[workspace-user] virtual workspace cannot boot using WorkspaceService

[Tim Freeman]

On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:23:54 +0100
"Dharanikota, Sai Srinivas" <sai.srinivas.dharanikota at intel.com> wrote:

> Hi Tim,
> 
> 
> 
> >I am guessing something is mounting the partition r/w before fsck gets
> to
> >it,
> >perhaps you're not including a 'ro' parameter?  Looking at a working
> config
> >file and/or command line invocation that starts this VM without
> problems
> >might
> >help us figure out the issue.
> 
> I have attached the config file for command line invocation.
> 
> I have looked at xen_v2.py. The workspace service backend driver mounts
> the device with "ro" permissions. The problem doesn't occur with Xen-2
> and workspace_service_VM_TP1.1 combination.
> 
> I used fastboot for the "extra" parameter. I modified xen_v2.py so that
> the "extra" parameter is initialized to fastboot. The problem is solved
> with fastboot.
> http://www.nabble.com/xen-and-boot-problems-(with-CentOS-4.2)-t1362818.h
> tml

Oh, good.  That is good to know, I have not needed fastboot before. 

> 
> Is this an optimal solution?

Forcing it on every workspace doesn't sound like a good option, I think we
should add a way to do this only when it is needed for the default kernel.
Including necessary parameters in the kernel section of a workspace definition
is a better way to include kernel specific parameters.

But if no kernel is specified in the workspace metadata, it is a signal to use
the default kernel.  It is up to the backend driver to decide what to do
entirely.  I think adding a worksp.conf option for kernel parameters when the
default kernel is used is a working solution here.

So in your situation, if you configure the default kernel as CentOS, you would
have to know to include fastboot.  With fastboot in particular, this may turn
out to be a best practice for most Linux images.  But even in that case, I
think it belongs in the documentation and not hardcoded. 

Does that sound reasonable?  Unless I hear objections, I've put adding a kernel
parameter configuration (if the default kernel is used) on the definite-todo
list, it will be quick to implement.

Does anyone have experiences with fastboot, good or bad? 

Thanks,
Tim