OK, guys,

if some one is running build on TAMs AMD based setup with  SuperMicro H8DME-2 board.

 

I have been told again and again that this board does not support virtualisation.

BUT, I was searching for a possible replacement MB and while reading some google posts it downed on me.

 

when you are in the BIOS, there is a setting for "SVM Mode" as in "Secure Virtual Machine Mode"  aren't this supposed to be the AMD lingo for AMD-V as in IOMMU.

 

so why the hell, those of us who want to use this board and CPU for virtualisation (when it says it supports it ) are having so much issues with it?

 

please, if anyone have any idea share it with the class :-)

 

I know this is an old hardware and there is no use for going to mfg. but it just sooooo

p#@^es  me off...

 

 

Sorry for venting here but I just spend 2 days with the help of ddeeds and ironic of configuring the xen/ubuntu setup on this hardware and it still not working.

 

 

 

 

 

when you are in the BIOS, there is a setting for "SVM Mode" as in "Secure Virtual Machine Mode"  aren't this supposed to be the AMD lingo for AMD-V as in IOMMU.

 

so why the hell, those of us who want to use this board and CPU for virtualisation (when it says it supports it ) are having so much issues with it?

 

You successfully compiled a new Linux Kernel and Xen 4.3.0... Which makes things a lot easier for me to help.

 

If you provide the information I need and do EXACTLY what I ask STEP BY STEP without wandering off into the wilderness... I can help you determine if your CPU / Motherboard can do PCI passthrough or not. If they can, I will walk you STEP BY STEP all the way through to getting unRAID to work.

 

Do the following if you want Ironic and ddeds assistance / help:

 

1. Boot into Ubuntu Server with the Xen Linux Kernel 3.10.5 and unRAID Flash USB plugged into a USB 2.0 port.

 

2. Run the following commands from your home directory:

 

sudo lspci -k > lspci.txt
sudo lsusb -t > lsusb-t.txt
sudo lsusb -v > lsusb-v.txt
sudo xl info > xl-info.txt
sudo uname -a > uname.txt
sudo lsmod | grep "xen" > lsmod.txt
sudo cat /proc/cpuinfo > cpuinfo.txt
sudo cp /boot/grub/grub.cfg .
sudo cp /boot/default/grub .

 

3. Put all 9 of those files into a zip file and post here.

(Note: You can use winSCP to connect to your Ubuntu Server via SSH and copy the 9 files above to your Windows PC)

 

With that information, Ironic and I will be able to determine if there are any issues and what the next steps will be.

 

As of right now, I know you loaded Ubuntu Server, compiled Linux Kernel 3.10.5, Xen 4.3.0 and ran into problems and reloaded it 20 times. I do not know anything else more than that. I do not know what you commands you are running, what errors you are getting or what is / what is not working because you do not provide ANY information other than that.

 

 

ddeeds >> with all respect and admiration (I have to respect and admire someone who knows all this stuff and can keep up :-)  )

but I have done all that you asked me too so far.

and had posted all my issues and successes here and onto the other thread.

 

with the post you quote I was just venting.

I do believe that it should not be this difficult to set this things up, especially if by all accounts the hardware supports  features we are looking for.

as per my research on various forums and websites, the AMD opteron 2431 have the AMD-V support  ("http://products.amd.com/en-us/OpteronCPUDetail.aspx?id=552&f1=Six-Core+AMD+Opteron%e2%84%a2&f2=2431&f3=Yes&f4=2400&f5=512&f6=Socket+F+(1207)&f7=D0&f8=45nm+SOI&f9=75+W&f10=4800&f11=6&")

 

SuperMicro H8DME-2 MB (manual) says it have the SVM and I did paly with it in the BIOS

so why is it that not ESXi  nor Xen work with it properly.

 

and please do not take my vents on your account, I am smart enough to understand that it is not your fault or issue that my rig is not working. I appreciate all your help and efforts greatly.

 

I will do what you have ask (again) and post the results.

it's just getting to me (and especially my wife is getting to me as she does not understand what I am doing and why. and does not like me taking time away from her and our daughter to sit with dumb box.)

I try not do take a lot of time during usable hours and do thing late in the evening but still.

so will keep posting until I am done, one way or the other.

 

 

ddeeds >> here is the files you aske me to give you for review

 

 

how ever

whe I run  :  sudo cp /boot/default/grub .

I get ::  cp: cannot stat ‘/boot/default/grub’: No such file or directory

 

also sudo xl dmesg | grep SVM

(XEN) CPU0: AMD SVM Extension is disabled in BIOS.

(XEN) SVM: failed to initialise.

it tells me that SVM is disabled when I know it is enabled

 

never mind this.

after reading the message more cerefully I went back to BIOS and looked specifically under CPU settings.

the SVM was OFF for CPU0 and I think Xen just might look for that one setting.

now that both CPU SVM are on

I get result that SVM is on and can be used

some how the setting got turned back off after my last changes. not sure if it's a BIOS issue or I just did not saved it properly last time.

 

 

 

what else do you need ?

 

PS>> this is on custom build 13.10.5 ubuntu with Xen 4.3 as per ironic instructions.

Xen43files.zip

hi ddeeds

 

I have tried the setup (post 120)

 

and

after some playing, if I sue " xl pci-assignable-add  04:06.0"

 

 

lsmod | grep xen  still returns nothing

BUT

sudo lspci -k  returns  this so it looks like I have the pciback driver loaded

 

04:06.0 SCSI storage controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. MV88SX6081 8-port SATA II PCI-X Controller (rev 09)

        Subsystem: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Device 11ab

      Kernel driver in use: pciback[/b]

 

what's next?

 

You have the right driver loaded. You now just need to add it to your VM cfg file.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

thanks Ironic, one problem though :-)

I don't have a VM yet and not sure how to do it without GUI  :-P

still reading the manual (or in this case the forum)

 

 

thanks Ironic, one problem though :-)

I don't have a VM yet and not sure how to do it without GUI  :-P

still reading the manual (or in this case the forum)

 

I'm out on a bike ride ATM but will post how when I return. Its easy without a GUI

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

thanks, I have been reading ddeeds instructions as well, just did not have time yesterday to try that.

 

I also need to add my USB device to grub hide line

and pass it through so it is read by unraid VM

will try that as soon  as can (hopefully tonight )

thanks, I have been reading ddeeds instructions as well, just did not have time yesterday to try that.

 

I also need to add my USB device to grub hide line

and pass it through so it is read by unraid VM

will try that as soon  as can (hopefully tonight )

 

Which OS again?

ubuntu 13.10.5 with Xen 4.3

oopss, I think I posted in the wrong thread sorry ddeeds.

is there a way to move this post to right thread?

 

I will move my posts there...

i agree we should move it, but for reference the required files and instructions are in this post...

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=28878.msg257490#msg257490

ok, does anyone know how to edit the boot-loader on unraid VM?

 

I want to try adding "iommu=soft swiotlb=force" to the Linux kernel  command line

in the boot-loader as it is suggested by many forums  that this helps with

PCI pass though on host that not 100% IOMMU capable.

 

but most examples are for grub boot loader which I 'suspect' unraid is not using.

 

ok, does anyone know how to edit the boot-loader on unraid VM?

 

I want to try adding "iommu=soft swiotlb=force" to the Linux kernel  command line

in the boot-loader as it is suggested by many forums  that this helps with

PCI pass though on host that not 100% IOMMU capable.

 

but most examples are for grub boot loader which I 'suspect' unraid is not using.

 

Iommu either works or it doesn't I thought.

 

You had it working in Ubuntu and as ddeeds said I would suggest its driver related in xenserver. Stick with what works mate would be my advice!

 

How often will you actually require GUI access to.stop start machines? I find

 

'Xl create unraif.cfg' pretty simple. If the xencenter is your only reason for a GUI then I just think you should question your actual usage before sinking a whole load of time into this.

 

Posted with my S4 on Tapatalk.

 

 

Hey, Ironic  :-)

 

XenCenter is not the only reason.

Ddeeds made a strong suggestion that I should  look @ XenServer again.

he is a strong opponent of running Ubuntu (just kidding ddeeds)

 

but I was curios if there were a hardware config reason for my initial failure with XenServer, so I pop the extra drive in and reinstall it with the same result.

since I now know that my hardware supports pass through in Xen with Ubuntu

I am curios if can make it work...

I have found this post "http://ogris.de/howtos/xen-pci-passthrough.html"

"PCI passthrough for paravirtualized guests on Citrix XenServer without an IOMMU"

 

but it describes DomU as  CentOS Linux (2.6.39.4)

and boot-loader  grub.

 

 

I do wait impatiently  for the GUI setup portion of ddeeds post with Archipel.

it looks very interesting.

 

I also thinking before I finish, if I might try to do  a setup of Archlinux with Xen but this is for play only, I am not sure I can manage it on my own.

 

Ddeeds, I will have the same issue with any distro.

I am not a linux guy. I do my searches to solve a specific issue when need to. Also, who says I need to update once everything is up and runnig.

I have a very specific plan for this setup. I hope that current distro can handle it.

Also I am open to suggestions right now.  Do you think archlinux is s better distro for me? Or any other one? Xs is not working.

 

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

I have a very specific plan for this setup. I hope that current distro can handle it.

Also I am open to suggestions right now.  Do you think archlinux is s better distro for me? Or any other one? Xs is not working.

 

Check out post 8 in the Arch thread for why I do not think Arch is a good choice for you.

 

Ubuntu Server will work just fine. Tons of people use it and lots of documentation out on the web and really good forums should you need help.

 

Than it's perfect I already have it setup and running. Just waiting  on you finishing the gui part. Before switching servers. I am acually thinking in doing the complete hdd image before trying anything else on it.

 

Also do you have any idea how to add parameters to the unraid bootloader kernel command line?

Since you been recompilong the kernel and all.

 

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

Ddeeds, I have a question for you, please.  In a previous post you already clarified that a domU kernel can also be used for a normal boot without Xen.  My question is, can the same be said about a dom0 kernel?  Do you have any references on that?  Thanks.

 

you lost me here :-)

 

Dom0 is a normal Linux distro with or without Xen.

when you install Xen what it does is creates a privileged VM  for Dom0 and moves the main kernel into VM, but it is s till a regular Linux kernel.

 

what ddeeds was takling about was that Unraid kernel that we use for unRaid DomU, will boot both in VM and bare metal. as the only differences are some additional extensions/Libs needed to boot it in VM properly which will be ignored if you boot straight on bare metal.

Ddeeds, I have a question for you, please.  In a previous post you already clarified that a domU kernel can also be used for a normal boot without Xen.  My question is, can the same be said about a dom0 kernel?  Do you have any references on that?  Thanks.

 

you lost me here :-)

 

Dom0 is a normal Linux distro with or without Xen.

when you install Xen what it does is creates a privileged VM  for Dom0 and moves the main kernel into VM, but it is s till a regular Linux kernel.

You completely misunderstood my question.  And no, it is not a "regular Linux kernel", you need to enable a whole bunch of stuff in its .config when compiling it in order to boot properly a domU distro.  Why else would Ddeeds be making you a custom kernel for unRAID?  And to make a dom0 kernel, you need to enable even more stuff in .config when you compile it.  I know that you can use a "domU" kernel to do a normal boot.  I just don't know if the same can be said for a dom0 kernel.  I thought that Ddeeds may know the answer.

 

you lost me again,

I never said DomU was a normal kernel. I Said Dom0 was.

 

ddeeds did not make a custom kernel for Dom0.

he made custom kernel for DomU(unRaid)

 

Dom0 is your normal Linux distro. read the guide again :-)

 

you install Linux Distro than you setup Xen on top of the Linux distro.

(bare in mind  that XenServer  is build with it's own Linux distro I think it's CentOS but not sure) so when you install it it does all the setup stuff for you.

but you can build your on VM server using a normal distro like Ubuntu/Arch/OpenSuse  etc.  and install Xen on it.

you do need to compile the UnRaid kernel to work properly in VM though

I know that you need special compilation for ESXi(wich you can find on this forum if you search for ESXi), and for Xen(one  attahced to this thread from ddeeds).

you can take this DomU kernel for unraid and boot on your Xen flavor of VM server. 

 

underneath of all XenServer setup is just a highly customized/optimized Linux distro with Xen on it. plus a XAPI tool stack loaded.

 

you lost me again,

I never said DomU was a normal kernel. I Said Dom0 was.

Dude, you ARE lost.  A dom0 kernel has even more stuff enabled in it than a domU kernel.  Those Xen distros you've been playing with, somebody made dom0 kernels for them, otherwise they would not be able to boot Xen.  How could I say it any more clearer?  Maybe you can read this to see what I am talking about.

 

:-D  Dude, this WiKi is Old. it is not true any longer for most of current mainstream distros.

most current (maybe not all ) mainstream distros like Ubuntu, OpenSuse, ArchLinux and Debian

have xen and KVM support already compiled with in the kernel directly or as a modules. with all the extencions and stuff configured.  there is nothing else you need to do.

 

when I was setting up (still not finish yet) my new VM server with Xen and XenServer (I tried both but had to choose Xen as XenServer would not support some things I need it to do)

I simply downloaded Ubuntu Server 12.04 from Ubuntu WebSite and install it on my Machine. no psecial distro, than I used apt-get to install Xen, again from Ubuntu repo. nothing special

than updated grub to boot with Xen. that was it. after restart I had my machine running Ubuntu as dom0

when Xen was installed it did all the configuration to make my main OS (Ubuntu) into Dom0.

I can remove/uninstall  Xen today and be left with a normal Ubuntu setup.

listen I am not here to fight or do stupid bickering over nothing

 

here is the thread from ddeeds on how to setup VM server based on Ubuntu/Xen instead of the XenServer

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=28878.msg257487#msg257487

 

check it out...

it has everything in it.

 

there is also links some where on how to compile your own ubuntu 13.04 kernel with all the option you need but that was only because for PCI passthough option did not play nicely with Ubuntu when Xen libraries were compiled as modules instead of right in the kernel.

 

 

 

 

you lost me again,

I never said DomU was a normal kernel. I Said Dom0 was.

Dude, you ARE lost.  A dom0 kernel has even more stuff enabled in it than a domU kernel.  Those Xen distros you've been playing with, somebody made dom0 kernels for them, otherwise they would not be able to boot Xen.  How could I say it any more clearer?  Maybe you can read this to see what I am talking about.

 

:-D  Dude, this WiKi is Old. it is not true any longer for most of current mainstream distros.

most current (maybe not all ) mainstream distros like Ubuntu, OpenSuse, ArchLinux and Debian

Dude, I don't need Ubuntu/OpenSuse/ArchLinux/Debian for something as simple as that.  I have my own nice Linux "distro", very minimalistic, Slackware-based.  It boots from a flash disk, and runs from RAM, pretty much like unRAID does.  With very little modification, I'll be able to make it boot Xen.  It will still boot from the same flash disk, with one additional option in the boot menu.  I was just wondering if I'll need to supply a separate kernel for the "normal" boot option, or if I'll be able to use the same kernel for both cases.  I guess I can get the answer by doing some experimenting.  I thought Ddeeds may know the answer and save me some time.  Why are we running in circles?

 

Sorry I missed this post...

I did not know you had your own distro compiled.

 

there is a link here somewhere from "ironicbadger" on compiling your own Ubuntu 13.04 kernel that has all the Xen stuff you need to enable in the kernel to run as Dom0 with Xen, not sure how it apply to slackware but it's a good reference

I've just finished my PCI passthrough guide for Xen on Arch Linux, it's not 100% applicable for XenServer but it should give you a clue...

 

Enjoy!

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=28931.msg260630#msg260630

ddeeds,

 

I've been giving it a go with XenServer 6.2 on a retired server and have had SOME success. I tried your Unraid VM first with a sucessful boot, but did not have hard drives installed to share. My hardware does not support VT-d (SM X7DB8 with two 5460's)

 

Xen is set-up on a retired SSD on the Intel chipset on the MB, but I also have a 3Ware 9650 12/16 installed which I then loaded with four spinners. I could not figure out how to add the new drives so to the server (software) so I re-installed XenServer from the install CD and upon boot set-up the SSD for the OS and the smallest drive on the 9650 as storage. Both drives are seen and available, but not the three larger (new, unformatted) drives.

 

My question is why can i see and use the one drive, but not the others? All are configured the same on the 9650 and obviously the card is seen...

 

Thanks in advance.

 

PS Last night I installed WHS 2011 without issue - works great, but I need to see the other drives.

 

[...]

 

1. On your XenServer host get the device ID of the device(s) you want to passthrough:

 

lspci | more

 

[...]

 

2. Next edit /boot/extlinux.conf and add pciback.hide=(deviceID) to the options and run extlinux -i /boot then reboot the XenServer host.

 

[...]

 

3. Once you have your extlinux.conf set correctly, let's update your XenServer boot up:

 

extlinux -i /boot

 

4. Time to reboot with our changes:

 

reboot

 

[...]

 

5. Let's make sure the correct Device IDs can now be passed on to the various VMs of your choosing:

 

xl  pci-list-assignable-devices

 

[...]

 

xe vm-list

 

7. Time to passthrough our devices. Enter the following command:

 

xe vm-param-set other-config:pci=0/0000:XX:XX.X uuid=YOUR UUID FOR YOUR VM HERE

(If you enter the first few characters for your VM UUID and hit tab, it will fill in the rest for you.)

 

Make sure that where there are X's above you enter your correct Device ID.

 

[...]

 

FWIW...tried that on my X8SIL-F, L3426, 32GB and a M1015 (IT-P16) with no success.

This setup worked flawlessly with ESXi

 

My VM is latest Debian Wheezy 64bit install.

The M1015 is seen in the VM, but will not recognize/piublish any attached disks.

The card is still listed in the Dom0 with driver modules (mpt2sas, ...) still loaded; however, blacklisting the driver in xenserver did not help.

 

I don't have Unraid under XenServer, just have it separate.  However, I'm trying to use XenServer 6.2 in the same way I was using ESXi 5.1 previously.  That is, on the same hardware I'm trying to map NFS shares to Unraid for both ISO and VMHD storage.  It works with either hypervisor and I was running it that way using ESXi 5.1 for months.

 

With XenServer I'm having problems with the connection being lost.  Of course this causes problems for the VMs.  The only thing that seems to fix it is to reboot the host.  Anyone else having a similar kind of problem?  There isn't anything special about the Unraid configuration, is there?  I'm using 5.0-rc12a.