Xen users - Sep 2006 - Re: Xen-Kernel for VIA CPU (Gerhard Wendebourg)

> Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 17:58:18 +0200
> From: Gerhard Wendebourg <gw@web-hh.de>
> Subject: [Xen-users] Xen-Kernel for VIA CPU
> To: xen-users@lists.xensource.com
> Message-ID: <4506D91A.8080500@web-hh.de>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-15
>
> Hello,
>
> what kind of kernel may be fitting a VIA C3 CPU (600MHZ on Epia mainboard)
> ?
> We tried the 686, but didn''t boot.
>
> We''re using debian sarge.
> The offered packages include -686 and AMD but no 486, we had otherwise
> running.
>
> thanx for replying
>
> GW
>
Afaik (based on an early version of Xen 3.0.2) you need at least an
PentiumII based System. If you can''t run XEN from an VIA system, then I
suppose that the CPU lacks some of the PII commands that are needed.

Where Xen2 (2.0.7) worked also on a Pentium, Xen3 doesn''t even bother
to
start. I am not sure if the code can be rewritten to suit your needs, but
I highly doubt it...

But even if you get Xen running on a VIA 600 MHz CPU, I am not so
confident about the DomU speed... I am running here on a Celeron 700 with
2 DomU and even when challenging only one of the DomU''s - it has a felt
speed of a Pentium 200 :(

But maybe I am doing something wrong? I welcome people that can bring some
light into this mistery :D

Regards, Bigfoot29


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bigfoot29@www.bios.kicks-ass.org wrote:
> Where Xen2 (2.0.7) worked also on a Pentium, Xen3 doesn''t even
bother to
> start. I am not sure if the code can be rewritten to suit your needs, but
> I highly doubt it...
>   
I am running Xen on a C3 1GHz. Since most (3) domUs are idle about 90% 
of the time,
and I tax usually one at a time, performance is ok. I do not expect 
wonders :-)

Xen and the Linux kernel used is recompiled from source and no problems 
whatsoever
except for the lack of whoa-it''s-fast! effect.

The pre-built binaries might require Pentium-II though. I don''t use 
them, so I never worries
about them. The newer C3s might be able to emulate a Pentium-II better 
than before too.
Or both.

Taxing one domU makes the whole system very sluggish. That seems to
be a problem with the scheduler in Xen and/or the lack of CPU power on 
the C3.

Since I can (and do) migrate domains off to the other system (dual P3) 
if they need
real performance, I''m ok. That''s the main feature I want and
get :-)

Harald


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