newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh)]

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HI all,

 

I have been investigating how to boot Linux as bootstrap to boot another
Linux.

 

From my understanding, Linux has a kexec system call which provides
overlay another Linux image on the current running Linux. 

 

Is my understanding correct?

 

Is there any other available tool that I can use?

 

 

 

Many thanks in advance,

 

Biz

 


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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Sven Anders]

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Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh) schrieb:
>
> HI all,
>
> =20
>
> I have been investigating how to boot Linux as bootstrap to boot
> another Linux.
>
> =20
>
> From my understanding, Linux has a kexec system call which provides
> overlay another Linux image on the current running Linux.
>
> =20
>
> Is my understanding correct?
>
Yes, it correct. We are using a similiar configuration without problems.

Mit freundlichen Gr=FC=DFen
 Sven Anders

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RE: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh)]

> 
> >
> Yes, it correct. We are using a similiar configuration without
problems.
> 
We are using Linux kernel 2.6.23, where could I download the
kexec-tools, to compile?

Thanks,
Bizhan

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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Randy Dunlap]

Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh) wrote:
> 
>> Yes, it correct. We are using a similiar configuration without
> problems.
> We are using Linux kernel 2.6.23, where could I download the
> kexec-tools, to compile?

www.google.com/linux, search for kexec-tools, first hit is it.

I use kexec daily for boot-testing new kernels.

-- 
~Randy

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RE: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh)]

> I use kexec daily for boot-testing new kernels.
I have enabled the kexec in the kernel configuration, when I ran the
kexec I get the following error:

# ./kexec -l ./bzImage
kexec_load failed: Function not implemented
entry       = 0x977b8 flags = 0
nr_segments = 3
segment[0].buf   = 0x8071600
segment[0].bufsz = 2a00
segment[0].mem   = 0x3000
segment[0].memsz = 3000
segment[1].buf   = 0x806a550
segment[1].bufsz = 7060
segment[1].mem   = 0x97000
segment[1].memsz = 9000
segment[2].buf   = 0xb7c3aa08
segment[2].bufsz = 1d7eb8
segment[2].mem   = 0x100000
segment[2].memsz = 1d8000

???                             


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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Randy Dunlap]

Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh) wrote:
> 
>> I use kexec daily for boot-testing new kernels.
> I have enabled the kexec in the kernel configuration, when I ran the
> kexec I get the following error:

You enabled kexec in the new kernel that you are trying to load or in
the first/running kernel?  It appears that kexec is not loaded in the
first/running kernel, but it must be enabled for kexec-tools to work
correctly.


> # ./kexec -l ./bzImage
> kexec_load failed: Function not implemented
> entry       = 0x977b8 flags = 0
> nr_segments = 3
> segment[0].buf   = 0x8071600
> segment[0].bufsz = 2a00
> segment[0].mem   = 0x3000
> segment[0].memsz = 3000
> segment[1].buf   = 0x806a550
> segment[1].bufsz = 7060
> segment[1].mem   = 0x97000
> segment[1].memsz = 9000
> segment[2].buf   = 0xb7c3aa08
> segment[2].bufsz = 1d7eb8
> segment[2].mem   = 0x100000
> segment[2].memsz = 1d8000
> 
> ???                             
> 


-- 
~Randy

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RE: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh)]

> 
> You enabled kexec in the new kernel that you are trying to load or in
> the first/running kernel?  It appears that kexec is not loaded in the
> first/running kernel, but it must be enabled for kexec-tools to work
> correctly.

Yes, that was the problem, now I am getting a new error, I do not care
for crash dump, but when I execute kexec -e it ask me to reserve some
space for it and use kdump kernel, which is not the case I am
interested:

# ./kexec -e -append="root/dev/sdb2"
Memory for crashkernel is not reserved
Please reserve memory by passing "crashkernel=X@Y" parameter to the
kernel
Then try loading kdump kernel


???


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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Randy Dunlap]

Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh) wrote:
>> You enabled kexec in the new kernel that you are trying to load or in
>> the first/running kernel?  It appears that kexec is not loaded in the
>> first/running kernel, but it must be enabled for kexec-tools to work
>> correctly.
> 
> Yes, that was the problem, now I am getting a new error, I do not care
> for crash dump, but when I execute kexec -e it ask me to reserve some
> space for it and use kdump kernel, which is not the case I am
> interested:
> 
> # ./kexec -e -append="root/dev/sdb2"
> Memory for crashkernel is not reserved
> Please reserve memory by passing "crashkernel=X@Y" parameter to the
> kernel
> Then try loading kdump kernel
> 
> 
> ???

You still need to reserve space for the new kernel to be loaded into.
It has to be loaded into memory before it is needed.

Those messages that say "crashkernel" can be misleading, but that's
what the kernel parameter is named.

-- 
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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[M. Mohan Kumar]

> # ./kexec -e -append="root/dev/sdb2"
> Memory for crashkernel is not reserved
> Please reserve memory by passing "crashkernel=X@Y" parameter to the
> kernel
> Then try loading kdump kernel

kexec -e does not take any parameter. Just run "kexec -e" which should start 
booting the new kernel.

Regards,
Mohan.

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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[David N. Lombard]

On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 05:09:59AM -0800, Sven Anders wrote:
> Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh) schrieb:
> >
> > HI all,
> >
> > =20
> >
> > I have been investigating how to boot Linux as bootstrap to boot
> > another Linux.
> >
> > =20
> >
> > From my understanding, Linux has a kexec system call which provides
> > overlay another Linux image on the current running Linux.
> >
> > =20
> >
> > Is my understanding correct?
> >
> Yes, it correct. We are using a similiar configuration without problems.

I too use kexec & kexec-tools, for a couple of years now.

On IA using kexec-tools 2.0.0, use a command like this to load the kernel:

    kexec -l bzImage --initrd=initrd.img --command-line="kernel-cmd-args"

where
	bzImage is the kernel's bzImage file
	initrd.img is the initrd image file
	kernel-cmd-args are the kernel's command line args

Then, boot the kernel with:

    kexec -e

-- 
David N. Lombard, Intel, Irvine, CA
I do not speak for Intel Corporation; all comments are strictly my own.

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RE: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh)]

> On IA using kexec-tools 2.0.0, use a command like this to load the
kernel:
> 
>     kexec -l bzImage --initrd=initrd.img
--command-line="kernel-cmd-args"
> 
> where
> 	bzImage is the kernel's bzImage file
> 	initrd.img is the initrd image file
> 	kernel-cmd-args are the kernel's command line args
> 
> Then, boot the kernel with:
> 
>     kexec -e

We are using ramdisk instead of initrd, do you know what arguments I
need to pass to point to the ramdisk install on a partition on SATA
disk: e.g /dev/sda2?

 Bizhan


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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[David N. Lombard]

On Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 07:42:57AM -0800, Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh) wrote:
> > On IA using kexec-tools 2.0.0, use a command like this to load the
> kernel:
> > 
> >     kexec -l bzImage --initrd=initrd.img
> --command-line="kernel-cmd-args"
> > 
> > where
> > 	bzImage is the kernel's bzImage file
> > 	initrd.img is the initrd image file
> > 	kernel-cmd-args are the kernel's command line args
> > 
> > Then, boot the kernel with:
> > 
> >     kexec -e
> 
> We are using ramdisk instead of initrd, do you know what arguments I
> need to pass to point to the ramdisk install on a partition on SATA
> disk: e.g /dev/sda2?

I'm not sure what you mean by "ramdisk install on ... SATA disk".

If you want to just try kexec, take look at your current boot
configuration file, e.g., /boot/grub/grub.conf.  For example, on my F7
system, I have the following stanza:

  title Fedora (2.6.23.15-80.fc7)
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.23.15-80.fc7 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
    initrd /initrd-2.6.23.15-80.fc7.img

I could boot that as follows:

  kexec -l /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.23.15-80.fc7 \
    --initrd=/boot/initrd-2.6.23.15-80.fc7.img \
    --command-line="ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet"
  kexec -e

Alternatively, to boot a diskless kernel/initrd, I might use

  kexec -l vmlinuz --initrd=initrd.img --command-line="root=/dev/ram rw"
  kexec -e

-- 
David N. Lombard, Intel, Irvine, CA
I do not speak for Intel Corporation; all comments are strictly my own.

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Re: newbie question: kexec linux-based bootstrap

[Geoff Levand]

Hi,

Bizhan Gholikhamseh (bgholikh) wrote:
> I have been investigating how to boot Linux as bootstrap to boot another
> Linux.

The ps3 uses this method for its bootloaders.  The linux kernel and a
small file system are put into the system's flash memory.

You can find some (old) info about the petitboot bootloader here:

  http://ozlabs.org/~jk/projects/petitboot/

Another kexec based bootloader is kboot:

  http://kboot.sourceforge.net/

-Geoff


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