Arch Linux

foolishrobot

Member

From: Chicago

Registered: 2011-11-18

Posts: 7

Xen Kernel and Nvidia Drivers

I'm attempting to install Xen on my desktop for some environment testing. I'm very new to Xen and kernel based virtualization so I apologize for any noobish questions.

I have arch installed on my desktop and it's working perfectly! I have a very robust machine with AMD-V support so I've decided to give Xen a try because I want to test Xen's GFX passthrough  using IOMMU.

I was able to download, build and install Xen from the AUR and I was able to boot into the Xen kernel successfully! I've been testing the Xen kernel for a while and everything seems to be going well except for one issue. Anytime I try to use a 3d application I run into major problems. The application simply does not work. Blender and Minecraft have been the two programs I've been able to confirm this with. I've been trying to find more linux based 3D applications to test this theory on. When I launch the applications, they just freeze and I have to kill the processes.

Here's a little info on my machine:

Here's the closest thing I can find as an error related to this issue. It's when I perform window resizing in Chromium. It only happens when running the Xen kernel. Doesn't happen running the normal kernel.

[48894.925601] chromium[12290]: segfault at 0 ip 00007f7d12ab1f44 sp 00007fffa91ab1b0 error 6 in libnvidia-glcore.so.290.10[7f7d115e5000+1912000]

The menu.lst file

# (0) ArchBang Linux
title  ArchBang Linux
root   (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/68295403-7bbd-4b7e-b2fe-0b9e6a8f00eb loglevel=3 ro quiet resume=/dev/disk/by-uuid/13c74b13-0914-4557-b55e-9a860b962737   nomodeset
initrd /initramfs-linux.img

# (1) ArchBang Linux fallback (useful if you change your hard disk/mainboard)
title  ArchBang Linux Fallback
root   (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/68295403-7bbd-4b7e-b2fe-0b9e6a8f00eb loglevel=3 ro quiet
initrd /initramfs-linux-fallback.img

# (2) ArchBang w/ Xen Testing
title  ArchBang Linux with Xen [Testing]
root   (hd0,0)
kernel /xen-4.1.2.gz iommu=1
module /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/68295403-7bbd-4b7e-b2fe-0b9e6a8f00eb loglevel=3 ro quiet resume=/dev/disk/by-uuid/13c74b13-0914-4557-b55e-9a860b962737   nomodeset
module /initramfs-linux.img

# (2) Optional entry for the system on sda1
#title sda1
#rootnoverify (hd0,0)
#makeactive
#chainloader +1

lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: ATI Technologies Inc RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (external gfx0 port B) (rev 02)
00:00.2 Generic system peripheral [0806]: ATI Technologies Inc RD990 I/O Memory Management Unit (IOMMU)
00:02.0 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port B)
00:09.0 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI express gpp port H)
00:0a.0 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc RD890 PCI to PCI bridge (external gfx1 port A)
00:11.0 SATA controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 40)
00:12.0 USB controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:12.2 USB controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:13.0 USB controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:13.2 USB controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:14.0 SMBus: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 42)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller (rev 40)
00:14.4 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge (rev 40)
00:14.5 USB controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller
00:15.0 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800/SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0)
00:15.1 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800/SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1)
00:15.2 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 2)
00:15.3 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc SB900 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 3)
00:16.0 USB controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:16.2 USB controller: ATI Technologies Inc SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 0
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 1
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 2
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 3
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 4
00:18.5 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 5
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GF104 [GeForce GTX 460] (rev a1)
01:00.1 Audio device: nVidia Corporation GF104 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)
02:00.0 USB controller: Etron Technology, Inc. EJ168 USB 3.0 Host Controller (rev 01)
03:00.0 IDE interface: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Device 917a (rev 11)
04:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies Inc. ICE1712 [Envy24] PCI Multi-Channel I/O Controller (rev 02)
04:0e.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6306/7/8 [Fire II(M)] IEEE 1394 OHCI Controller (rev c0)
05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 06)
06:00.0 USB controller: Etron Technology, Inc. EJ168 USB 3.0 Host Controller (rev 01)

uname -a

Linux archbang 3.1.6-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Dec 22 09:11:48 CET 2011 x86_64 AMD FX(tm)-6100 Six-Core Processor AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

and the nvidia drivers i'm running

extra/nvidia 290.10-1 [4.48 MB] [installed]
    NVIDIA drivers for linux.

ANY suggestions on this issue would be greatly appreciated. Again, I'm very new to Xen so I would appreciate any advice.

foolishrobot

Member

From: Chicago

Registered: 2011-11-18

Posts: 7

Re: Xen Kernel and Nvidia Drivers

I'm starting to discover that using Xen along with desktop applications is not a good idea. It doesn't appear to be designed for it. I think my approach may be wrong on this.

Again, I would appreciate the advice of anyone who has had experience with Xen.