[Xen-users] Debug Xen Kernel Loading

["John L. Poole" <jlpoole56@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm trying to install a Xen server on top of Gentoo Linux.  I've been
referencing these wikis:

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Xen
https://wiki.xenproject.org/wiki/Xen_Project_Beginners_Guide
https://wiki.xen.org/wiki/Xen_Serial_Console

The system I'm working on is a Supermicro Atom 8 processor with low
wattage, < 20 watts, which has the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface,
"UEFI".  I have a working kernel and can boot into Gentoo.  I've
recompiled my kernel adding the features specified in the Gentoo Xen
wiki.

Problem:
When I select the Xen kernel, the screen freezes with a single row
at the top that has all the character spaces set to white. Nothing
more happens thereafter.

http://pasik.reaktio.net/xenserialconsolelog.tx demonstrates that
I should be getting entries such as this:
    (XEN) Xen version 3.4.1 (root@(none)) (gcc version 4.4.0 20090506 
(Red Hat 4.4.0-4) (GCC) ) Mon Aug 17 22:24:38 EEST 200
9
    (XEN) Latest ChangeSet: unavailable
    (XEN) Command line: dom0_mem=1024M loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all 
com1=19200,8n1 console=com1

On the suggestion of Xen_Serial_Console wiki, I have connected to the
server with a serial connection, hardwire null modem cable,
and  I am monitoring from my workstation.  Here's what shows in my 
serial console:
    Loading Xen xen ...
    WARNING: no console will be available to OS
    Loading Linux x86_64-4.4.26-gentoo ...
    Loading initial ramdisk ...


Here are relevant portions of my grub file:
    ...
    serial
    terminal_input console serial
    terminal_output console serial
    if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
      set timeout_style=menu
      set timeout=5
    # Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
    # unavailable.
    else
      set timeout=5
    fi
    ### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

    ...
    ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
    menuentry 'Gentoo GNU/Linux, with Xen hypervisor JLPOOLE' --class 
gentoo --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os --class xen 
$menuentry_id_option 
'xen-gnulinux-simple-667ba578-dfa7-40c8-bf09-1a63d3e58799' {
            # jlpoole added:
        load_video

        insmod part_gpt
        insmod fat
        set root='hd0,gpt2'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 
--hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  EDE9-F8EE
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root EDE9-F8EE
        fi
        echo    'Loading Xen xen ...'
            if [ "$grub_platform" = "pc" -o "$grub_platform" = "" ]; then
                xen_rm_opts=
            else
                xen_rm_opts="no-real-mode edd=off"
            fi
        multiboot    /xen.gz placeholder console_timestamps=boot 
loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all com1=115200,8n1,0x3e8,5 console=com1,vga 
earlyprintk=xen dom0_mem=1024M,max:1024M softlevel=xen ${xen_rm_opts}
        echo    'Loading Linux x86_64-4.4.26-gentoo ...'
        module    /kernel-genkernel-x86_64-4.4.26-gentoo placeholder 
root=UUID=667ba578-dfa7-40c8-bf09-1a63d3e58799 ro
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        module    --nounzip /initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-4.4.26-gentoo
    }


Several years ago, I successfully built a Xen server using Debian 
without a hitch,
I had something up and running in about 2 hours.  For this, I've been 
stalled
for about a week.

What can I do to further debug the loading process or debug what is
happening after loading of the initramfs?

John


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