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To install using a kickstart file without the New VM wizard, you can add the appropriate command
to the Advanced OS boot parameters text box. For example, for RHEL 5.4, this command would be
ks=nfs:telos:/linux/distros/auto-install/rhel54.cfg.
Installing the Linux guest agent
Although all the supported Linux distributions are natively paravirtualized (and therefore do not need special
drivers for full performance), XenServer includes a guest agent which provides additional information about
the VM to the host. This additional information includes:
• Linux distribution name and version (major, minor revision).
• Kernel version (uname).
• IP address of each Ethernet interface.
• Total and free memory within the VM.
It is important to install this agent and keep it up-to-date (see Updating VMs) as you upgrade your XenServer
host.
To install the guest agent
1. The files required are present on the built-in xs-tools.iso CD image, or alternatively can be installed
by using the VM > Install Citrix Tools for Virtual Machines option in XenCenter.
2. Mount the image onto the guest by running the command:
mount /dev/xvdd /mnt
3. Execute the installation script as the root user:
/mnt/Linux/install.sh
4. If the kernel has been upgraded, or the VM was upgraded from a previous version, reboot the VM now.
Note:
CD-ROM drives and ISOs attached to Linux Virtual Machines appear as /dev/xvdd instead of as /dev/
cdrom as you might expect. This is because they are not true CD-ROM devices, but normal devices. When
the CD is ejected by either XenCenter or the CLI, it hot-unplugs the device from the VM and the device
disappears. This is different from Windows Virtual Machines, where the CD remains in the VM in an empty
state.
Time handling in Linux VMs
By default, the clocks in a Linux VM are synchronized to the clock running on the control domain, and cannot
be independently changed. This mode is a convenient default, since only the control domain needs to be
running the NTP service to keep accurate time across all VMs. Upon installation of a new Linux VM, make
sure you change the time-zone from the default UTC to your local value (see the section called “Release
Notes” for specific distribution instructions).
To set individual Linux VMs to maintain independent times
1. From a root prompt on the VM, run the command: echo 1 > /proc/sys/xen/independent_wallclock
2. This can be persisted across reboots by changing the /etc/sysctl.conf configuration file and
adding: