Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:03:31 -0000, Bakul Shah <bakul@bitblocks.com> wrote:

> Have you tried qemu? It works fine for me.

I am right now trying (and being disappointed with) VirtualBox which is
essentially QEMU in disguie (or so says the Wikipedia article).

As with VPC, I tried both Plan 9 and FreeBSD on it. The FreeBSD VM is
copying the distribution right now and doing it blazing fast compared to
the sluggish IDE activity on VPC.

Still, Plan 9 would not even boot live on it. Somewhere after choosing
where to boot from, things slow down to a halt and that is it. Seems like
Plan 9 is all too manipulative and these virtualizers would not take that
;-)

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Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Steve Simon]

> ...Seems like
> Plan 9 is all too manipulative and these virtualizers would not take that
> ;-)

I have never used VPC or virtual box, but qemu works fine for me on a ppc mac.
The install was slow but I expected that, I just started it and went out for
a beer. Now its installed it boots and runs fine.

-Steve

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:49:51 -0000, Steve Simon <steve@quintile.net> wrote:

>
> I have never used VPC or virtual box, but qemu works fine for me on a
> ppc mac.
> The install was slow but I expected that, I just started it and went out
> for
> a beer. Now its installed it boots and runs fine.
>
> -Steve

QEMU Win32 binaries eventually cut the knot for me. Unfortunately, it is
morbidly slow, especially on disk operations (it took like 50 minutes to
copy the distro). And the KQEMU kernel driver would not load on my x64
Windows. Any ideas?

All in all it has been a step forward. Now I have a limping but functional
Plan 9 installation. Time to learn... ouch!

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Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Filipp Andronov]

By the way, do you know some free virtual machine emulator (like
VMWare) for linux on what Plan9 could work?

2008/2/4, Eris Discordia <eris.discordia@gmail.com>:
> On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:49:51 -0000, Steve Simon <steve@quintile.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > I have never used VPC or virtual box, but qemu works fine for me on a
> > ppc mac.
> > The install was slow but I expected that, I just started it and went out
> > for
> > a beer. Now its installed it boots and runs fine.
> >
> > -Steve
>
> QEMU Win32 binaries eventually cut the knot for me. Unfortunately, it is
> morbidly slow, especially on disk operations (it took like 50 minutes to
> copy the distro). And the KQEMU kernel driver would not load on my x64
> Windows. Any ideas?
>
> All in all it has been a step forward. Now I have a limping but functional
> Plan 9 installation. Time to learn... ouch!
>
> --
> Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/
>

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Juan M. Mendez]

I always used plan9 on native machines.

But yesterday I used plan9 on qemu and worked fine.

--
Fidonet: 2:345/432.2

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Filipp Andronov]

> http://plan9.bell-labs.com/wiki/plan9/virtual_machines/index.html
Oh! I'm really sorry!
It's so shame, RTFM.... *CONFUSED*
Thanks a lot  :)))


2008/2/4, Juan M. Mendez <vejeta@gmail.com>:
> I always used plan9 on native machines.
>
> But yesterday I used plan9 on qemu and worked fine.
>
> --
> Fidonet: 2:345/432.2
>

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Juan M. Mendez]

On 04/02/2008, Filipp Andronov <filipp.andronov@gmail.com> wrote:
> > http://plan9.bell-labs.com/wiki/plan9/virtual_machines/index.html
> Oh! I'm really sorry!
> It's so shame, RTFM.... *CONFUSED*
> Thanks a lot  :)))

Following the instrucions here:

http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/9faq.html

I downloaded plan9 image on my GNU/Linux machine.
http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/export/vmplan9.tbz

$ tar xvfj vmplan9.tbz
$ qemu -full-screen -net nic -net user p9disk-flat.vmdk

After that, the emulated plan9 worked smoothly and I didnt have to configure
nothing to update plan9 with

% pull

--
Fidonet: 2:345/432.2

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Filipp Andronov]

Thanks! )))

> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/9faq.html
Unfortunately, it is not on english or russian :)
>From page http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/ link to FAQ
(http://www.fywss.com/plan9/plan9faq.html) is dead. :(

> I downloaded plan9 image on my GNU/Linux machine.
> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/export/vmplan9.tbz
I will try this at evening, but i have little question - what
difference between that image and official one from
pla9.bell-labs.com? :)

2008/2/4, Juan M. Mendez <vejeta@gmail.com>:
> On 04/02/2008, Filipp Andronov <filipp.andronov@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > http://plan9.bell-labs.com/wiki/plan9/virtual_machines/index.html
> > Oh! I'm really sorry!
> > It's so shame, RTFM.... *CONFUSED*
> > Thanks a lot  :)))
>
> Following the instrucions here:
>
> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/9faq.html
>
> I downloaded plan9 image on my GNU/Linux machine.
> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/export/vmplan9.tbz
>
> $ tar xvfj vmplan9.tbz
> $ qemu -full-screen -net nic -net user p9disk-flat.vmdk
>
> After that, the emulated plan9 worked smoothly and I didnt have to configure
> nothing to update plan9 with
>
> % pull
>
> --
> Fidonet: 2:345/432.2
>

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:56:05 -0000, Filipp Andronov
<filipp.andronov@gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks! )))
>
>> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/9faq.html
> Unfortunately, it is not on english or russian :)
>> From page http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/ link to FAQ
> (http://www.fywss.com/plan9/plan9faq.html) is dead. :(
>
>> I downloaded plan9 image on my GNU/Linux machine.
>> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/export/vmplan9.tbz
> I will try this at evening, but i have little question - what
> difference between that image and official one from
> pla9.bell-labs.com? :)
>
> 2008/2/4, Juan M. Mendez <vejeta@gmail.com>:
>> On 04/02/2008, Filipp Andronov <filipp.andronov@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > > http://plan9.bell-labs.com/wiki/plan9/virtual_machines/index.html
>> > Oh! I'm really sorry!
>> > It's so shame, RTFM.... *CONFUSED*
>> > Thanks a lot  :)))
>>
>> Following the instrucions here:
>>
>> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/9faq.html
>>
>> I downloaded plan9 image on my GNU/Linux machine.
>> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/export/vmplan9.tbz
>>
>> $ tar xvfj vmplan9.tbz
>> $ qemu -full-screen -net nic -net user p9disk-flat.vmdk
>>
>> After that, the emulated plan9 worked smoothly and I didnt have to
>> configure
>> nothing to update plan9 with
>>
>> % pull
>>
>> --
>> Fidonet: 2:345/432.2
>>

That image file with the vmdk extension (.vmdk, that is) is actually a
VMWare virtual disk which is, out of sheer luck, on QEMU's list of
supported virtual hard disk formats. The ISO image is the semi-official
snapshot of the latest (or close to latest, depending on where you
download the image from) Plan 9 4th Edition, which is not much of a
"release." With the vmdk file you get a pre-installed, probably tailored,
Plan 9 system, while with the ISO you get it "raw." You can install from
the ISO or run it live (as with live Linux distros, such as Knoppix).

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Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Martin Neubauer]

* Eris Discordia (eris.discordia@gmail.com) wrote:
> The ISO image is the semi-official
> snapshot of the latest (or close to latest, depending on where you
> download the image from) Plan 9 4th Edition, which is not much of a
> "release."

Uhh, that's the way Plan 9 is released. It's been this way for quite a few
years now. Just as official as you'll get.

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Filipp Andronov]

Thanks yout very much for replys, i''l try qemu today )

2008/2/4, Martin Neubauer <m.ne@gmx.net>:
> * Eris Discordia (eris.discordia@gmail.com) wrote:
> > The ISO image is the semi-official
> > snapshot of the latest (or close to latest, depending on where you
> > download the image from) Plan 9 4th Edition, which is not much of a
> > "release."
>
> Uhh, that's the way Plan 9 is released. It's been this way for quite a few
> years now. Just as official as you'll get.
>
>

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Gorka Guardiola]

On Feb 4, 2008 12:54 PM, Juan M. Mendez <vejeta@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Following the instrucions here:
>
> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/9faq.html
>
> I downloaded plan9 image on my GNU/Linux machine.
> http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/export/vmplan9.tbz
>
> $ tar xvfj vmplan9.tbz
> $ qemu -full-screen -net nic -net user p9disk-flat.vmdk
>
> After that, the emulated plan9 worked smoothly and I didnt have to configure
> nothing to update plan9 with
>
> % pull
>

This is for our students and highly localized (it is the reason why it is in
Spanish). The images have our (student's) fileserver configured and all.
If you are not studying in the urjc, you would do best to ignore it unless
you know exactly what you are doing.
--
- curiosity sKilled the cat

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Filipp Andronov]

Thanks to all. I finally get Plan9 working, it's FLY! :)))))

2008/2/4, Gorka Guardiola <paurea@gmail.com>:
> On Feb 4, 2008 12:54 PM, Juan M. Mendez <vejeta@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Following the instrucions here:
> >
> > http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/9faq.html
> >
> > I downloaded plan9 image on my GNU/Linux machine.
> > http://plan9.escet.urjc.es/export/vmplan9.tbz
> >
> > $ tar xvfj vmplan9.tbz
> > $ qemu -full-screen -net nic -net user p9disk-flat.vmdk
> >
> > After that, the emulated plan9 worked smoothly and I didnt have to configure
> > nothing to update plan9 with
> >
> > % pull
> >
>
> This is for our students and highly localized (it is the reason why it is in
> Spanish). The images have our (student's) fileserver configured and all.
> If you are not studying in the urjc, you would do best to ignore it unless
> you know exactly what you are doing.
> --
> - curiosity sKilled the cat
>

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:58:46 -0000, Filipp Andronov
<filipp.andronov@gmail.com> wrote:

> By the way, do you know some free virtual machine emulator (like
> VMWare) for linux on what Plan9 could work?
>

1. Yes. QEMU was developed for Linux, in the first place. The Windows
binaries are only side effects ;-) QEMU's website:
http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/

2. If I were you, I would not give in to the temptation of trying Plan 9
on Xen.

3. The Plan 9 wiki article on VMs is a little old. Parallels now has a
Linux version. VMWare Player (VMWare's really free version), too.

4. Here's a good list and comparison of virtualizers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_virtual_machines

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[9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

Hi there,

I've recently installed the Plan 9 system from the live/install disc image  
at
http://www.tip9ug.jp/mirror/plan9.iso.bz2. I have no particular use for it  
but
am eager to learn about a new OS (barring Windows and UNIX/UNIX-likes).

To avoid dual-booting and in the absence of a (retired) PC to run Plan 9  
on I
decided to use Microsoft Virtual PC, which I've been using for a while to  
run
FreeBSD 6.2-Release without any problems.

Now, the live system boots and functions properly on VPC. The installation  
also
proceeds without any errors and finishes OK. However, when I reboot the VM  
to
get the installed system running it fails.

I've read all I could find, but no one seems to have had the same problem  
on
VPC. I also tried the method described here:

http://groups.google.mn/group/comp.os.plan9/browse_thread/thread/aed55830f8cd4a95

Which I do not understand, by the way. It seems to be checking the fossil
filesystem for errors. In my case, the status report stopped at around 4%  
of
the blocks and it would not go any further, even after 45 minutes. While  
the
first 4% was checked in roughly 2 minutes.

Thanks in advance.

VM details:

Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 v6.0.156.0 on Windows XP x64
128 MB RAM allotted to the VM
8 GB VHD (tried both fixed-size and sparse options)

VHD layout: single active plan9 slice -> 9fat, nvram, fossil, swap
Boot method: Plan 9 MBR

Error details:

MBR...PBS1...
.
.
.
ELCR: 0800
128M memory: 53M kernel data, 74M user, 299M swap
root is from (tcp, local)[local!#S/sdC0/fossil]: (I accept the default)
user[none]: glenda

time...
fossil(#S/sdC0/fossil)...version...time...

init: starting /bin/rc
(long, almost 5 minute, pause here)
command 30
data f07613b0 limit f07263b0 dlen 8192 status 0 error 0
lba 231760 -> 231760, count 16 -> 16 (16)
  0x00 0x07 0x59 0x89 0x03 0xE0 0x58
0x40: E307 0x42: C0000x48: 00
0x4A: 0000
fossil: diskWriteRaw failed: /dev/sdC0/fossil: score 0x00000006: date Thu  
Jan
31 16:45:44 EST 2008
  part=data block 6: i/o error

(the above fossil error repeats indefinitely with different score, block,  
etc
numbers)

(boot process goes no further than that)

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[erik quanstrom]

> (long, almost 5 minute, pause here)
> command 30
> data f07613b0 limit f07263b0 dlen 8192 status 0 error 0
> lba 231760 -> 231760, count 16 -> 16 (16)
> [0]	0x00 	0x07 	0x59 	0x89 	0x03 	0xE0 	0x58
data	err	lba	lba	lba	lba	obs	Status	
> 0x40: E307 0x42: C0000x48: 00
> 0x4A: 0000
> fossil: diskWriteRaw failed: /dev/sdC0/fossil: score 0x00000006: date Thu  
> Jan
> 31 16:45:44 EST 2008
>   part=data block 6: i/o error
> 

quick reparse of the data you've given.  ata command 0x30 (write
sectors) timed out after 1 minute at lba 231760 which is safely under
8GB.  the status (register 7) is 0x58 which is
	0x08	Drq		/* waiting on your data */
	0x10	Serv
	0x40	Drdy

but the lba read back (assuming it's correct) is 231769.  so some
progress has been made -- indicating we're getting some interrupts,
but somehow we've missed one and stalled out.

the real problem is that data > limit by 236kb.  i'm not sure how this
could happen.  something looks very wrong.

- erik

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:37:12 -0000, erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>  
wrote:

>> (long, almost 5 minute, pause here)
>> command 30
>> data f07613b0 limit f07263b0 dlen 8192 status 0 error 0
>> lba 231760 -> 231760, count 16 -> 16 (16)
>> [0]	0x00 	0x07 	0x59 	0x89 	0x03 	0xE0 	0x58
> data	err	lba	lba	lba	lba	obs	Status	
>> 0x40: E307 0x42: C0000x48: 00
>> 0x4A: 0000
>> fossil: diskWriteRaw failed: /dev/sdC0/fossil: score 0x00000006: date  
>> Thu
>> Jan
>> 31 16:45:44 EST 2008
>>   part=data block 6: i/o error
>>
>
> quick reparse of the data you've given.  ata command 0x30 (write
> sectors) timed out after 1 minute at lba 231760 which is safely under
> 8GB.  the status (register 7) is 0x58 which is
> 	0x08	Drq		/* waiting on your data */
> 	0x10	Serv
> 	0x40	Drdy
>
> but the lba read back (assuming it's correct) is 231769.  so some
> progress has been made -- indicating we're getting some interrupts,
> but somehow we've missed one and stalled out.
>
> the real problem is that data > limit by 236kb.  i'm not sure how this
> could happen.  something looks very wrong.
>
> - erik
>

First of all, lots of thanks for taking the time to help.

Then, I really understand very little, if any, of computer hardware and/or  
systems programming. Given that, I dare ask a naive question: Could the  
problem be because of running a "32-bit virtual machine" on a "64-bit OS?"

The version of VPC I am using is supposed to be 64-bit. Microsoft's  
website says so. And the 32-bit version I had would not even install on  
Windows XP x64. In spite of these facts, Windows task manager adds a *32  
to the image name of the VPC process which effectively means it is a  
32-bit process running in compatibility mode. The emulated machines are  
surely 32-bit.

On the other hand, my (32-bit) FreeBSD installation is running prefectly  
OK on this same platform.

Right now, I think one way to test any ideas is for me to boot into the  
live system and somehow try to access the virtual hard disk. I would be  
grateful if someone would instruct me on any diagnostic procedures and/or  
various access methods from the live system. Things equivalent to the  
UNIX/Linux mount, mkfs, and fsck.

-- 
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Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[erik quanstrom]

> First of all, lots of thanks for taking the time to help.

you're welcome.

> Then, I really understand very little, if any, of computer hardware and/or
> systems programming. Given that, I dare ask a naive question: Could the
> problem be because of running a "32-bit virtual machine" on a "64-bit OS?"

likely not.  i think it is more likely a bug in the vm or a bug in plan 9.
(that really narrows it down, doesn't it?)

> Right now, I think one way to test any ideas is for me to boot into the
> live system and somehow try to access the virtual hard disk. I would be
> grateful if someone would instruct me on any diagnostic procedures and/or
> various access methods from the live system. Things equivalent to the
> UNIX/Linux mount, mkfs, and fsck.

it's not clear that simple io to your virtual disk works.  you could
open a window in the installer and use
	; cat /dev/sdctl
to give you information on this disks in your system.  this information
is going to be interesting.  then you can try  (where XX is likely C0
on your machine)
	dd -if /dev/sdXX/data -of /dev/null -bs 8k
if that works, then you might want to try a write test
	dd -if /dev/sdXX/data -bs 512k |
		dd -of /dev/sdXX/data -bs 8k
this may destroy your installed image.

if any of these steps barf, you may want to fiddle with the dma
settings on sdXX:
	dmaon

- erik

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:34:14 -0000, erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>  
wrote:

> 	; cat /dev/sdctl
> to give you information on this disks in your system.  this information
> is going to be interesting.  then you can try  (where XX is likely C0
> on your machine)
> 	dd -if /dev/sdXX/data -of /dev/null -bs 8k
> if that works, then you might want to try a write test
> 	dd -if /dev/sdXX/data -bs 512k |
> 		dd -of /dev/sdXX/data -bs 8k
> this may destroy your installed image.
>
> if any of these steps barf, you may want to fiddle with the dma
> settings on sdXX:
> 	dmaon
>
> - erik
>

A "cat /dev/sdctl" gives:

sdC ata port 1F0 ctl 3F4 irq 14
sdD ata port 170 ctl 374 irq 15

A "cat ctl" in /dev/sdC0 gives:

inquiry Virtual HD
config 045A capabilities 0F00 dma 00000004 dmactl 00000000 rwm 16 rwmctl 0
geometry 16777152 512 16644 16 63
part data 0 16777152
part plan9 63 16771860
part 9fat 63 204863
part nvram 204863 204864
part fossil 204864 15723284
part swap 15723284 16771860

Doing "9fat:" and then "cat /n/9fat/plan9.ini" gives:

bootfile=sdC0!9fat!9pcf
bootargs=local!#S/sdC0/fossil
bootdisk=local!#S/sdC0/fossil

#*noahciload=1
*debugload=1
*nobiosload=1
*nodumpstak=1
*nomp=1
dmamode=ask (but it asks me nothing, probably it never gets to that point)
partition=new
mouseport=ps2
monitor=xga
vgasize=640x480x8

I tried changing dmamode from "ask" to "off." No use.

Then, did this according to the newsgroup entry I linked to in my first  
post:

fossil/fossil -c 'srv -p fscons'
con /srv/fscons
prompt: srv -AWP replica
prompt: fsys main config /dev/sdC0/fossil
prompt: fsys main open -AWP
warning: connecting to venti: cs: can't translate address: '/srv/dns' file
does not exist
prompt: fsys main
main: check fix

The above ought to verify at least two things:

1. The disk is indeed readable.
2. The fossil partition is OK.

Result is:

checking epoch 1...
check: visited 1/968226 blocks (0%)
check: visited 9683/968226 (1%)
[it freezes here and the green hdd indicator in VPC's status line shows no  
activity after around 20 minutes]

I have noticed an eccentricity: when the live system boots, it boots from  
#S/dev/sdD0/data but the installed system boots from #S/dev/sdC0/fossil. I  
tried changing that to #S/dev/sdC0/data, but then the boot process  
complains that it cannot find /boot/kfs and stops.

-- 
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Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[erik quanstrom]

>
> I have noticed an eccentricity: when the live system boots, it boots from
> #S/dev/sdD0/data but the installed system boots from #S/dev/sdC0/fossil. I
> tried changing that to #S/dev/sdC0/data, but then the boot process
> complains that it cannot find /boot/kfs and stops.

that's because you boot from a (virtual?) cdrom during the install process.
typically this is sdD0.  when you boot from the normal system, you boot
from the virtual hard drive, sdC0.  the super special el torito process
makes a cdrom appear differently when its booted from than when
it's just accessed normally.

- erik

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Juan M. Mendez]

I have no knowledge to debug your problem. Anyway some tips:

>From my own experience dealing with OS in virtual environments, be sure that the
RAM memory for the virtual OS is not more than the half of the physical memory.

If you have plenty of physical memory to spare, have you tried on
giving more to the virtual OS?

--
Fidonet: 2:345/432.2

Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:07:12 -0000, Juan M. Mendez <vejeta@gmail.com>
wrote:

> I have no knowledge to debug your problem. Anyway some tips:
>
>> From my own experience dealing with OS in virtual environments, be sure
>> that the
> RAM memory for the virtual OS is not more than the half of the physical
> memory.
>
> If you have plenty of physical memory to spare, have you tried on
> giving more to the virtual OS?
>

Both issues have been take care of. I have 1 GB of physical memory, of
which 128 MB has been given to that particular VM; less than half the
physical. I also tried increasing that to 384 MB, still no improvement.

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Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[Eris Discordia]

On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:43:36 -0000, erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>
wrote:

>>
>> I have noticed an eccentricity: when the live system boots, it boots
>> from
>> #S/dev/sdD0/data but the installed system boots from
>> #S/dev/sdC0/fossil. I
>> tried changing that to #S/dev/sdC0/data, but then the boot process
>> complains that it cannot find /boot/kfs and stops.
>
> that's because you boot from a (virtual?) cdrom during the install
> process.
> typically this is sdD0.  when you boot from the normal system, you boot
> from the virtual hard drive, sdC0.  the super special el torito process
> makes a cdrom appear differently when its booted from than when
> it's just accessed normally.
>
> - erik
>

I see, thanks for the explanation. I suppose then, that #S/dev/sdC0/fossil
is perfectly OK for booting from.

With this situation at hand, and the bag of nasty little tricks empty, I
think the better option is to either try another virtualization/emulation
solution (I gave up on Bochs x86 emulator just a few minutes ago, it was
too unstable and slow for my purpose) or get a used hard drive for that
little old PC sitting in the corner of my room.

--
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Re: [9fans] Serious Problem Running Plan 9 on Virtual PC

[erik quanstrom]

> With this situation at hand, and the bag of nasty little tricks empty, I  
> think the better option is to either try another virtualization/emulation  
> solution (I gave up on Bochs x86 emulator just a few minutes ago, it was  
> too unstable and slow for my purpose) or get a used hard drive for that  
> little old PC sitting in the corner of my room.

if you run linux vblade (on sourceforge), you can use that as your disk.
vblade is a software aoe target.  not very fast, but requires only ethernet.

the main trick would be configuring the drive.
this can be done with the following commands:

	; bind -a '#æ' /dev
	; echo bind /net/ether0>/dev/aoe/ctl
	; echo config switch on spec e type aoe//dev/aoe/2.0 >/dev/sdctl 
		# creates /dev/sde0.

- erik