which is annoying.

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!

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