Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:22:32 +0200 From: Klaus Espenlaub <Klaus.Espenlaub@Sun.COM> To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Subject: Re: VirtualBox looks for FreeBSD developer Message-ID: <48C52718.5080807@sun.com>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
[third attempt - the first two were blocked by the smart freebsd.org mailserver, which rejected the mail because it couldn't get the name for the sun mail server's IP address - which looks like a DNS misconfiguration on freesbd.org. Not nice when trying to send such messages as the following.] #include <disclaimer> Some user on the #vbox irc channel brought this topic to my attention. So don't misinterpret my response here as declaring myself the best possible contact - I'm not. I'm not on the freebsd-ports list either. The issue with getting VirtualBox working on freebsd is mainly a manpower problem. Sorry to say that, but it's the root of why there has been no substantial progress from the Sun (and previously innotek). freebsd is yet another kernel for which the VirtualBox devs would have to figure out how to safely achieve a few things normal applications don't ever need. Like dealing with physical memory, getting along with the scheduler and stuff like that. It's also true that the written documentation in VirtualBox about this area leaves something to be desired - again a manpower problem. So the only chance I personally see is for getting the freebsd port over the initial big bump is that some kernel gurus from the freebsd community help out. If someone capable and willing to look into this contacts the VirtualBox team, he'll eventually find someone on #vbox-dev who has time to explain - if time permits. We do our best to be responsive, but bear with us that many things have higher priorities. Remember, the team is located in Europe. There's the vbox-dev mailing list if it's too hard to find a time where both parties are awake. Sorry to babble so much, but I hope that this puts off the unwanted audience - serious low-level stuff needs to be done before worrying about compilation issues on particular freebsd versions. Once the mentioned hurdle is taken, keeping it working will be much less work - and the VirtualBox team probably will do most of it. Klaus > On Sat, Mar 01, 2008 at 08:04:55AM +1100, Edwin Groothuis wrote: > > On Fri, Feb 29, 2008 at 09:48:45PM +0100, Olivier Cochard-Labbe wrote: > > > I can't compile VirtualBox with your patch (I'm using a FreeBSD 7.0Release). > > > > It works with 6.3, 7.0 has the ULE scheduler which doesn't have sched_lock. > > > > Rink@ has been trying to get it work on 7.0, but... > > "<rink> Mavvie: haven't gotten it to link yet :-/" > > > > It works on 6.3, until you try to start the VM: > > > > With VBOX_SUPLIB_FAKE=fake set you get: > > VM creation failed (GVMM). VBox status code: -37 (VERR_NOT_SUPPORTED). > > > > Without it (i.e. using the "kernel" module): > > Failed to load VMMR0.r0. VBox status code: -609 (VERR_SYMBOL_NOT_FOUND). > > > > And the documentation about the kernel module as described on > > http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Porting_VirtualBox are lacking a bit > > of essential information. > > FYI: I've given up on it, despite the fact that it compiles and > runs on 6.3, I can't get around the problems with the kernel driver > and the lack of documentation.
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?48C52718.5080807>