Xen users - Nov 2007 - first binary release of GPL Windows PV drivers

I''ve just uploaded the first binary "it works for me" release
of the GPL
Windows PV drivers I''ve been developing. The binary was compiled for
windows 2003 32-bit, so it will probably only work on that. It also
definitely doesn''t work under Xen 3.0.4, so you''ll probably
need 3.1.0
or 3.1.1.

Compiling for XP 32-bit will probably ''just work''. Compiling
for 2000
might work. Anything 64-bit just hasn''t been tested.

You can download it at http://www.meadowcourt.org/WindowsXenPV-0.1.0.zip

Please read the README and INSTALL documents in the zip file and please
don''t try it on any production environment (I''d even be wary
of trying
it on a physical machine that has production DomU''s on it)... it just
hasn''t had that much testing yet, although it hasn''t wrecked
any of my
filesystems in a very long time (weeks) or crashed any DomU''s in a
while
(days). I''ve only just convinced Windows to put a swap file on there
too...

I''d be very interested to hear about any performance testing anyone
does
(real numbers or just "it feels faster/slower with PV than
without").
>From the testing I''ve done, large-block-size benchmarks appear a
bit
faster and with heaps less CPU load. My test machine isn''t particularly
fast though.

Don''t be afraid to ask questions if you have any trouble installing...
I''m not known for writing good documentation :) Please keep
install-related questions to the -users list though.

Someone is working on PV network drivers too.

Enjoy!

James


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Just realised I forgot a redistributable WDF file. If Windows complains
about a missing file when you try and install it then grab
http://www.meadowcourt.org/WindowsXenPV-0.1.0a.zip instead.

(wait a couple of minutes though, it''s uploading now)

James
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xen-users-bounces@lists.xensource.com [mailto:xen-users-
> bounces@lists.xensource.com] On Behalf Of James Harper
> Sent: Monday, 19 November 2007 17:58
> To: xen-users@lists.xensource.com; xen-devel@lists.xensource.com
> Subject: [Xen-users] first binary release of GPL Windows PV drivers
> 
> I''ve just uploaded the first binary "it works for me"
release of the
GPL
> Windows PV drivers I''ve been developing. The binary was compiled
for
> windows 2003 32-bit, so it will probably only work on that. It also
> definitely doesn''t work under Xen 3.0.4, so you''ll
probably need 3.1.0
> or 3.1.1.
> 
> Compiling for XP 32-bit will probably ''just work''.
Compiling for 2000
> might work. Anything 64-bit just hasn''t been tested.
> 
> You can download it at
http://www.meadowcourt.org/WindowsXenPV-0.1.0.zip
> 
> Please read the README and INSTALL documents in the zip file and
please
> don''t try it on any production environment (I''d even be
wary of trying
> it on a physical machine that has production DomU''s on it)... it
just
> hasn''t had that much testing yet, although it hasn''t
wrecked any of my
> filesystems in a very long time (weeks) or crashed any DomU''s in a
while
> (days). I''ve only just convinced Windows to put a swap file on
there
> too...
> 
> I''d be very interested to hear about any performance testing
anyone
does
> (real numbers or just "it feels faster/slower with PV than
without").
> >From the testing I''ve done, large-block-size benchmarks appear
a bit
> faster and with heaps less CPU load. My test machine isn''t
particularly
> fast though.
> 
> Don''t be afraid to ask questions if you have any trouble
installing...
> I''m not known for writing good documentation :) Please keep
> install-related questions to the -users list though.
> 
> Someone is working on PV network drivers too.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> James
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Xen-users mailing list
> Xen-users@lists.xensource.com
> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
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James Harper schrieb:
> Just realised I forgot a redistributable WDF file. If Windows complains
> about a missing file when you try and install it then grab
> http://www.meadowcourt.org/WindowsXenPV-0.1.0a.zip instead.
This is certainly great news.

Is there any project page where one could read some more about it 
without downloading the .zip package?


-- 
Tomasz Chmielewski
http://wpkg.org

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HI James,

One Word: Cool!

I would like to test it but I don''t have any compiler. Would you, by
any
change, have compiled binaries for WinXP 32-bit?

Thanks,

Emre

On Nov 19, 2007 9:05 AM, Tomasz Chmielewski <mangoo@wpkg.org> wrote:
> James Harper schrieb:
> > Just realised I forgot a redistributable WDF file. If Windows
complains
> > about a missing file when you try and install it then grab
> > http://www.meadowcourt.org/WindowsXenPV-0.1.0a.zip instead.
>
> This is certainly great news.
>
> Is there any project page where one could read some more about it
> without downloading the .zip package?
>
>
> --
> Tomasz Chmielewski
> http://wpkg.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> Xen-users mailing list
> Xen-users@lists.xensource.com
> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
>


-- 
Emre Erenoglu
erenoglu@gmail.com


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Emre Erenoglu schrieb:
> HI James,
> 
> One Word: Cool!
> 
> I would like to test it but I don''t have any compiler. Would you,
by any
> change, have compiled binaries for WinXP 32-bit?
And the subject of this thread says...?


-- 
Tomasz Chmielewski
http://lists.wpkg.org


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Hi!
> The binary was compiled for
> windows 2003 32-bit, so it will probably only work on that. It also
> definitely doesn''t work under Xen 3.0.4, so you''ll
probably need 3.1.0
> or 3.1.1.
>
>   
I just tried the drivers with Windows XP and it doesn''t work for me.
Windows just freezes while showing the windows logo with the (then no
more) moving bar.
This happens regardless of using the "/gplpv" option or not.

Is there anything I can do?

Patrick

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Hi!
> I just tried the drivers with Windows XP and it doesn''t work for
me
So, I just also tested with a Windows 2003 Server, but unfortunately
this works neither.
win2003 boots just beyond the windows logo and then I get a blank screen.

I tried on xen-3.1.2 and xen-unstable.

If I can do anything to help, please let me know!

regards
Patrick

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> HI James,
> 
> One Word: Cool!
> 
> I would like to test it but I don''t have any compiler. Would you,
by
any
> change, have compiled binaries for WinXP 32-bit?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Emre
> 
The 2003 binaries which I have released may work under XP... but I have
at least one report that they don''t under Xen 3.1.2, but I also have a
few other reports of it not working under Windows 20003 with Xen 3.1.2
too.

I think I need to get 3.1.2 and test it myself...

James

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Posting back to the list. I have just managed to put together a Xen
3.1.2 for Debian, and have found that it works just fine under that.

How many CPU''s are you giving the DomU? I''ve only tested with
a single
CPU.

Also, are you running PAE? I''m pretty sure I''m not, so PAE is
most
likely untested.

Thanks

James
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Valentan [mailto:Robert.Valentan@solid-soft.at]
> Sent: Tuesday, 20 November 2007 03:06
> To: James Harper
> Subject: Re: [Xen-users] first binary release of GPL Windows PV
drivers
> 
> Hallo!
> 
> I have tested your binary (0.1.0a) on my system (dual xeon 5320 with
> 8GB RAM, xen 3.1.2) guest is win-2k3 32bit standard, 1,5GB RAM
> 
> Installation has worked.
> 
> When i start with /gplpv i got ''error_1.jpg'' when
starting win2003.
> 
> Without /gplpv my system come up, but a
>    ''xm block-attach Win-2k3 phy:/dev/hda hdb:cdrom r ''
> give ''error_2.jpg''. Before the block-attach the system is
working.
> 
> Should it work with 3.1.2, or will it be better to go back to 3.1.1 ?
> 
> When you want some additional testing, feel free to send it!
> 
> regards
> Robert Valentan
> 
> PS: Sorry for the german-windows ;-)
> 
> 
> James Harper schrieb:
> > I''ve just uploaded the first binary "it works for
me" release of the
GPL
> > Windows PV drivers I''ve been developing. The binary was
compiled for
> > windows 2003 32-bit, so it will probably only work on that. It also
> > definitely doesn''t work under Xen 3.0.4, so you''ll
probably need
3.1.0
> > or 3.1.1.
> >
> > Compiling for XP 32-bit will probably ''just work''.
Compiling for
2000
> > might work. Anything 64-bit just hasn''t been tested.
> >
> > You can download it at
http://www.meadowcourt.org/WindowsXenPV-0.1.0.zip
> >
> > Please read the README and INSTALL documents in the zip file and
please
> > don''t try it on any production environment (I''d even
be wary of
trying
> > it on a physical machine that has production DomU''s on it)...
it
just
> > hasn''t had that much testing yet, although it hasn''t
wrecked any of
my
> > filesystems in a very long time (weeks) or crashed any DomU''s
in a
while
> > (days). I''ve only just convinced Windows to put a swap file
on there
> > too...
> >
> > I''d be very interested to hear about any performance testing
anyone
does
> > (real numbers or just "it feels faster/slower with PV than
without").
> >>From the testing I''ve done, large-block-size benchmarks
appear a bit
> > faster and with heaps less CPU load. My test machine isn''t
particularly
> > fast though.
> >
> > Don''t be afraid to ask questions if you have any trouble
installing...
> > I''m not known for writing good documentation :) Please keep
> > install-related questions to the -users list though.
> >
> > Someone is working on PV network drivers too.
> >
> > Enjoy!
> >
> > James
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Xen-users mailing list
> > Xen-users@lists.xensource.com
> > http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Robert Valentan                 R.Valentan@solid-soft.at
> SOLID-SOFT EDV Ges.m.b.H
> Oskar Helmerstr 63              Tel: +43 2252 56311
> A-2514 Traiskirchen             Fax: +43 2252 56314
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James Harper schrieb:
> Posting back to the list. I have just managed to put together a Xen
> 3.1.2 for Debian, and have found that it works just fine under that.
> 
> How many CPU''s are you giving the DomU? I''ve only tested
with a single
> CPU.
> 
> Also, are you running PAE? I''m pretty sure I''m not, so
PAE is most
> likely untested.
Hallo!

My DomU has 4VPUS (all of the second socket, with vcpu-pinning)

A short test without cdrom, only 1 vcpu, pae=0 (in domU config)
and then a block-attach gives the same error. (3.1.2 xen)

I must now out of office. i transfer the win-2k3 domU Image to
a tyan-amd in a data-center, and test it in the evening on that
system.

regards
Robert Valentan

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> Hallo!
> 
> My DomU has 4VPUS (all of the second socket, with vcpu-pinning)
> 
> A short test without cdrom, only 1 vcpu, pae=0 (in domU config)
> and then a block-attach gives the same error. (3.1.2 xen)
I''ve just tried PAE and non-PAE, and 1 or 2 VCPU, and Xen 3.1.2, and
all
seem to work fine.

I''ve only got AMD systems to test on though... maybe there''s
something
different about Intel that breaks the drivers...

Would you be able to run some diagnostics for me if I give you some
instructions?

Thanks

James


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Hi!
> Hmmm... I''ve only tested it on Xen 3.1.0 and Xen 3.1.1 with
Windows 2003
> 32bit.
>
> Are you able to try it on 3.1.0 or 3.1.1?
>   
I also tried 3.1.1 but I think the problem might be that I''m using an
64-bit hypervisor?
What do you think?

I''ll see if I can manage to setup a 32-bit-hypervisor/dom0 environment
and test again.


Patrick

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> Hi!
> > Hmmm... I''ve only tested it on Xen 3.1.0 and Xen 3.1.1 with
Windows
2003
> > 32bit.
> >
> > Are you able to try it on 3.1.0 or 3.1.1?
> >
> 
> I also tried 3.1.1 but I think the problem might be that I''m using
an
> 64-bit hypervisor?
> What do you think?
> 
> I''ll see if I can manage to setup a 32-bit-hypervisor/dom0
environment
> and test again.
I''ve since got 3.1.2 working and it works under that. I''m also
using a
64-bit hypervisor, so I don''t expect that that''s the problem.

Are you on Intel or AMD? Robert pointed out that there might be
differences between the two and I''ve only got access to AMD test
environments...

Thanks

James

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James Harper schrieb:
> I''ve since got 3.1.2 working and it works under that. I''m
also using a
> 64-bit hypervisor, so I don''t expect that that''s the
problem.
>
> Are you on Intel or AMD? Robert pointed out that there might be
> differences between the two and I''ve only got access to AMD test
> environments...
>
>   
Okay, I found what was messing up things.

I used older installations of XP/2003 where APIC was disabled.

I tried with a fresh installation of XP with APIC enabled and with a
fresh installation of XP with APIC disabled.
ACPI was always enabled.

With APIC it works, without it doesn''t.
Unfortunately it also doesn''t work on a non-apic machine after enabling
APIC, but that might be because windows doesn''t recognise that an APIC
was added.

The other way round, after disabling apic on an apic-machine leads into
the freezes I mentioned earlier.

If I can do anything to help, please let me know.

Patrick

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