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When root runs command xm (does not work, as intended):

1. The shell runs /usr/sbin/xm which is a symlink to /usr/lib/xen-common/bin/xen-toolstack-wrapper
2. /usr/lib/xen-common/bin/xen-toolstack-wrapper:
   
   1. Sources /usr/lib/xen-common/bin/xen-toolstack to set TOOLSTACK to /usr/lib/xen-4.1/bin/xl
   2. Sources /usr/lib/xen-common/bin/xen-dir to set dir to /usr/lib/xen-4.1
   3. Sources /usr/lib/xen-common/bin/xen-version to set VERSION to 4.1
      1. /usr/lib/xen-common/bin/xen-version gets Xen version info from /sys/hypervisor/version/*
   4. Sets PATH to /usr/lib/xen-4.1/bin
   5. Sources /etc/default/xen to set TOOLSTACK to xl (would fall back to hardcoded default otherwise)
   6. Sets TOOLSTACK to /usr/lib/xen-4.1/bin/xl
   7. Generates message "ERROR: A different toolstack (xl) have been selected!"

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There are several ways to install Debian in a DomU.  The xen-create-image method is very convenient.  It uses the Debian Installer's debootstrap.

debootstrap

Installs into a chroot.  Can use only one repository (which may be a local cache).

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"Debian installer" is the standard Debian installation system; it supports installation of standard Debian as a Xen PV.

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If we use either of the Debian installer methods, pre-seeding would be advantageous both for creating installations that differ only as intended and – more importantly – to accelerate re-installation during disaster recovery.  This might be very useful for all Debian and ubuntu installations, not just DomUs.

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References:

• http://

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• wiki.

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• xenproject.org/

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Actually FAI (http://fai-project.org/ and BLUE-1325) is the way to go but it will take too long to familiarise with it.

Even pre-seeding is non-trivial so decided not to delay the first installation by using it.

References:

• http://wiki.xenproject.org/wiki/wiki/Debian_Guest_Installation_Using_Debian_Installer
• Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide (Wheezy 64-bit version): http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/

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http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/ch04s05.html.en

.iso image

Installing from a .iso image is the method we are most familiar with so a good choice, at least for the first DomUs.

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24 July 2014

Decided to install from a .iso rather than any of the other choices because:

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Not as easy as using xen-create-image

xen-create-image (from xen-tools)

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