opensuse 11.3 xen boot problems

I am unable to boot the xen kernel but can boot the desktop kernel
The machine boots and the last message I see is:

(Xen) Created cpupool 0 with Scheduler SMP Credit Scheduler (Credit)

After this the screen just turns into a random mess. It looks like graphics memory is pointing at a area of memory filled with random data. The computer actually boots but the display is unusable and the keyboard fails (num lock doesn’t work). I can cleanly halt by pressing the power button and waiting for disk activity to stop.

After reading several other threads I’ve tried various combinations of vga=mode-0x0f00 and nomodeset but the result is always the same. I’ve set the vga mode to 0x0f00 as I actually get to see up to the “Created cpupool…” in this mode.

The system boots without any issues with opensuse 11.2

I’m using a gigabyte GA-Q35M motherboard and the output from lspci is:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82Q35 Express DRAM Controller (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82Q35 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
00:03.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 82Q35 Express MEI Controller (rev 02)
00:03.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82Q35 Express PT IDER Controller (rev 02)
00:03.3 Serial controller: Intel Corporation 82Q35 Express Serial KT Controller (rev 02)
00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82566DM-2 Gigabit Network Connection (rev 02)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 02)
00:1a.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 02)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 92)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801IO (ICH9DO) LPC Interface Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801IR/IO/IH (ICH9R/DO/DH) 4 port SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.5 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) 2 port SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 IDE interface: JMicron Technology Corp. JMB368 IDE controller
03:01.0 Ethernet controller: Digium, Inc. Wildcard TDM410 4-port analog card (rev 11)

Please post your /boot/grub/menu.lst

As far as I can tell your Xen entries and options should be the same as the default entry except:

  1. the kernel and vmlinux point to xen compiled modules, ie, initrd/vmlinux-2.6.27.48-0.2-xen (where default is vmlinux-2.6.27.48-0.2)
  2. the xen entry (again the same root=/dev/disk/, resume=/dev/disk/ and grub options as the default boot entry)
    root (hd0,6)
    kernel /boot/xen.gz
    module /boot/vmlinux-2.6.27.48-0.2**-xen** root=/dev/disk/ resume=/dev/disk vga=0x314
    module /boot/initrd-2.6.27.48-0.2**-xen**

The current entry is:

###Don’t change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: xen###
title Xen – openSUSE 11.3 - 2.6.34-12
root (hd0,8)
kernel /boot/xen.gz vga=mode-0x0f00 nomodeset
module /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-12-xen root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_HD501LJ_S0MUJ13P509353-part9 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_HD501LJ_S0MUJ13P509353-part5 splash=silent quiet showopts vga=0x0f00
module /boot/initrd-2.6.34-12-xen

However, I have tried all possible combinations of the vga settings (absent/present on kernel line, absent present on module line) together with the absense and presence of the nomodeset option on both the kernel and module line (16 possible combinations in all). The end result is the same.

I don’t think vga=mode-0x0f00 nomodeset should be on the kernel /boot/xen.gz line but should be on the module line for vmlinux. Are you 100% sure 0x0f00 is the correct resolution? Part9 is the right boot partition.

I tried every possible combination of vga=mode and nomodeset which includes them being present on the module line and not present on kernel line.

mode 0x0f00 is text 80 x 25. With this mode I actually get to see part of the boot sequence.

The partition selections are exactly the same as for the desktop kernel which boots without any issues.

Sorry tough one. When you built the Xen manager which video cards are you useing? The nVidia drivers don’t support Xen. So, you have to use the generic drivers non-nVidia. It might be a problem if you’re using the ATI RadeonHD drivers as well. You’re running 11.3 so you need to check kMS? to see which drivers you’re using. Under 11.2 you’d look at the /etc/X11/xorg.conf and make the changes.

Its a fresh install. No third party drivers have been used and I’ve tried both with and without installing all the latest patches.

The video card is the one integrated into the motherboard and lspci reports it as:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82Q35 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)

I’m not schooled in XEN but Google is my friend XenCommonProblems - Xen Wiki
Though the Intel 82Q35 should be supported there’s a few problems listed for using that onboard graphics with XEN. Hindsight reveals, stopping at “(Xen) Created cpupool 0” should have been a clue. May be /var/log/Xorg.0.log reveals something but the Wiki is probably more helpful, ie, requires fully virtualized vs. paravirtualized. I didn’t check any websites for a XEN patch on the Intel graphics.
Best I found is turning on a BIOS switch for VT-d on Intel based boards as noted in the Wiki.