Re: [Xen-devel] Video Presentation on PCI Express x16 VGA Pass Through to Xen-based Windows XP Home Edition HVM Virtual Machine

[Pasi Kärkkäinen <pasik@xxxxxx>]

On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 03:33:57AM +0800, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) wrote:
> Dear Pasi,
> 
> No, I have not tried it yet. I have 8 GB of memory on my computer.
> 
> What does dom0_mem parameter do?
> 
> If I set dom0_mem, does it mean I cannot access more than 4 GB of memory
> even though I have 8 GB of memory?
> 

Yes.

It limits the memory dom0 will have. The rest of the memory is available
for other virtual machines (ie. "xm info" lists it as free memory).

If you don't limit dom0 memory then every time you create a guest dom0
memory needs to be ballooned down to be able to give it to the new guest.

So it's better to always have dom0_mem specified, so that dom0 kernel
settings don't get confused when it gets ballooned much more down than
what it had available at boot time.

Example grub.conf entry:

kernel        /boot/xen-3.4.gz dom0_mem=1024M

This allocates 1024 MB of memory for dom0, and the rest is free for
other domains to use.

There is a bug in the recent pv_ops dom0 kernel that causes problems if
dom0 has >4096 MB of memory.

So please try to limit your dom0 memory, it might fix the USB problems.

-- Pasi

> -- 
> Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics) BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> Engineering)
> Alma Maters:
> (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> (2) National University of Singapore
> Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> Republic of Singapore
> 
> On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 3:26 AM, Pasi Kärkkäinen <pasik@xxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 02:22:00AM +0800, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming)
> > wrote:
> > > Dear Pasi,
> > >
> > > Yes, I have tried the nomodeset kernel parameter without result.
> > >
> > > I couldn't get Jeremy's rebase/master branch (pvops dom 0 kernel 2.6.31)
> > to
> > > work despite disabling all of USB support in the kernel. I will
> > troubleshoot
> > > this issue with the serial console enabled another time.
> > >
> > > Meanwhile, I got Linus' mainline kernel 2.6.31 to work on my system. So
> > > apparently the dom 0 patched kernel 2.6.31 has some issues or I did not
> > > configure it properly.
> > >
> >
> > Did you try pv_ops dom0 kernel with dom0_mem=1024M parameter for xen.gz?
> >
> > Some others are seeing problems with the recent kernels if they have
> > >4096M of memory for dom0.
> >
> > -- Pasi
> >
> > > --
> > > Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics) BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > Engineering)
> > > Alma Maters:
> > > (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > (2) National University of Singapore
> > > Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > Republic of Singapore
> > >
> > > On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 5:12 PM, Pasi Kärkkäinen <pasik@xxxxxx> wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 08:31:26AM +0800, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang
> > Enming)
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > I have disabled all USB support in the kernel but I still couldn't
> > get
> > > > pvops
> > > > > dom0-patched kernel 2.6.31 final to complete loading. All I get is a
> > > > > blinking cursor at the top left hand corner of the monitor.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > Did you try "nomodeset" parameter for the dom0 kernel?
> > > >
> > > > Have you tried setting up a serial console and capturing the kernel
> > boot
> > > > messages?
> > > >
> > > > -- Pasi
> > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics)
> > BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > > > Engineering)
> > > > > Alma Maters:
> > > > > (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > > > (2) National University of Singapore
> > > > > Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > > > Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > > > MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > > > Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > > > Republic of Singapore
> > > > >
> > > > > On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 8:23 PM, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) <
> > > > > space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > OK I have UHCI, OHCI, EHCI, and xHCI all disabled in the kernel but
> > I
> > > > still
> > > > > > can't get pvops dom 0 kernel 2.6.31 final to boot up completely.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Really puzzled.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics)
> > BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > > > > Engineering)
> > > > > > Alma Maters:
> > > > > > (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > > > > (2) National University of Singapore
> > > > > > Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > > > > Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > > > > MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > > Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > > > > Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > > > > Republic of Singapore
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 6:11 PM, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) <
> > > > > > space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > >> I have disabled USB 1.0 and USB 2.0 drivers simultaneously and
> > enabled
> > > > USB
> > > > > >> 3.0 driver but the kernel stops loading.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Then I totally disabled all USB support by passing the "nousb"
> > > > parameter
> > > > > >> to the kernel but it still stops loading.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> pvops dom 0 2.6.31 final can't work.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> --
> > > > > >> Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics)
> > BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > > > >> Engineering)
> > > > > >> Alma Maters:
> > > > > >> (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > > > >> (2) National University of Singapore
> > > > > >> Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > > > >> Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >> MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >> Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > > > >> Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > > > >> Republic of Singapore
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 4:44 PM, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) <
> > > > > >> space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>> After disabling the USB 1.0 driver, but leaving the USB 2.0
> > driver
> > > > > >>> compiled statically into the kernel, I get an error with the USB
> > 2.0
> > > > driver.
> > > > > >>> This means I cannot use either of the USB 1.0 and USB 2.0
> > drivers.
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> Please refer to my blog post here:
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>>
> > > >
> > http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com/2009/09/after-disabling-usb-10-host-controller.html
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> --
> > > > > >>> Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics)
> > > > BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > > > >>> Engineering)
> > > > > >>> Alma Maters:
> > > > > >>> (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > > > >>> (2) National University of Singapore
> > > > > >>> Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > > > >>> Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>> MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>> Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > > > >>> Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > > > >>> Republic of Singapore
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 10:52 AM, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming)
> > <
> > > > > >>> space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>>> Hi,
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>> I have tried pvops dom 0 kernel 2.6.31 final from Jeremy's tree.
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>> But it gave me a USB host controller died error.
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>> Please refer to the error output here:
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>>
> > > >
> > http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com/2009/09/error-with-pv-ops-dom-0-kernel-2631.html
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>> --
> > > > > >>>> Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics)
> > > > BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > > > >>>> Engineering)
> > > > > >>>> Alma Maters:
> > > > > >>>> (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > > > >>>> (2) National University of Singapore
> > > > > >>>> Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > > > >>>> Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>>> MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>>> Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > > > >>>> Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > > > >>>> Republic of Singapore
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>> On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 12:03 AM, Pasi Kärkkäinen <pasik@xxxxxx
> > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>>> On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 11:37:15PM +0800, Mr. Teo En Ming
> > (Zhang
> > > > > >>>>> Enming) wrote:
> > > > > >>>>> > Hi,
> > > > > >>>>> >
> > > > > >>>>> > Please refer to the disk I/O benchmark results here:
> > > > > >>>>> >
> > > > > >>>>> >
> > > > > >>>>>
> > > >
> > http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com/2009/09/disk-io-benchmark-results-with-xen.html
> > > > > >>>>> >
> > > > > >>>>> > Results show that Win XP HVM guest runs faster in 2.6.30-rc3
> > than
> > > > > >>>>> > 2.6.31-rc6.
> > > > > >>>>> >
> > > > > >>>>>
> > > > > >>>>> Btw you might also want to test with the latest rebase/master
> > tree;
> > > > > >>>>> it's
> > > > > >>>>> at Linux 2.6.31 final now.
> > > > > >>>>>
> > > > > >>>>> -- Pasi
> > > > > >>>>>
> > > > > >>>>> > --
> > > > > >>>>> > Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics)
> > > > > >>>>> BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > > > >>>>> > Engineering)
> > > > > >>>>> > Alma Maters:
> > > > > >>>>> > (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > > > >>>>> > (2) National University of Singapore
> > > > > >>>>> > Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > > > >>>>> > Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>>>> > MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>>>> > Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > > > >>>>> > Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > > > >>>>> > Republic of Singapore
> > > > > >>>>> >
> > > > > >>>>> > On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 8:19 AM, Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang
> > Enming) <
> > > > > >>>>> > space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > >>>>> >
> > > > > >>>>> > > Hi,
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > > I will try to stop unnecessary services on Dom 0 and do a
> > disk
> > > > I/O
> > > > > >>>>> > > benchmark between WinXP domU on 2.6.30-rc3 and 2.6.31-rc6
> > > > tonight
> > > > > >>>>> (Singapore
> > > > > >>>>> > > time). That will be more conclusive.
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > > --
> > > > > >>>>> > > Mr. Teo En Ming (Zhang Enming) Dip(Mechatronics)
> > > > > >>>>> BEng(Hons)(Mechanical
> > > > > >>>>> > > Engineering)
> > > > > >>>>> > > Alma Maters:
> > > > > >>>>> > > (1) Singapore Polytechnic
> > > > > >>>>> > > (2) National University of Singapore
> > > > > >>>>> > > Blog URL: http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com
> > > > > >>>>> > > Email: space.time.universe@xxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>>>> > > MSN: teoenming@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > >>>>> > > Mobile Phone: +65-9648-9798
> > > > > >>>>> > > Street: Bedok Reservoir Road
> > > > > >>>>> > > Republic of Singapore
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > > On Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 2:17 AM, Jeremy Fitzhardinge <
> > > > > >>>>> jeremy@xxxxxxxx>wrote:
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > >> On 09/10/09 07:03, Pasi Kärkkäinen wrote:
> > > > > >>>>> > >> > On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 08:28:03PM +0800, Mr. Teo En
> > Ming
> > > > (Zhang
> > > > > >>>>> Enming)
> > > > > >>>>> > >> wrote:
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> Dear All,
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> Here is my latest video presentation on VGA
> > passthrough.
> > > > Please
> > > > > >>>>> check
> > > > > >>>>> > >> out my
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> blog at
> > http://teo-en-ming-aka-zhang-enming.blogspot.com/or
> > > > > >>>>> the
> > > > > >>>>> > >> Youtube
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> link at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ia3IwG6tp4
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> The "not enough free resources" problem for nVidia
> > Geforce
> > > > 8400
> > > > > >>>>> GS PCI
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> Express x16 graphics card in earlier presentation
> > videos:
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNEiSI...<
> > > > > >>>>> > >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNEiSInrav0>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hOT_9...<
> > > > > >>>>> > >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hOT_9LIG5w>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> was fixed. Device manager in Windows XP HVM domU no
> > longer
> > > > > >>>>> shows an
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> exclamation mark besides the nVidia Geforce 8400 GS
> > > > graphics
> > > > > >>>>> card. The
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> device is working properly and the resources tab shows
> > the
> > > > > >>>>> available
> > > > > >>>>> > >> memory
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> ranges.
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> Full VGA passthrough to Windows XP HVM guest operating
> > > > system
> > > > > >>>>> using Xen
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> virtualization has been realized. I am now able to run
> > 3-D
> > > > > >>>>> video
> > > > > >>>>> > >> benchmarks
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> on the passed through nVidia GeForce 8400 GS graphics
> > card.
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> All this is possible using Xen 3.5 hypervisor with
> > Intel
> > > > > >>>>> supplied VGA
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> passthrough patches. Instead of using pvops dom0 kernel
> > > > > >>>>> 2.6.31-rc6
> > > > > >>>>> > >> which
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> causes Win XP domU to run slowly, I am now using pvops
> > dom0
> > > > > >>>>> kernel
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >> 2.6.30-rc3.
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> > Jeremy: Are you aware of any changes after 2.6.30-rc3
> > that
> > > > could
> > > > > >>>>> cause
> > > > > >>>>> > >> > this HVM slowness?
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >
> > > > > >>>>> > >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> I can't think of anything, unless the new swiotlb code is
> > > > causing
> > > > > >>>>> > >> problems.
> > > > > >>>>> > >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> > Any tips how it could be debugged?
> > > > > >>>>> > >> >
> > > > > >>>>> > >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >> It would help to isolate where the slowness is coming
> > from.
> > > >  How
> > > > > >>>>> much
> > > > > >>>>> > >> slowdown are we talking about?  Is the HVM domain doing
> > lots
> > > > of IO
> > > > > >>>>> at
> > > > > >>>>> > >> the time?  Are there any processes using lots of time in
> > dom0?
> > > > > >>>>>  What's
> > > > > >>>>> > >> the interrupt rate like?
> > > > > >>>>> > >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >>    J
> > > > > >>>>> > >>
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>> > >
> > > > > >>>>>
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>>
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > >
> >

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