This page is part of my webdevster.com tutorial, see index to OpenQRM and XEN LVM based HVM VM.

[2.1] Step 1. Install and Provision Debian x64

We are going to start with a clean install on a new HDD. If it’s not a new HDD, I recommend using Darik’s Boot And Nuke, to erase all data, before you get started. Burn CD > Boot to Cdrom > Select Enter to Start the Interactive Mode > Select Drive, to wipe by pressing spacebar. > Press M for method > Select your method with up and down keys ( I selected Quick Erase), press Enter > Press F10 to start the wipe.

Insert the Debian x64 Installation Disk to start the installation process.

NOTE:
If you run into problems with drivers for your nic, hdds, etc.., then I would recommend using the Debian x64 “full cd”, instead of the “net install cd”. Only CD1 is needed for the installation, so don’t download the other CDs. Because, in this case it would be a total waste of space on your puter. You’ll also need to comment out the cdrom line, in /etc/apt/sources.list, once your system boots.

Hostname Configuration

I am going to use qrm01 for hostname and qrm01.cloud1 for domain. So the fqdn will be, qrm01.lc1.cloud1.

Partition Disk

Select ‘Manual’ Partition
In my example, I use 73gb = 4gb for Debian x64 OS, 2gb for swap, and the rest is for physical LVM. The swap here is for the XEN host, and will not be shared by the VMs.
So, on blank HDD, you’ll want to do the following:

Create OS Partition:

• Select Disk you want to install OS to.
• Select Yes, to create a new empty partition table on this device.
• Select, pri/log 73 GB Free Space
• Create a new partition (FYI: OS)
• Enter 4GB, for partition size, select continue
• Select Primary
• Select Beginning
• For partition settings, use the following settings (Label is Optional):
Use as: Ext3 journaling file system
Mount point: /
Mount options: defaults
Label: none
Reserved blocks: 5%
Typical Usage: standard
Bootable flag: on

• Select, Done setting up the partition.

Create Swap Partition:

• Select, pri/log 69 GB Free Space
• Create a new partition (FYI: Swap)
• Enter 2GB, for partition size, select continue (you’ll need to come up with a custom swap size for your server)
• Select Logical
• Select Beginning
• For partition settings, use the following settings (Label is Optional):
Use as: swap area
Bootable flag: off

• Select, Done setting up the partition.

Create LVM:

• Select, pri/log 67 GB Free Space
• Create a new partition (FYI: LVM)
• Enter default of 67gb, for partition size, select continue
• Select Primary
• For partition settings, use the following settings (Label is Optional):
Use as: physical volume for LVM
Bootable flag: off

• Select, Done setting up the partition.

So now your done with partitioning and Debian will take care of the formatting.

Your screen should look like this:

• Now select, Finish partitioning and write changes to disk.

Your screen should look like this:

• Select, Yes. The base installation will start.

Set up Passwords

This is pretty self explanatory

Configure the package mngr

Select default ftp.us.debian.org, or your preference

Software Selection

Deselect all, i.e. Desktop Environment, Standard System, etc..

Installing Grub boot Loader

Select Yes

Finish the installation

Select, Continue

On first boot you might encounter some hurdles depending on your hardware, so just google around, to get into a standard debian CLI login prompt. Typically normal home PC computers, have no issues. But, with my experience with all OS on servers in general, I almost always have some obstacles to overcome.

NOTE:
My hurdle, for Debian x64 install on IBM HS21 8853:
It will ask you for non free drivers, bnx2-06-4.0.5.fw. Which is Broadcom NetXtremeII 5706/5708 firmware, version Linux 2.6.25 (bnx2-06-4.0.5.fw) You can download deb pkg to a usb drive from Debian — Details of package firmware-bnx2 in sid, the package will work for Lenny and is named, firmware-bnx2_0.27_all.deb. Don’t extract it, just place it in the usb and your good to go, and move forward on install.

NOTE:
My hurdle, for Debian x64 install on IBM HS20 8843, HS21 8853, and some HS22:
To fix mounting issue “mounting /sys on /root” and acpi issue “resource is not an irq entry”
Install debian like normal. When it reboots for the first time you need to edit grub list:
change: sdb1 to: sda1.
remove: quiet (remove quiet to view boot process, after you have troubleshooted you should revert back to quiet permanently)
add: noacpi nolacpi acpi=off
per Installation error (ACPI: Resource is not an IRQ Entry…) Once logged into debian, make the above permanent changes to:
prompt>nano /boot/grub/menu.lst
And make the following changes to:
prompt>nano /etc/fstab
change all sdb1 to sda1.
per Installation Report (IBM BladeCenter HS20 / SCSI) - Debian Bug report logs - #269486 prompt>reboot

Install essential pkgs

Our attempt here and throughout this tutorial is to create a slim installation of the Xen host.

Login as root.

You can optionally remote log in as root, with SSH (i.e. ssh via putty); or optionally with mRemote for easability.

Configure static network IP

Erase or comment out, all info and copy in the following:

  auto lo
  iface lo inet loopback
 
  auto eth0
  iface eth0 inet static
  address 10.1.11.11
  netmask 255.255.255.0
  network 10.1.11.0
  broadcast 10.1.11.255
  gateway 10.1.11.1

Once you restart networking, you will need to point your ssh to the new IP, 10.1.11.11.

We can now move onto installing and configuring Xen in the next page 6, Step 2. Install XEN and configure.

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