[Xen-users] help a newbie please

[Jonathan Lettvin <jlettvin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi list readers,

I am an experienced developer with only nominal configuration talent.
These days, mostly I use ubuntu linux, but have used Debian, WhiteBox, CentOS, RH, Fedora.

I have been using Sun VirtualBox to very great effect and hope for better performance
by installing and using xen.
I also intend to use Dom0 exclusively as a host, and not install any other packages.
Instead, I expect to do all my development and package downloads onto guest machines.

I wish to do a fresh install of a xen linux onto a brand new 1TB disk on my IBM Thinkpad T61 laptop.
My intention is to generate file-based virtual machines that I can copy to make new instances.
I am expecting to use HVM rather than paravirtualization and files instead of logical volumes.

So far, I have tried it three times, once with Debian Lenny, and twice with ubuntu Maverick Meerkat.
Every time I encounter show-stopper problems during compiles or xend crash on execution.
I do not know if I have identified a solid recipe to follow, or whether my choices are bad.

What I request is start to finish step by step instructions (preferably onto ubuntu or Debian).
I am willing to back off on the Dom0 OS to an earlier ubuntu or Debian.
All I want is to generate a solid baseline xen system that is as reliable and simple as possible.

I will start from scratch with a clean disk, if I can only get instructions that lead to a working host.

Please help by providing a single complete clean instruction list to achieve this.

Thank you for your patience.

-- 
Jonathan D. Lettvin
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