Introduction

This HOWTO cover how to configure XEN in order to be able to install Alpine Linux as a virtual machine (DomU).

Preperation and installation

In this HOWTO we assume there already is a storage domain named nvmehost and a network domain named netdriver installed and ready to use.

Download Alpine ISO

In this HOWO we have created a directory called /images/alpine-3.20 where we download the installation image for Alpine Linux.

cd /images/alpine-3.20 && wget "https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.20/releases/x86_64/alpine-extended-3.20.2-x86_64.iso"

Create Virtual Disk

Create the ZFS Volume

zfs create -V 10G zpool/VM/the-machine-xvda

Adjust the disk size and name your needs.

Extract the kernel from the ISO

Mount the downloaded ISO and copy the boot directory to /images/alpine-3.20

mount -o ro /images/alpine-3.20/alpine-extended-3.20.2-x96_64.iso /mnt
cp -a /mnt/boot /images/alpine-3.20
umount /mnt

Create your Xen configuration file

/etc/xen/alpine.cfg

cat > /etc/xen/alpine.cfg << EOF
# basic config for alpine linux installation

vcpus       = '2'
memory      = '1024'

#kernel      = '/usr/lib/grub-xen/grub-x86_64-xen.bin'

kernel      = "/images/alpine-3.20/vmlinuz-lts"
ramdisk     = "/images/alpine-3.20/initramfs-lts"
extra       = "alpine_dev=hdc:iso9660 modules=loop,squashfs,sd-mod,usb-storage console=hvc0"

disk        = [
                  'file:/images/alpine-extended-3.20.2-x86_64.iso,hdc:cdrom,r',
                  'phy:/dev/zvol/the-machine-xvda-disk,xvda,w,backend=nvmehost',
              ]


name        = 'alpine'

vif         = [ 'mac=00:16:3E:A0:00:01,bridge=br_202,backend=netdriver' ]

on_poweroff = 'destroy'
on_reboot   = 'restart'
on_crash    = 'restart'
EOF

Start the installation

xl create -c /etc/xen/alpine.cfg

At the login prompt login as root

Partition the disk to your needs with swap as the first partition and system as the second fdisk /dev/xvda

Run the command setup-alpine

Select your keyboard layout, network etc.

In the last steps when selecting where and what to install, select none.

Available disks are:
  xvda1 (21.5 GB  )
  xvda2 (2.1 GB  )
Which disk(s) would you like to use? (or '?' for help or 'none') [none] 
Enter where to store configs ('floppy', 'usb' or 'none') [none]

Install e2fsprogs

apk add e2fsprogs

Format the disk

mkfs.ext4 /dev/xvda2

Create the swap

mkswap /dev/xvda1

Mount the disk

modprobe ext4
mount /dev/xvda2 /mnt

Install to the disk

setup-disk /mnt

Installing system on /dev/xvda2:
extlinux: Not a directory: /mnt/boot
100% ███████████████████==> initramfs: creating /boot/initramfs-lts
/boot is device /dev/xvda2
extlinux: no previous syslinux boot sector found
You might need fix the MBR to be able to boot

Create grub.cfg

mkdir /mnt/boot/grub

cat > /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg << EOF
set timeout=2
set default=0
menuentry "alpine" {
    linux /boot/vmlinuz-lts modules=ext4 console=hvc0 root=/dev/xvda2
    initrd /boot/initramfs-lts
}
EOF

Unmount and power off

cd
umount /mnt
poweroff

Update the Xen config file

Update the alpine.cfg file as follows

cat > /etc/xen/alpine.cfg << EOF
# basic config for alpine linux installation

vcpus       = '2'
memory      = '1024'

#type        = 'pvh'

kernel      = '/usr/lib/grub-xen/grub-x86_64-xen.bin'

#kernel      = "/images/alpine-3.20/vmlinuz-lts"
#ramdisk     = "/images/alpine-3.20/initramfs-lts"
#extra       = "alpine_dev=hdc:iso9660 modules=loop,squashfs,sd-mod,usb-storage console=hvc0"

disk        = [
#                  'file:/images/alpine-extended-3.20.2-x86_64.iso,hdc:cdrom,r',
                  'phy:/dev/zvol/the-machine-xvda-disk,xvda,w,backend=nvmehost',
              ]


name        = 'alpine'

vif         = [ 'mac=00:16:3E:A0:00:01,bridge=br_202,backend=netdriver' ]

on_poweroff = 'destroy'
on_reboot   = 'restart'
on_crash    = 'restart'
EOF

Start and test the new machine

xl create /etc/xen/alpine.cfg

Install Alpine Linux 3.20 as an Xen DomU