Re: [xen-unstable test] 57852: regressions - FAIL

[Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk <konrad.wilk@oracle.com>]

On Mon, Jun 08, 2015 at 03:47:22PM +0100, Ian Jackson wrote:
> Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk writes ("Re: [Xen-devel] [xen-unstable test] 57852: regressions - FAIL"):
> > Could it be an missing microcode update? I don't know if the OSSTest does
> > the ucode=scan or updates the microcode later?
> 
> I think osstest's machines don't get microcode updates.  I'm no expert
> on x86 microcode, but my understanding is:
> 
> Microcode updates (i) have to be loaded dynamically at boot time and
> (ii) are regarded as a non-free package by Debian.
> 
> We could arrange to install the non-free microcode package.  I haven't
> looked into it but I would expect that to automatically arrange to
> load the microcode for native boots.  It IMO ought to do the same for
> non-native boots but I wouldn't rely on that being the case.

If Debian is using dracut it just requires adding in /etc/dracut.conf
early_microcode=yes

and from there on any regenerated initramfs will have the required
microcode. Then 'ucode=scan' needs to be added on the Xen command line.

But this is a shoot in the dark - this microcode update might have nothing
to do with these failures.
> 
> Ian.