Environment
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
Xen virtualisation
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
Xen virtualisation
Situation
When booting a system with the Xen kernel, the GUI does not come up. The system remains in text mode or is inaccessible from the console. When it is booted with a non-Xen kernel, the GUI comes up.
Resolution
Adjust the X11 configuration for use with the Xen kernel as follows:
- Boot the system using the Xen kernel, supplying the kernel parameterinit 3to ensure the system does not try to bring up the GUI.
- Log in in the text mode environment.
- Rerun the X11 configuration as follows:SaX2 -r 0=vesa
Additional Information
Background
This issue is typically seen when a graphics driver from a graphics card vendor like nVidea or ATI is used instead of a driver that is shipped with the Novell Linux product. Such vendor drivers generally do not (or not yet) support the Xen flavour of the kernel. The resolution steps force reconfiguration of the X11 driver using the generic vesa driver which is shipped with the product. The resolution steps are also described in the Virtualization Based on SLE 10 SP1 Technology - Configuration Options and Settings documentation.
This issue is typically seen when a graphics driver from a graphics card vendor like nVidea or ATI is used instead of a driver that is shipped with the Novell Linux product. Such vendor drivers generally do not (or not yet) support the Xen flavour of the kernel. The resolution steps force reconfiguration of the X11 driver using the generic vesa driver which is shipped with the product. The resolution steps are also described in the Virtualization Based on SLE 10 SP1 Technology - Configuration Options and Settings documentation.