Re: [Xen-users] Xen and MacBook Pro 17" 2.8 (current)

[Andrew Lyon <andrew.lyon@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, Apr 10, 2010 at 1:53 PM, Niels Dettenbach <nd@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Dear Xenianers,
>
> this thread seems not new but things are changed over a while.
>
> I'm plan to use a current (x86) Mac Book 17" 2.8 GHz mainly with Linux 
> (mainly Gentoo) and to run other VMs for developement (mainly Linux, *BSD) 
> under Xen if possible as i'm very happy with Xen on our servers and even some 
> desks.

I maintain some ebuilds and patches for Gentoo xen kernels, .31 and
.32 are in portage now, you just need to unmask them, newer versions I
upload to http://code.google.com/p/gentoo-xen-kernel/downloads/list
for testing before they hit portage.

>
> 1.)
> What about nvidia drivers in the current (with xen linux or xen netbsd)? Is 
> it possible to run dom0 or domU with the accelerated linux drivers? Is there 
> any difference between xen (classic) and xen pv be aware?

It is possible to run nvidia binary drivers if you use a classic Xen
kernel but they do not currently work with pv_ops kernel when Xen is
enabled, I use 195.36.15 with .31 and .32 and it is perfectly stable.

The easy way to install the drivers is to set your /usr/src/linux
symlink to point at a normal non-xen kernel, install the drivers
through portage, then compile the kernel module for the xen kernel and
install it manually.

>
> 2.)
> Is it technically possible to run a current Mac OS X under Xen? I assume not 
> for now but i've heard somewhere that there are users which sucessfully run 
> Mac OS X under a Xen HV - but that requires "modifications" which are not 
> "legally" (i.e. a "cracked" OS X or "modified" kernel [darwin?]). Im really 
> confused here...

It is possible, but it does require modifications to the install dvd,
whether it is legal or not if you run it on apple hardware I have no
idea, graphics performance would be a problem unless you can passthru
the vga adapter to osx.

>
> Is here anyone who can clearify this a little to us or has experiences with 
> this?
>
> Afair it seems possible to run a (patched and unpatched) MAC OSX on (a 
> patched?) VirtualBox (even without real MAC hardware, but that's not my 
> idea...), but (however) i prefer xen where possible and afaik virtualbox is 
> not (at least not fully because of VT etc.) running under a xen hv which i 
> prefer to use for other things to do.
>
> Paravirtualizing MAC OSX seems' not a (current) question worth...
>
> Will try this as soon as i have the hardware here.
>
> Many thanks for your time,
> best regards and a nice weekend to you all,
>
> Niels.
> ---
> Niels Dettenbach
> http://www.syndicat.com
>
>
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>

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