RHBA-2010:0514 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated xenpv-win package, which contains installation images for
para-virtualized drivers for fully-virtualized Windows guests running on
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.3 or later hosts, and which provides several bug
fixes, is now available.

Description

The xenpv-win package contains installation images for para-virtualized drivers
for fully-virtualized Windows guests running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux hosts.
Para-virtualized drivers provide significant I/O performance improvements for
fully-virtualized guests over the same guests running with fully-virtualized
drivers.

This updated package provides CD-ROM images containing the para-virtualized
network, and disk drivers for instances of Windows XP or later, running on on a
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5 (or later) host on the 32-bit or 64-bit x86
architectures.

To use the drivers, install them on the Windows XP or later guests. Installation
involves exporting the installation CD-ROM image from the host to the
virtualized guest. Documentation regarding the installation, configuration and
troubleshooting of these drivers is included in the
/usr/share/doc/xenpv-win-[version]/ directory once the xenpv-win package is
installed. In addition, the same documentation is included in the CD-ROM image
for consultation from within the guest.

This updated package fixes several issues present in xenpv-win version 0.97.4
and 1.1.0.2, which were provided as part of previous versions of Red Hat
Enterprise Linux.

Known issues with this release are fully documented in the README.txt file
included in the aforementioned documentation.

Important: QCOW images do not work with the Windows para-virtualized drivers. If
you create a QCOW disk image and then add it to the configuration of a guest
running the para-virtualized drivers, the guest will no longer be able to boot.
(known issue: BZ#452299)

Important: In order to upgrade the drivers, it is strongly suggested to
uninstall the old version and then install the new one. If this were not
possible, ensure that the latest version of the host kernel-xen and user-space
xen packages is running. Furthermore, it is necessary to have at most one
network card in the guest during the upgrade. This is due to bugs in the old
versions of the drivers. (BZ#526393)

Here is the list of fixes in this version of the drivers:

• upgrading the para-virtualization drivers used to require the manual

confirmation of "Add New Hardware" wizard dialogs upon the next reboot. Having
no network connection during the process, performing the remote upgrade was
nearly impossible. The wizard is now started immediately after the upgrade.
(BZ#554858)

• with xen-3.0.3-105.el5_5.2 or newer installed on the host, sending the "xm

block-detach" to the guest with attached para-virtualized disk used to fail, not
detaching the disk. (BZ#593311)

• even after the para-virtualization drivers were installed, Windows guests did

not respond to the "xm sysrq" request. (BZ#580070)

• signed catalogs for the drivers are now distributed as a part of the package.

(BZ#526499)

• several subtests of the Network Driver Interface Specification 6.5 (NDIStest)

WHQL test used to fail. (BZ#497943)

• repeatedly disabling and enabling network cards caused the guest system to

become unresponsive. (BZ#526393)

• the driver reports a serial number to Windows, as requested by the "Storage

Query Property" test case. (BZ#532614)

• the .inf file for the network card driver now passes the CHKINF program.

(BZ#563157)

• it is now possible to simulate the disconnection and reconnection of the

network cable, as required by certain test cases. (BZ#580193)

All users who are running fully-virtualized instances of Windows XP or later on
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.3 (and later) hosts, and who are interested in
improved I/O and network performance or have previous versions of the drivers in
their virtual machine, should install this updated package.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the Red Hat Network. Details on how to
use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 5.4 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 5.4 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 497943 - RHELNET driver should filter packets going to the wrong MAC address
• BZ - 526393 - netfront should stay in Initialising after RHELNET is disabled
• BZ - 526499 - Win2008 PV Drivers: Require Signed Catalogs with Drivers
• BZ - 532614 - The scsi failed in Storage Query Property with win2008 32 and win2008 64
• BZ - 554858 - NIC Driver Upgrade Requires Console Access
• BZ - 563157 - RHELNET fails INFTest
• BZ - 577834 - debug info not distributed
• BZ - 580070 - xm sysrq does not work
• BZ - 580193 - WHQL requires the drivers to communicate network connect/disconnect events
• BZ - 593311 - rhelsvc explicitly looks at the device class of the PCI platform device

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)