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Re: [Xen-users] flat file system as disk

To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Xen-users] flat file system as disk
From: Javier Guerra <javier@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:32:57 -0500
Cc: 'Simon Hobson' <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Pallab Chakrabarty <pchakrabarty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Pallab Chakrabarty wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Thanks for the reply..
> 
> But still I want to know what holds not to use directory structure as
> disk. Becoz the error results here due to kernel only..

if you think about it in terms of the emulation architecture, you'll see it 
doesn't make sense.  remember that Xen emulates hardware, typical OSs are build 
to deal with hardware.  and hardware doesn't know about files on a directory.  
disks know only how to read and write data blocks (that's why they're called 
block devices).

if you want 'more intelligent' hardware, or imagine a high level driver that 
deals with files, pretty soon you've reinvented NFS/CIFS/whatever.

that error is typical when you specify a non-existant device as 'root device' 
on the kernel command line.  i'd guess that Xen ignores your 'directory device' 
and doesn't present a disk to the DomU.  then the kernel simply doesn't find 
the 'hardware' to mount.

-- 
Javier

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