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Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:19:19 -0700
From: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@zytor.com>
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To: Yan Li <elliot.li.tech@gmail.com>
CC: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, Ingo Molnar <mingo@elte.hu>,
       joerg.roedel@amd.com, rjmaomao@gmail.com,
       Yinghai Lu <yhlu.kernel@gmail.com>,
       Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>, nancydreaming@gmail.com
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/2] VMware guest detection for x86 and x86-64
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Yan Li wrote:
> Detects whether we are running as a VMware guest or not. Detection is
> based upon DMI vendor string.
> 
> It provides a function:
> int is_vmware_guest(void)
> that can be used easily to detect if we are running as a VMware guest
> or not.
> 
> I haven't used PCI vendor Id since that requires copying a trunk of
> codes from early_quirks() and I think copying code is not good. And
> reusing codes from early_quirks() needs intrivial change to present
> codes structure. Comparatively, checking "VMware" string against DMI
> manufacturer is a lot more simpler (one-line code). Also there's no
> evidence indicating that VMware will change their vendor string in
> near future. Therefore I choose to use simpler way.
> 
> Tested on x86 and x86-64 VMs and machines.

I'd like to make this a general VM platform detection subsystem.  We 
have similar issues with Virtual PC, and again, DMI appears to be the 
sanest way to detect it -- at least to a primary screen.

	-hpa