WARNING - OLD ARCHIVES

This is an archived copy of the Xen.org mailing list, which we have preserved to ensure that existing links to archives are not broken. The live archive, which contains the latest emails, can be found at http://lists.xen.org/
   
 
 
Xen 
 
Home Products Support Community News
 
   
 

xen-users

Re: [Xen-users] kexec into xen

To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Xen-users] kexec into xen
From: Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 16:44:52 +0100
Cc: tim.deegan@xxxxxxxxxxxx, Jakob Praher <jp@xxxxxxxx>
Delivery-date: Fri, 18 May 2007 08:43:15 -0700
Envelope-to: www-data@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In-reply-to: <f2k01n$op2$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
List-help: <mailto:xen-users-request@lists.xensource.com?subject=help>
List-id: Xen user discussion <xen-users.lists.xensource.com>
List-post: <mailto:xen-users@lists.xensource.com>
List-subscribe: <http://lists.xensource.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/xen-users>, <mailto:xen-users-request@lists.xensource.com?subject=subscribe>
List-unsubscribe: <http://lists.xensource.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/xen-users>, <mailto:xen-users-request@lists.xensource.com?subject=unsubscribe>
References: <f2k01n$op2$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sender: xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
User-agent: KMail/1.9.6
> I have a question: Is it possible to kexec into a xen vmm from a non-xen
> kernel? In my vision it would be interesting to boot from a generic
> linux installer, then analyze the hardware and boot into a suitable xen
> kernel, that loads a dom0 linux kernel.

Yes, that should be doable.  Tim Deegan wrote a patch that allowed kexec to 
boot multiboot images like Xen.  I believe it's been in the upstream kexec 
tools for quite a while.  You specify Xen as the kernel, followed by XenLinux 
as a module and (optionally) an initrd (as another module).

> Do you know anybody interested in this?

What sort of applications were you thinking of?  Selecting between 32-bit, PAE 
and 64-bit perhaps?

Within one architecture / paging mode it's possible to use the normal Linux 
strategy of including a "standard" Xen image and then a dom0 Linux kernel 
with *lots* of modules for all the possible hardware.

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