Re: [Xen-users] Windows guest on non VT

[Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> That is indeed correct, assuming we include AMD Virtualization
> Technology in "VT", then I agree completely.
>
> Rumour has it that the guys behind Xen created a version of Windows that
> ran on top of Xen, by having access to source-code from Microsoft (this
> is available for "research purposes" if you can get a big enough
> signatory of your university or such to sign the license agreement - not
> trivial, but not impossible either, although special strict restrictions
> apply to how you can use the source-code, with one for this purpose
> important rule: None of the resulting code built from the source can
> ever be distributed outside the labaratory without prior consent from
> Microsoft - and that's on the far side of impossible!).

It existed internally and booted on Xen 1.x , although I think the 
functionality was quite basic - not a "full" port of XP.  It wouldn't work on 
modern Xen since the interfaces have changed, but in any case was only 
redistributable to signatorees of the MS Academic Source License.

> So what I'm saying is that it's not IMPOSSIBLE to create a PV version of
> Windows - but unless you can get Microsoft to agree that it can be
> distributed, you can't really let anyone outside your little group use
> it. And of course, it's not very easy to modify the source-code of any
> operating system even when you have source-code, you need to understand
> exactly how different parts of it are used, etc, etc.

Mmmm.

Folks who want to run Windows on Xen without HVM-capable hardware (that's 
including both Intel VT-x or AMD-V) aren't particularly well catered for at 
the moment, although this may change.

You could run Qemu in a Xen guest (or Win4Lin, which is derived from Qemu - I 
believe they support running in Xen as an approved configuration).  This will 
take some performance hit though.

If you need to run Windows without HVM hardware, the best performing solution 
at the moment is probably either to use a dedicated machine for Windows stuff 
or use VMware.

Cheers,
Mark

-- 
Dave: Just a question. What use is a unicyle with no seat?  And no pedals!
Mark: To answer a question with a question: What use is a skateboard?
Dave: Skateboards have wheels.
Mark: My wheel has a wheel!

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