Xen users - Feb 2007 - Problem with VNC Console on Paravirtualization VMs

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1


I am running Xen 3.0.4.1 on CentOS 4.4 for the host.  I am testing both
full virtualization and para-virtualization VMs.

Full Virtualization
==================I have a full virtualization VM running CentOS 4.4 using the
following
key elements from the config file

builder=''hvm''
kernel = ''/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader''
device_model = ''/usr/lib/xen/bin/qemu-dm''
sdl = 0
vnc = 1
nographic = 0

When I start this VM with ''xm create'', the qemu-dm process
sets up a
network listener on TCP port 5900.  I can run vncviewer from my laptop
and connect to port 5900 on the Xen host and I get connected to the
''HVMXEN-<name>'' console for my VM.  With this, I can use
Alt-F# to jump
between the 6 virtual console that Linux provides.  If I run ''xm
console
<vmid>'' to try to connect to the HVM host, I get the error
''xenconsole:
Could not read tty from store: No such file or directory''


Should I be able to use ''xm console ...'' to connect to an HVM
VM?


Para-Virtualization
==================I am using the CentOS 4.4 image from jailtime.org.  The
default config
for this image was:

kernel = "/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-xenU"
memory = 128
name = "centos.4-4"
vif = [ '''' ]
dhcp = "dhcp"
disk = [''file:/data2/xenimages/centos.4-4.img,sda1,w'',
''file:/data2/xenimages/centos.swap,sda2,w'']
root = "/dev/sda1 ro"

I have experimented with adding various vnc, vnclisten and vncviewer
options to the config file.

If I have only ''vnc = 1'', then after I create the VM, I can
run ''xm
console <vmid>'' and I get connected to a pseudo-console.  I see
the
equivalent of tty1 but cannot toggle between the six virtual consoles
that appear to be running.

With only ''vnc = 1'', I also have no network listeners on ports
55xx or
59xx so I can not connect to the VM with vncviewer.

If I add ''vncviewer = 1'' to the config file and try to create
the VM, I
get the following output/error:

  # xm create centos.4-4.xen3.cfg
  Using config file "./centos.4-4.xen3.cfg".
  VNC= 1
  Error: Unable to connect to xend: Name or service not known. Is
  xend running?

The VM does not start, but a vncviewer process was started that is
listening on TCP port 5501.

  vncviewer -log *:stdout:0 -listen 5501

If I remove ''vncviewer = 1'' and add ''vnclisten =
<my IP>'', then I can
start the VM but have no network listeners on any 55xx/59xx ports. I can
use ''xm console <vmid>'' to connect to the console.


Should I be able to use a vncviewer to connect to the full console on a
paravirtualized VM?  And if so, what are the necessary config file
settings and external setting with regard to the vncserver/vncviewer?


Thanks,
David Goldsmith
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.3rc2 (MingW32)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org

iD8DBQFFy3QF417vU8/9QfkRAoXDAJ92j1i5V79n8QkEtDvvHRuAiH72MwCcCj2v
4hD5BA/Ypf5Jze+qzBoE2Y0=WXDn
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

_______________________________________________
Xen-users mailing list
Xen-users@lists.xensource.com
http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users