using linux as domU. Error: initializing devices...

[Cem Kayali <cemkayali%eticaret.com.tr@localhost>]

Hi,

First of all, i did my homework, and tried various configurations and 
advises in (NetBSD's) mailing-lists and other net resources.

I can not boot Xen domU linux. Here are configurations:


1- I partitioned hard disk using GParted. Partition 1: Ubuntu x86/64. 
Partition 2: Shared swap. Partition 3: NetBSD 5.99.01 amd64. Partition 
4: Empty now, there will be another OS.

2- I have installed Xen as described in NetBSD's how to, as dom0. I used 
NetBSD's multiboot support and there is no problem with NetBSD as dom0. 
It boots perfectly.

3- Best /usr/pkg/etc/xen/l?nux configuration so far:

kernel = "/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-xen"
memory = 512
name = "linux"
cpu = "^1"
vif = []
disk = [ 'phy:/dev/wd0e,hda1,w' ]
root = "/dev/hda1"


Problems and how i fixed some of them:

1- I always see "vif hotplug error", regardless whatever i use as vif=[] 
value. I postponed to f?x this error, and used "xenstore-write 
/local/domain/0/backend/vif/8/1/hotplug-status connected" command.

2- Next problem was "vbd hotplug error". It took my several hours to 
notice that this is because of AHCI controller. I modified bios settings 
and switched to IDE controller and it plugged hard disk drive. Funny 
thing is that both OS support ahci controller without problem --- but 
not xen guest kernel.

3- Now current problem... I couldn't fix.... I see "Xenbus initializing 
devices message". It counts down starting from 200+ seconds to 0 and 
gives up... Last message in screen is "could not mount root (3,1) 
partition"... I used 0x301 instead od hda1 to fix this issue and still 
same. I also tried mounting volume to /mnt first and then use root="/mnt 
ro" too. xend.log shows:

[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices vif.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices usb.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices vbd.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:156) Waiting for 769.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:590) 
hotplugStatusCallback /local/domain/0/backend/vbd/3/769/hotplug-status.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:604) hotplugStatusCallback 1.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices irq.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices 
vkbd.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices vfb.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices 
console.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:156) Waiting for 0.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices pci.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices 
ioports.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices tap.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] DEBUG (DevController:151) Waiting for devices 
vtpm.
[2008-11-16 04:23:58 195] INFO (XendDomain:1121) Domain nbsd (3) unpaused.


Thanks in advance if someone has advise.
---------------------------------------------------

Well, another Q: Should i install linux under NetBSD? Is this must?

http://www.netbsd.org/ports/xen/howto.html says: "To install the Linux 
system on the partition to be exported to the guest domain, the 
following method can be used: install sysutils/e2fsprogs from pkgsrc. 
Use mke2fs to format the partition that will be the root partition of 
your Linux domain, and mount it. Then copy the files from a working 
Linux system, make adjustments in etc (fstab, network config)."


Regards,
Cem