RE: [Xen-users] Kernel Freeze - Xen 3.0.3 - Solved! (README)

[Tiago Cruz <tiagocruz@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello guys!!! :-)

For the list's historic: If you have got a Dell PowerEgde 2850, or
another MegaRAID controller based system running on LVM and have had a
problem like this before, please have a glimpse on it.

By the list's guys help, we have faced two problems (thanks for Tim,
Badiane, Brian, ...)

- The xen-3.0.3 packages for Fedora Core 5 is only for a i386, and not
for the x64 one so that you need to compile it yourself (Note: I've
tested packages of Fedora on my virtual machine - but in a i386 and
without a RAID it works very well!)

- The MegaRAID is not supported by the of xen 3.0.3's default kernel.

So, we have to compile it for a x64 adding support for the MegaRAID on
kernel as well as for the initrd file (just on kernel it did not work
for me):

The steps are as follow:

1-) Install all the dependencies (they might not be all listed in the
README file)

gcc python-devel.x86_64 zlib-devel.x86_64 ncurses-devel.x86_64
libgcrypt-devel.x86_64 openssl-devel.x86_64 strace patch

2-) Compile the kernel (I'm not sure how I did this exactly :( )

# wget 
http://bits.xensource.com/oss-xen/release/3.0.3-0/src.tgz/xen-3.0.3_0-src.tgz
# cd xen-3.0.3_0-src
# make KERNELS="linux-2.6-xen0 linux-2.6-xenU"
# make linux-2.6-xen-config CONFIGMODE=menuconfig

Edit the .config file (again I'm not sure of which kernel I had to edit,
so, I've edited either :)

[root@xen xen-3.0.3_0-src]# grep MEGARAID linux-2.6.16.29-xen/.config
CONFIG_MEGARAID_NEWGEN=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MM=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MAILBOX=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_LEGACY=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_SAS=y

[root@xen xen-3.0.3_0-src]# grep MEGARAID linux-2.6.16.29-xen0/.config
CONFIG_MEGARAID_NEWGEN=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MM=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MAILBOX=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_LEGACY=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_SAS=y
 
# make kernels
# make install

Then make sure that your new kernel has been edited in the GRUB file. Then boot 
the system. 

Even doing that it still did not work well but a least the following
ERROR stopped to come out. (yeahhh weÄl get there folks :)
"request_module: runaway loop modprobe binfmt-464c"

Then as life is not always easy this ERROR came back!!!  :(
"VFS: Cannot open root device "VolGroup00/LogVol00" on unknown-block(0,0)"

Even having the ext2/3, reiserfs and megaraid built-in on my kernel!

3-) Make your new initrd as following.

# cd /boot
# mkinitrd -v -f --with=megaraid_mbox --with=megaraid_mm initrd-2.6.16.29-xen 
2.6.16.29-xen

Right!! Put it in your GRUB then do your test and good luck! :-)

==================================================================================
title Xen x64
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /xen-3.0.3-0.gz
        module /vmlinuz-2.6.16.29-xen ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 noreboot
        module /initrd-2.6.16.29-xen



Other useful links:
===================

Compiling Kernel with raid driver for my Dell poweredge 2850:
http://lists.xensource.com/archives/html/xen-users/2006-09/msg00455.html

Compiling legacy LSI megaraid drivers (Linux 2.6.11) with XEN:
http://lists.xensource.com/archives/html/xen-users/2005-08/msg00235.html

Problems with Dell 2850:
http://lists.xensource.com/archives/html/xen-users/2006-02/msg00400.html

Now, I'll try the second stage of XEN and will be back with more
doubts! ;)

Stay cool !!

-- 
Tiago Cruz <tiagocruz@xxxxxxxxx>


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