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Re: [Xen-users] Importing Windows XP installation


  • To: xen-users <xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • From: "Fajar A. Nugraha" <fajar@xxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:46:40 +0700
  • Delivery-date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:47:21 -0700
  • List-id: Xen user discussion <xen-users.lists.xensource.com>

flinco@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
I would like to know if it is possible to take the pre-installed WinXP installation 
(sda1) and to run "as it is" on a xen paravirtual domain.

Possible, but not easy. Your best bet would PROBABLY be to start here
http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/
to convert your machine to vmware disk format and then go here
http://ian.blenke.com/vmware/vmdk/xen/hvm/qemu/vmware_to_xen_hvm.html
to convert it to Xen HVM disk image.

It's my first time with xen and (para)virtualization.
Which makes it even harder :)
Note that even if your conversion process is succesful, XP will prompt you to activate your license key again due to hardware change. So in general, I'd say don't bother. Install a new XP HVM instead.

I followed Xen User Manual and "How to Install Windows on Xen 3.0".
To be able to experiment without damaging the original XP installation I made a 
primary unformatted /dev/sda4 (same size of sda1) where I created a Volume 
Group called VG_Guests. Then I filled VG_Guests with a Logical Volume I called 
win_xp_sp3.
I tried to copy the physical partition sda1 into the logical volume win_xp_sp3 
(dd if=/dev/sda1 of=/dev/VG_Guests/win_xp_sp3).

This is wrong. If you're using LVM from HVM domU storage, then the LVM will be the disk, not the partition. In short, if you go the dd-way, it should be "if=/dev/sda" instead of "if=/dev/sda1". In your case this still won't work though, because your VG is located on sda. Again, your best bet is probably using the two-step approach above.


Regards,

Fajar

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