Bug 584606

Summary: RHEL5.5 does not install with PXE using a virtio-net device
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Reporter: Christopher Curran <ccurran>
Component: anacondaAssignee: Anaconda Maintenance Team <anaconda-maint-list>
Status: CLOSED INSUFFICIENT_DATA QA Contact: Release Test Team <release-test-team-automation>
Severity: medium Docs Contact:
Priority: low    
Version: 5.5CC: mhideo
Target Milestone: rc   
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version: Doc Type: Bug Fix
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Last Closed: 2011-07-27 17:25:06 UTC Type: ---
Regression: --- Mount Type: ---
Documentation: --- CRM:
Verified Versions: Category: ---
oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team: --- Target Upstream Version:
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Description Flags
the step where the install fails none

Description Christopher Curran 2010-04-22 01:40:00 UTC 
Created attachment 408208 [details]
the step where the install fails

Description of problem:
While attempting to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5 as a guest on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5 KVM I found that the para-virtualized network driver (virtio-net) is not automatically detected for the network bridge and the PXE  installation cannot continue.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
5.5 guest on 5.5 host.

How reproducible:
100%

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install a network bridge on the host as described in the Virtualization Guide: http://www.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/5.5/html/Virtualization_Guide/sect-Virtualization-Network_Configuration-Bridged_networking_with_libvirt.html 
2. Create a fully virtualized RHEL5.5 guest. Select type "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4 or later" in virt-manager.
3. Select PXE as the installation method.
4. Once the PXE image of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5 boots the installation will fail after selecting the keyboard as anaconda is not loading the virtio drivers. See the screenshot.
  
Actual results:
Installation cannot be completed.

Expected results:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5 guests are installable.

Additional info:
This may be a bug with virtio-net not fully supporting PXE.
Comment 1 Chris Lumens 2010-04-23 13:37:26 UTC 
Do you know what kernel driver is required on the guest to support this hardware?  It's possible that we're simply lacking the driver.  On the other hand, it's also possible that the driver does not have the proper data to know it should be driving your network device.
Comment 2 Christopher Curran 2010-04-27 04:30:56 UTC 
The driver is 'virtio-net', the KVM para-virtualized network driver.

Chris
Comment 3 Christopher Curran 2010-04-27 04:34:48 UTC 
The virtio-net driver is in the default 5.5 kernel. It works for other tasks and the device can be modified to use this driver after the installation.
Comment 4 Chris Lumens 2010-04-27 14:57:57 UTC 
Okay, we have the virtio modules in the install image.  Can you attach /tmp/anaconda.log (tty3) to this bug report?  We should have some log messages regarding virtio probing there.