RHEL5/CentOS5.4 Virtualization failed with Ubuntu guest

[adunn]

Hi All,

I have a CentOS5.4 (RedHat EL 5) with Virtualization installed. I am trying to create a virtual guest with Ubuntu 9.04 OS. So far with no success. I can create the img and xen config and the guest boot with with an error (no bootable disk error). It seems there is an error in the middle of the installation of the Ubuntu.

Here is the details steps:
1. On the CentOS host machine, I run the folowing command:
/usr/sbin/virt-install \
--name=virt_test_2 --ram=2048 --vcpus=2 --hvm \
--cdrom=/home/adunn/os/ubuntu-9.04-server-i386.iso \
--noapic --noacpi
--disk path=/virtual/virt_test_2.img,size=20 \
--os-type=linux --os-variant=ubuntujaunty \
--network=bridgeenbr0 --mac=RANDOM --vnc --vncport=5903 --noautoconsole

2. I logon to the console of the new guest. The Ubuntu Install screen comes up properly. I select the language and the select Install Ubuntu.

3. The installation moves on to next page but now display No APCI message and hangs.

4. I have to force off the machine and reboot.

5. It displays the no bootable disk error.

I have used different command options for Ubuntu and also different Ubuntu iso:
- pvm and hvm
- i tried ubuntu 9.04, 9.10 (server, alternate, desktop iso).
- i have tried the default Installation Media URL and it does not work.


By the way, I have install CentOS as a guest with no problem at all.

Does anyone have any clues what I did wrong?

Angus

[Kaerka]

Have you tried it either without the "--noacpi" virt-install option, or with adding the noacpi option to the ubuntu kernel?

Search google for "ubuntu noacpi" or "ubuntu boot options".

[adunn]

I have tried the --noacpi option but with still not working. Here is the virt-install command I have tried:
#!/bin/sh
/usr/sbin/virt-install \
--name=virt_test_2 --ram=2048 --vcpus=2 --hvm \
--location=http : // us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/jaunty/main/installer-i386/ \
--disk path=/virtual/virt_test_2.img,size=12 \
--os-type=linux --os-variant=ubuntujaunty \
--network=bridgeenbr0 --mac=RANDOM --vnc --vncport=5903 --noautoconsole \
--noapic --noacpi


Once I click the "Install Ubunutu", the next page as below is shown and it just hangs there with the following message on screen:
Loading linux.......................
Loading initrd.gz.................................ready.
[ 0.000000] ACPI: DMI BIOS year==0, assuming ACPI-capable machine

(then it hangs)


I have also tried to specify ubuntu boot options with noapic and noacpi. But it does not work either.

I have also google the above text but can't find anything useful.

Any clues or ideas will be helpful.

Thanks!

[Feeyo]

Hi,

What about:

#!/bin/sh
/usr/sbin/virt-install \
--name=virt_test_2 --ram=2048 --vcpus=2 --hvm \
--location=http : // us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/jaunty/main/installer-i386/ \
--disk path=/virtual/virt_test_2.img,size=12 \
--os-type=linux --os-variant=ubuntujaunty \
--network=bridgeenbr0 --mac=RANDOM --vnc --vncport=5903 --noautoconsole

What error does this give?

[adunn]

When using the following command (without --noacpi and --noapic):
#!/bin/sh
/usr/sbin/virt-install \
--name=virt_test_2 --ram=2048 --vcpus=2 --hvm \
--location=http : // us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/jaunty/main/installer-i386/ \
--disk path=/virtual/virt_test_2.img,size=12 \
--os-type=linux --os-variant=ubuntujaunty \
--network=bridgeenbr0 --mac=RANDOM --vnc --vncport=5903 --noautoconsole


It gives me the same error:
Loading linux.......................
Loading initrd.gz.................................ready.
[ 0.000000] ACPI: DMI BIOS year==0, assuming ACPI-capable machine

(then it hangs)


I am wondering if the acpi or apic matters. It seems like it is what comes after that causes the installation to hang. I am suspecting that the installation can't find the proper iso to install??

Does anyone have any success installing Ubuntu guest on a CentOS/RHEL5 host?

[Kaerka]

You've got my curiosity up enough that I had to test it out and try it, however with the configuration our servers are in, I couldn't duplicate it exactly, but was able to do the following and it is currently installing:

# virt-install --vnc --hvm --name polaris --ram=1024 --vcpus=1 --file=/dev/XenVG01/ubuntu --nonsparse --network=bridge:xenbr0 --os-type=linux --os-variant=ubuntujaunty --cdrom=/iso/ubuntu-9.04-desktop-i386.iso --noautoconsole

To answer your question though, yeah the apic and acpi options can matter, but usually not on linux VMs.

There is a huge number of variables here though, such as your physical server setup, your particular Xen configuration, limitations within the ubuntu/debian distro as a Xen VM, etc.

Here are the specifics of the setups I've tried where I was able to install Ubuntu as a guest successfully (usually using ubuntu 9.04 i386 or x86_64):
Dell PE 2950 (Intel QC), RHEL5.5 Xen, raw disk storage via lvm
Custom built machine with AMD QC, Fedora 12 + KVM, raw disk storage via lvm

Also while we're on the subject, have you tried KVM at all instead? Since you're using 5.4, KVM is an option over Xen (especially seeing as Xen support is gone in RHEL6).

[Kaerka]

I should mention though - installing Ubuntu 9.10 as a KVM VM in Fedora 12 with VirtIO (to LVM raw disk) was hugely faster than installing it on Xen.

You might also try using virt-manager to walk through the install, and perhaps be able to determine better settings or more about the error.

I also forgot to mention, in Xen, I did change the video mode to safe video before installing; although I didn't do this in KVM.

[adunn]

I have tried your suggested command with some small modifications but it still did not work. You mentioned that you have changed video mode to safe video before installing. How do I do that?

Thanks!