this is obsolete doc -- see http://doc.nethence.com/ instead

Slackware64/XEN paravirtualized guest 

Introduction 

We're assuming the domU kernel is already been prepared, see the Slackware dom0 guide for that (prepared kernel is both dom0 and domU capable). 

Guest preparation 

Prepare the vdisk, 

mkdir -p /data/guests/slack/

cd /data/guests/slack/

dd if=/dev/zero of=slack.disk bs=1024k count=1 seek=10000

Get the already prepared kernel (see slack dom0 tutorial) and installer initrd, 

scp somedom0:/boot/stable-2.6.32.x .

wget ftp://ftp.slackware.at/slackware64-13.37/isolinux/initrd.img

Configure the guest (w/ routing), 

cat > slack <<EOF9

name = "slack"

memory = "512"

kernel = "/data/guests/slack/stable-2.6.32.x"

ramdisk = "/data/guests/slack/initrd.img"

disk = [ 'file:/data/guests/slack/slack.disk,xvda,w' ]

vif = [ 'vifname=vslack.0' ]

vcpus = "1"

extra = "load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=0 rw"

EOF9

Note. eventually force the mac address like, 

vif = [ 'vifname=vslack.0,mac=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx' ]

Note. for routing, 

vif = [ 'vifname=vslack.0,ip=XX.XX.XX.XX' ]

Ready to go 

Launch the guest, 

  cd /data/guests/slack/

xm cr slack -c

Note. preferably outside a gnu screen session (or some dialog chars freak out) 

And proceed with a network installation e.g., 

ftp://ftp.slackware.at

/slackware64-13.1/slackware64 (note the starting with a slash)

skip (do not install LILO)

imps2 mouse or whatever

no gpm at boot time

rc.syslog

rc.sshd

exit the menu and shutdown the guest instead of rebooting it, 

halt

Single user mode post-installation 

When finished, start it single user, 

  cd /data/guests/slack/

vi slack

comment or remove the ramdisk line, 

#ramdisk = "/data/guests/slack/initrd.img"

change the extra line, 

extra = "root=/dev/xvda1 ro init=/bin/sh"

Start the guest in single user mode, 

xm cr slack -c

At the single user prompt, 

alias ll='ls -alkF'

mount -o rw,remount /

cd etc/rc.d/

chmod -x rc.alsa

cp rc.M rc.M.dist

vi rc.M

remove all the pango shit, 

# These GTK+/pango files need to be kept up to date for

# proper input method, pixbuf loaders, and font support.

if [ -x /usr/bin/update-gtk-immodules ]; then

  /usr/bin/update-gtk-immodules --verbose

fi

if [ -x /usr/bin/update-gdk-pixbuf-loaders ]; then

  /usr/bin/update-gdk-pixbuf-loaders --verbose

fi

if [ -x /usr/bin/update-pango-querymodules ]; then

  /usr/bin/update-pango-querymodules --verbose

fi

Disable the hardware clock synchronization binary, 

cd /sbin/

mv hwclock hwclock.dist

touch hwclock

chmod +x hwclock

Add a serial console for dom0 management, 

cd /etc/

cat >> inittab <<EOF9

co:1235:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 console linux

EOF9

disable offloading, 

cd /etc/rc.d/

cat >> rc.local <<EOF9

ethtool -K eth0 tx off

ethtool -K eth0 sg off

ethtool -K eth0 tso off

ethtool -K eth0 gso off

ethtool -K eth0 gro off

ethtool -k eth0

#ethtool -K eth0 rx off

#ethtool -K eth0 ufo off

#ethtool -K eth0 lro off

EOF9

sync, 

cd /

sync

and brutally shutdown the guest from the dom0, 

xm des slack

Switch to multiuser mode, 

  cd /data/guests/slack/

vi slack

change, 

extra = "root=/dev/xvda1 ro"