HAL type for Win2003 Server on recent KVM versions?

HAL type for Win2003 Server on recent KVM versions?

[Kenni Lund]

Hi

I'm about to move a couple of virtual machines from a Fedora 11 system
to a new server with a more recent operating system and newer version
of KVM, etc.

One of the guests is a Windows Server 2003 Standard SP2, which is
currently running with the "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" HAL.

Considering moving to RHEL, I've been reading the virtualization
documentation for RHEL 6.0, which says that I need to set HAL to
"Standard PC" when installing a new Win2003 guest.

Since my current guest has been running perfectly fine for a long time
with its current HAL, I was wondering if the system will become
unstable, unbootable or what the disadvantage will be, if I move the
guest to for example RHEL 6.0, without reinstalling or upgrading the
guest to select another HAL mode?

On the other hand, it seems like I can "upgrade" from the current
"ACPI Multiprocessor PC" into "Standard PC", but I'm not sure if I'll
gain anything by trying this.

Thanks in advance..

Best regards
Kenni

Re: HAL type for Win2003 Server on recent KVM versions?

[Avi Kivity]

On 11/18/2010 12:58 AM, Kenni Lund wrote:
> Hi
>
> I'm about to move a couple of virtual machines from a Fedora 11 system
> to a new server with a more recent operating system and newer version
> of KVM, etc.
>
> One of the guests is a Windows Server 2003 Standard SP2, which is
> currently running with the "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" HAL.
>
> Considering moving to RHEL, I've been reading the virtualization
> documentation for RHEL 6.0, which says that I need to set HAL to
> "Standard PC" when installing a new Win2003 guest.
>
> Since my current guest has been running perfectly fine for a long time
> with its current HAL, I was wondering if the system will become
> unstable, unbootable or what the disadvantage will be, if I move the
> guest to for example RHEL 6.0, without reinstalling or upgrading the
> guest to select another HAL mode?
>
> On the other hand, it seems like I can "upgrade" from the current
> "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" into "Standard PC", but I'm not sure if I'll
> gain anything by trying this.
>

I suggest using the default HAL, whatever it is.  That's what everyone 
else is using so you get the best tested configuration.

-- 
error compiling committee.c: too many arguments to function

Re: HAL type for Win2003 Server on recent KVM versions?

[Kenni Lund]

2010/11/18 Avi Kivity <avi@redhat.com>:
> On 11/18/2010 12:58 AM, Kenni Lund wrote:
>>
>> Hi
>>
>> I'm about to move a couple of virtual machines from a Fedora 11 system
>> to a new server with a more recent operating system and newer version
>> of KVM, etc.
>>
>> One of the guests is a Windows Server 2003 Standard SP2, which is
>> currently running with the "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" HAL.
>>
>> Considering moving to RHEL, I've been reading the virtualization
>> documentation for RHEL 6.0, which says that I need to set HAL to
>> "Standard PC" when installing a new Win2003 guest.
>>
>> Since my current guest has been running perfectly fine for a long time
>> with its current HAL, I was wondering if the system will become
>> unstable, unbootable or what the disadvantage will be, if I move the
>> guest to for example RHEL 6.0, without reinstalling or upgrading the
>> guest to select another HAL mode?
>>
>> On the other hand, it seems like I can "upgrade" from the current
>> "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" into "Standard PC", but I'm not sure if I'll
>> gain anything by trying this.
>>
>
> I suggest using the default HAL, whatever it is.  That's what everyone else
> is using so you get the best tested configuration.

Thanks Avi, "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" was/is the default HAL, I didn't
change anything when the system was originally installed.

I'm curious why the RHEL 6 documentation claims that you actively need
to select the "Standard PC" HAL on installation, if it's not even the
recommended/preferred HAL...(?):
"Windows 2003 requires a specific computer type in order to install
properly on a fully-virtualized guest. This needs to be specified at
the beginning of the installation process."[1]

[1] http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Virtualization/sect-Virtualization_Windows2003.html

Best regards
Kenni

Re: HAL type for Win2003 Server on recent KVM versions?

[Cole Robinson]

On 11/18/2010 09:05 AM, Kenni Lund wrote:
> 2010/11/18 Avi Kivity <avi@redhat.com>:
>> On 11/18/2010 12:58 AM, Kenni Lund wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> I'm about to move a couple of virtual machines from a Fedora 11 system
>>> to a new server with a more recent operating system and newer version
>>> of KVM, etc.
>>>
>>> One of the guests is a Windows Server 2003 Standard SP2, which is
>>> currently running with the "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" HAL.
>>>
>>> Considering moving to RHEL, I've been reading the virtualization
>>> documentation for RHEL 6.0, which says that I need to set HAL to
>>> "Standard PC" when installing a new Win2003 guest.
>>>
>>> Since my current guest has been running perfectly fine for a long time
>>> with its current HAL, I was wondering if the system will become
>>> unstable, unbootable or what the disadvantage will be, if I move the
>>> guest to for example RHEL 6.0, without reinstalling or upgrading the
>>> guest to select another HAL mode?
>>>
>>> On the other hand, it seems like I can "upgrade" from the current
>>> "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" into "Standard PC", but I'm not sure if I'll
>>> gain anything by trying this.
>>>
>>
>> I suggest using the default HAL, whatever it is.  That's what everyone else
>> is using so you get the best tested configuration.
> 
> Thanks Avi, "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" was/is the default HAL, I didn't
> change anything when the system was originally installed.
> 
> I'm curious why the RHEL 6 documentation claims that you actively need
> to select the "Standard PC" HAL on installation, if it's not even the
> recommended/preferred HAL...(?):
> "Windows 2003 requires a specific computer type in order to install
> properly on a fully-virtualized guest. This needs to be specified at
> the beginning of the installation process."[1]
> 
> [1] http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Virtualization/sect-Virtualization_Windows2003.html
> 

I'm pretty sure that was incorrectly copied over from the RHEL5 xen
documentation. The docs people have been informed so it should be fixed
soon-ish.

- Cole

Re: HAL type for Win2003 Server on recent KVM versions?

[Kenni Lund]

2010/11/18 Cole Robinson <crobinso@redhat.com>:
> On 11/18/2010 09:05 AM, Kenni Lund wrote:
>> I'm curious why the RHEL 6 documentation claims that you actively need
>> to select the "Standard PC" HAL on installation, if it's not even the
>> recommended/preferred HAL...(?):
>> "Windows 2003 requires a specific computer type in order to install
>> properly on a fully-virtualized guest. This needs to be specified at
>> the beginning of the installation process."[1]
>>
>> [1] http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Virtualization/sect-Virtualization_Windows2003.html
>>
>
> I'm pretty sure that was incorrectly copied over from the RHEL5 xen
> documentation. The docs people have been informed so it should be fixed
> soon-ish.

Perfect, thanks! :)

Best regards
Kenni