[ovirt-users] python floppy in RunOnce mode

[Giulio Casella]

Il 23/10/2014 20:59, Juan Hernandez ha scritto:
> On 10/23/2014 09:40 AM, Giulio Casella wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I'm trying to boot a vm with non persistent floppy using python ovirt
>> sdk (the "RunOnce" way in administrator portal), but guest OS can't see
>> floppy drive. The ultimate goal is to deploy floppy with sysprep
>> unattend.xml file for windows 7 pools of vm.
>>
>> Here is a snippet of code I use:
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------
>> myvm = api.vms.get(name="vmname")
>> content="This is file content!"
>> f=params.File(name="foobar.txt",content=content)
>> fs=params.Files()
>> fs.add_file(f)
>> payload=params.Payload()
>> payload.set_type("floppy")
>> payload.set_files(fs)
>> payloads=params.Payloads()
>> payloads.add_payload(payload)
>> thevm=params.VM()
>> thevm.set_payloads(payloads)
>> action=params.Action(vm=thevm)
>>
>> myvm.start(action=action)
>>
>> xml = ParseHelper.toXml(action)
>> print xml
>> -------------------------------------------------
>>
>> As you can see, for debugging purpose, I print my xml action, and I get:
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------
>> <action>
>>       <vm>
>>           <payloads>
>>               <payload type="floppy">
>>                   <files>
>>                       <file>
>>                           <name>foobar.txt</name>
>>                           <content>This is file content</content>
>>                       </file>
>>                   </files>
>>               </payload>
>>           </payloads>
>>       </vm>
>> </action>
>> -------------------------------------------------
>>
>> in the admin portal I can see my vm in "RunOnce" state, but no floppy is
>> present...
>> In fact in the vm process command line
>> (ps -ef | grep qemu-kvm | grep vmname) I can't see -drive option
>> referring to floppy (I only see 2 "-drive" options, referring to vm
>> system disk and to a correctly mounted cdrom ISO)
>>
>> What I'm doing wrong?
>>
>> (The engine is RHEV-M version 3.4.1-0.31.el6ev)
>>
>
> The problem is that using non persistent payloads isn't currently
> supported, so basically your "payloads" element is silently ignored. You
> have currently two alternatives:
>
> 1. Use persistent payloads:
>
>    vm = vms.get(name="myvm")
>    vm.set_payloads(paylaods)
>    vm.update()
>    vm.start(params.Action())
>
> You may also want to remove the payloads once the machine is configured,
> but this isn't strictly required, as Windows will not try to locate the
> sysprep floppy in subsequent boots. The only minor inconvenient is that
> the users of the VMs will see the floopy and its content attached.
>

Yes, this is exactly the workaround I'm currently using, and I have to 
hide floppy via AD group policy (sysprep.inf contains administrator 
password).

> 2. Use the builtin sysprep files (they are in
> /usr/share/ovirt-engine/conf/sysprep):
>
>    vm = vms.get(name="myvm")
>    initialization = params.Initialization()
>    vm.set_initialization(initialization)
>    vm.update()
>    vm.start(params.Action())
>
> This has the advantage that the sysprep floppy will be attached to the
> VM only the first time it is booted. In subsequent boots it won't be
> attached.
>

Great hint, I'll take a look into those syspreps to see if they fit for 
my setup.

> In 3.5 you will also be able to use sysprep support with your custom file:
>
>   vm = vms.get(name="myvm")
>   initialization = params.Initialization(
>     custom_script="The text of your sysprep file"
>   )
>   vm.set_initialization(initialization)
>   vm.update()
>   vm.start(params.Action())
>

Good new, eventually I'll wait for RHEV 3.5

> Note that currently (in 3.4 and in 3.5) there is an issue with the name
> of the file generated by the built-in sysprep support: it will always be
> named "sysprep.inf", regardless of the operating system assigned to the
> VM. If you want to use recent versions of Windows it has to be named
> "Unattend.xml", so you will need to change the Windows template before
> sealing it, adding the following registry entry:
>
>    HKEY-LOCAL-MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> Setup -> UnattendFile = sysprep.inf
>
> There is a bug open to avoid this:
>
>    https://bugzilla.redhat.com/1145999
>
> Note also that the builtin sysprep support will only trigger if the VM
> has been assigned a Windows operating system.
>

Yes, I knew. Do you know if is there a plan to change this behaviour 
(e.g. generate filename according to guest O.S. standard)?

Many thanks,
Giulio