Bug 200717

Summary:	app-emulation/xen-tools-3.1.2: doesn't support XENFB_TOOLS build option for VNC access to paravirtualized domU's
Product:	Gentoo Linux	Reporter:	Josh West <jwest>
Component:	New packages	Assignee:	Gentoo Xen Devs <xen>
Status:	RESOLVED WORKSFORME
Severity:	enhancement	CC:	luckyluke, sven.koehler
Priority:	High	Keywords:	Inclusion
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Package list:		Runtime testing required:	---
Attachments:	Patch to ebuild which provides XENFB_TOOLS=y support

Description Josh West 2007-11-29 07:44:11 UTC

Xen tools can be built with the XENFB_TOOLS=y option (e.g. XENFB_TOOLS=y make tools) to build the /usr/lib/xen/bin/xen-vncfb binary, which is responsible for setting up VNC listeners to paravirtualized domU's (virtual machines).  Unfortunately, the app-emulation/xen-tools-3.1.2 does not support this ability at this time.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Emerge app-emulation/xen-tools-3.1.2
2. Look for /usr/lib/xen/bin/xen-vncfb or try to create a paravirtualized domU (virtual machine) with the appropriate VNC directives (see Additional Information).

Actual Results:  
VNC consoles for paravirtualized guests is not available.

Expected Results:  
Supported this feature... but hey, its an easy one to miss.

One can leverage the XENFB_TOOLS functionality (once its available in the xen-tools ebuild) by entering directives such as the following in one's VM configuration file:

vfb = [ 'type=vnc' ]
extra = "xencons=ttyS0 console=ttyS0 video=xenfb"

The above will spawn a VNC listener for your guest.

Comment 1 Josh West 2007-11-29 07:46:37 UTC

Created attachment 137298 [details, diff]
Patch to ebuild which provides XENFB_TOOLS=y support

I have written a patch to the ebuild which adds a "xenfb" USE flag and adjusts the build appropriately to support XENFB_TOOLS.

Hope this helps.

Comment 2 Sven 2008-08-10 00:33:36 UTC

What the current status? (xen-tools-3.2.1)

Is vnc support offered now? I can's see any vnc dependencies in the ebuilds. I can't tell, if that's necessary.

Actually, i'm trying to use it on a non-multilib amd64 system and so the hvm use-flag is disabled. I'm only using paravirtualized systems and since new linux domU kernels support a Xen framebuffer device, i'd like to use it.

Comment 3 Robert Buchholz (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2008-08-31 23:56:47 UTC

The xenfb tool has been removed in 3.2.0, per this commit:
http://xenbits.xensource.com/xen-3.2-testing.hg?rev/1ed990bc8da9

It's now built as part of the hvm, but that setup changed a lot and I'm not sure our current ebuild reflects that correctly.

Comment 4 Spooky Ghost 2011-01-14 10:59:37 UTC

Suggest that this bug should be closed won't fix due to:

a) Xen 3.1 is very old
b) VNC for PV guests is available and working with the ioemu use flag in latest 4.0.1

Comment 5 Luca Lesinigo 2011-01-31 16:03:22 UTC

(In reply to comment #4)

I agree with Spooky and I'll add that the VNC console works correctly also in Xen-3.4.*, if you don't want to upgrade to 4.x.

Comment 6 Alexey Shvetsov archtester

2011-03-26 11:26:17 UTC

Xen 4.1 in tree. Please test with it and reopen if it doesnt work