Xen users - Sep 2011 - Different issues with Xen PV drivers and GPLPV drivers

Hello,

I''m hoping that I''ve simply missed something in my
configurations, but I''m
running into two different issues while trying out the two flavors of PV
drivers.  The first is that the Xen PV drivers constantly eat up CPU while
the machine sits idle, the second is that the GPLPV drivers have a 100%
reproducible (on my setup, at least) bluescreen if you try to boot a VM with
an empty CD-ROM drive.

The Xen dom0 is a freshly installed Debian Squeeze, running 4.0.1.

I''ve installed two 32-bit Windows 7 VMs from scratch, both using the
same
configuration file with only the mac and disk info changed:

kernel = "hvmloader"
builder=''hvm''
memory = 1024
name = "win7-1"
vcpus=1
vif = [ ''bridge=xenbr0, mac=0A:0B:09:14:07:1C'' ]
disk = [ ''phy:/dev/mapper/vg_VMdisks-win7--1,hda,w'',
''file:/ISOs/en_windows_7_ultimate_x86_dvd_x15-65921.iso,hdc:cdrom,r''
]
device_model = ''qemu-dm''
boot="cda"
vnc=1
vncpasswd=''''
usbdevice=''tablet''
on_poweroff = ''destroy''
on_reboot = ''restart''
on_crash = ''restart''


The installations complete perfectly fine.  When the machines are back up, I
install the Xen PV drivers on Win7-1.  On Win7-2, I enable testsigning,
reboot, install GPLPV, and reboot.

At this point, the machine running the Xen PV drivers can''t boot, but
it''s a
known issue with a workaround.  You have to create a script (
/usr/lib64/xen-4.0/bin/qemu-dm-citrixpv ) that contains the following:
-------------------------------
#!/bin/bash

/usr/sbin/xenstore-rm /local/domain/0/backend/vfb/$2
/usr/sbin/xenstore-rm /local/domain/0/backend/console/$2

sh -c "sleep 15 ; /usr/sbin/xenstore-rm /local/domain/0/backend/console/$2;
/usr/sbin/xenstore-rm /local/domain/0/backend/vfb/$2" &
exec /usr/lib/xen-4.0/bin/qemu-dm $*
--------------------------------

... with that script in place, you have to edit the Xen PV machine''s
configuration and change device_model from qemu-dm to qemu-dm-citrixpv.  Now
the machine boots without issue.

Both machines want one more reboot after initially coming up on the PV
drivers, so I bounce them that last time.

At this point, I can log onto both and start the task manager to watch the
performance tab.  After they''ve settled down from being booted up, the
machine running GPLPV pretty much flatlines around 0% CPU utilization, with
only the occasional blip.  This is exactly what should happen (both machines
run this way if monitored prior to the PV driver installs).  The machine
running the Xen drivers has a CPU graph that looks like a saw, just constant
spikes of CPU, 0% then 20%, back to 0% then 25%.  These spikes never stop,
even if left idling for hours or overnight.  Microsoft''s
"TrustedInstaller.exe" process is what shows up as the culprit, but
again
this never occurs unless the Xen drivers are installed, and uninstalling
them completely fixes the issue.

So, that''s the issue I''m hitting with the Xen PV drivers. 
With the GPLPV
drivers, the issue is easier to describe.  I''ve built the machine using
the
configuration above, installed the drivers, it''s running great.  Well,
I
don''t want to always have that iso associated with the machine, so
I''d like
to have the cdrom drive empty.  I change its disk line accordingly:

disk = [ ''phy:/dev/mapper/vg_VMdisks-win7--1,hda,w'',
'',hdc:cdrom,r'' ]

And with only that change and the GPLPV drivers installed, the machine
bluescreens 100% of the time when trying to start.  Then Xen PV machine has
no problem at all with an empty cdrom drive, and neither machine has a
problem with an empty drive prior to the PV driver installation.

If I remove the cdrom drive from the configuration completely, then the
machine boots right up and runs great.

Has anyone else experienced one or both of these issues, and have I missed
an easy solution in my hours of wiki reading and googling?

Thanks,
Mark


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> So, that''s the issue I''m hitting with the Xen PV drivers.
With the
GPLPV
> drivers, the issue is easier to describe.  I''ve built the machine
using the
> configuration above, installed the drivers, it''s running great. 
Well,
I don''t
> want to always have that iso associated with the machine, so I''d
like
to have
> the cdrom drive empty.  I change its disk line accordingly:
> 
> disk = [ ''phy:/dev/mapper/vg_VMdisks-win7--1,hda,w'',
'',hdc:cdrom,r'' ]
> 
> And with only that change and the GPLPV drivers installed, the machine
> bluescreens 100% of the time when trying to start.  Then Xen PV
machine has
> no problem at all with an empty cdrom drive, and neither machine has a
> problem with an empty drive prior to the PV driver installation.
> 
> If I remove the cdrom drive from the configuration completely, then
the
> machine boots right up and runs great.
> 
> Has anyone else experienced one or both of these issues, and have I
missed
> an easy solution in my hours of wiki reading and googling?
> 
I can''t reproduce that crash on 2008R2 (server version of Windows 7),
but the server I just tried it on might be a version or two behind. What
version of GPLPV are you using?

For an ''empty'' cdrom, the PV driver backend doesn''t
like having no path.
In this case I just create an empty iso (mkisofs on an empty directory)
and use that. That said, it shouldn''t cause Windows to crash but you
will see a failed device.

James


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Hello James,

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 10:46 PM, James Harper <
james.harper@bendigoit.com.au> wrote:
> ...
>
> I can''t reproduce that crash on 2008R2 (server version of Windows
7),
> but the server I just tried it on might be a version or two behind. What
> version of GPLPV are you using?
>
>
Viewing them in "Programs and Features", looks like 0.11.0.308.



> For an ''empty'' cdrom, the PV driver backend
doesn''t like having no path.
> In this case I just create an empty iso (mkisofs on an empty directory)
> and use that. That said, it shouldn''t cause Windows to crash but
you
> will see a failed device.
>
> James
>
>
That''s an idea, I''ll give that a look.

Thanks,
Mark


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> 
> 	I can''t reproduce that crash on 2008R2 (server version of
Windows 7),
> 	but the server I just tried it on might be a version or two
behind.
> What
> 	version of GPLPV are you using?
> 
> Viewing them in "Programs and Features", looks like 0.11.0.308.
> 
Could you try one of the following from
http://www.meadowcourt.org/private:
gplpv_Vista2008x64_0.11.0.265.msi
gplpv_2000_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
gplpv_XP_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
gplpv_2003x32_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
gplpv_2003x64_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
gplpv_Vista2008x32_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
gplpv_Vista2008x64_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
gplpv_2000_0.11.0.322.msi
gplpv_XP_0.11.0.322.msi
gplpv_2003x32_0.11.0.322.msi
gplpv_2003x64_0.11.0.322.msi
gplpv_Vista2008x32_0.11.0.322.msi
gplpv_Vista2008x64_0.11.0.322.msi

and see if that resolves the crash?

Thanks

James

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Hello James,

I apologize for the delay, I was out for the remainder of last week.

I''ve tested this morning using gplpv_Vista2008x32_0.11.0.322.msi, and
yes,
I''m able to boot up with an empty cdrom drive now.

I also notice that ''xm shutdown'' doesn''t work for
machines running GPLPV,
but it works for machines running Xen PV drivers.  Is that likely to be
simply a mistake in my configuration, or a known issue with GPLPV?  This is
the GPLPV config that ignores ''xm shutdown'' (a duplicate of
this config
running Xen PV shuts down correctly when that command is issued):

-------------------------------------------------------------
kernel = "hvmloader"
builder=''hvm''
memory = 1024
name = "win7-2"
vcpus=1
vif = [ ''bridge=xenbr0, mac=0A:0B:09:14:09:0D'' ]
disk = [ ''phy:/dev/mapper/vg_VMdisks-win7--2,hda,w'',
'',hdc:cdrom,r'' ]
#disk = [ ''phy:/dev/mapper/vg_VMdisks-win7--2,hda,w'',
''file:/ISOs/en_windows_7_ultimate_x86_dvd_x15-65921.iso,hdc:cdrom,r''
]
device_model = ''qemu-dm''
boot="cda"
#sdl=0
#opengl=1
vnc=1
vncpasswd=''''
usbdevice=''tablet''
on_poweroff = ''destroy''
on_reboot = ''restart''
on_crash = ''restart''
--------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks,
Mark



On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 6:29 PM, James Harper
<james.harper@bendigoit.com.au
> wrote:
> >
> >       I can''t reproduce that crash on 2008R2 (server version
of
> Windows 7),
> >       but the server I just tried it on might be a version or two
> behind.
> > What
> >       version of GPLPV are you using?
> >
> > Viewing them in "Programs and Features", looks like
0.11.0.308.
> >
>
> Could you try one of the following from
> http://www.meadowcourt.org/private:
> gplpv_Vista2008x64_0.11.0.265.msi
> gplpv_2000_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
> gplpv_XP_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
> gplpv_2003x32_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
> gplpv_2003x64_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
> gplpv_Vista2008x32_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
> gplpv_Vista2008x64_0.11.0.322_debug.msi
> gplpv_2000_0.11.0.322.msi
> gplpv_XP_0.11.0.322.msi
> gplpv_2003x32_0.11.0.322.msi
> gplpv_2003x64_0.11.0.322.msi
> gplpv_Vista2008x32_0.11.0.322.msi
> gplpv_Vista2008x64_0.11.0.322.msi
>
> and see if that resolves the crash?
>
> Thanks
>
> James
>

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> I apologize for the delay, I was out for the remainder of last week.
> 
> I''ve tested this morning using gplpv_Vista2008x32_0.11.0.322.msi,
and
yes,
> I''m able to boot up with an empty cdrom drive now.
> 
> I also notice that ''xm shutdown'' doesn''t work
for machines running
GPLPV,
> but it works for machines running Xen PV drivers.  Is that likely to
be simply a
> mistake in my configuration, or a known issue with GPLPV?  This is the
GPLPV
> config that ignores ''xm shutdown'' (a duplicate of this
config running
Xen PV
> shuts down correctly when that command is issued):
> 
xm shutdown does the right thing when I try it.

Is the xenshutdownmon service definitely running on the server?

Can you install the debug version of the driver and send me the contents
of /var/log/xen/qemu-dm-<domu name>.log after issuing the shutdown?

Thanks

James

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