Virtual Plan 9 Cookbook — Section 3: Install Stand-Alone Terminal

While logged onto the vmadm user in the XFCE GUI environment of the p9host system built in the previous section (or other system that supports virt-manager), open the Virtual Machine Manager application. The screen should look a lot like:

Left-click on the Edit menu bar item, then left-click on the Connection Details item that is pulled down. This will act upon the current (and only) connection, localhost:

The Overview tab shows general information about the "localhost" hypervisory environment:

The Virtual Networks tab shows only the default and inactive NAT virtual subnet the hypervisor has provisioned (this project will not utilize this facility):

After left-clicking on the pull-down icon to the left of the IPv4 Configuration header in the display, the Virtual Networks tab shows status information about the br0 network interface the hypervisor has active, including its address:

The Storage tab shows status information about the storage pools the hypervisor is managing, which currently offers only the automatically installed default pool. Default is a filesystem directory pool, meaning its virtual disks ("volumes" to virt-man) are carved out of the filesystem in which resides the Location directory, in this case, the p9host root partition. Thus the utilization information applies to the p9host root filesystem.

I want to install Plan 9 into a different type of storage pool, and begin defining the storage by left-clicking on the Add Pool icon as shown:

We'll name it after the physical device the pool will manage. To select the pool type, we left-click on the pull-down icon:

left-click on the Disk item:

allow the Source path to default to /dev/sda, and left-click on the Finish icon:

You should see a new pool below the default pool in the column on the left:

Left-click on that new item:

and we see its details. Notice volumes in this context are real disk partitions.

We will allocate the remaining 75 GB of free space on the drive to create the fourth primary partition, starting by left-clicking on the New Volume icon:

I will name it to remind me this is the Plan 9 virtual disk, you can call it what you please. To more easily set the maximum and initial values to all that's allocatable, we type in a number larger than what is available in the Allocation box, then left-click on the Max box:

which sets both to the correct maximum. As there is a bug with trying to actually get that amount, we back them both down by one by left-clicking once on the Decrement icon of the Max box:

Happy with the choices, we left-click on the Finish icon to make it so:

Although it now is seen in the list of volumes, the available space on the disk has not updated.

To resolve that we left-click on the Refresh Volumes list icon:

and now the space utilization is correct.

Now that the area to carve up for virtual machine filesystems has been provided, we leave the Connection Details dialog by pulling down the File menu icon and left-clicking on the Close item that pops up:

which returns us to the main virt-man window:

We are ready to download the Plan 9 installation ISO which means leaving the Virtual Machine Manager application for a little while, then we will return to define the Plan 9 virtual machine.

Subsection 3-2: Download the Plan 9 Installation ISO

Step 3-2-1: Enable vmadm to Create Images

The first step toward downloading the Plan 9 installation ISO is to enable vmadm to download into the /var/lib/libvirt/images directory. In a root shell terminal session, run the following commands (modified as needed for your project):

cd /var/lib/libvirt
chgrp vmadm images
chmod 775 images
ls -lh

Your session should look like this (an additional ls display before the mkdir is shown here):

Step 3-2-2: Download the ISO Image

From the Application Menu pull-down icon, left-click on the Web Browser item. This will bring up Iceweasel (the name Debian chose for Firefox when permission to call Debian's package Firefox was denied). The main page of the Bell Labs wiki is the place to start from. Go there by entering

http://www.plan9.bell-labs.com/wiki/plan9/plan_9_wiki

as the URL to visit. Left-click on the link to Download Plan 9 under the "Get Plan 9" heading:

to bring up the page with the links to the downloadable ISO file and the checksums file. Do not left-click on the ISO link; rather, copy the link's URL by a right-clink on the link and a left-click on the Copy Link Location item that pops up, as shown:

Now get to a shell prompt for the vmadm user (not root) and run the "cd /var/lib/libvirt/images" command. Then type "wget -c '", right-click on the terminal screen, left-click on the Paste item that pops, type another apostrophe, then press the Enter key. This starts the download (your speed will likely vary from mine). When it has finished successfully, run an "ls -lh" command to verify it exists and has the right timestamp. This sequence of commands should look almost identical to this:

Step 3-2-3: Validate Checksum and Decompress

Now you need to validate the ISO file's SHA1 checksum. Go back to the browser and open the ISO checksums file by a left-click on the file's link:

Scroll to the line for the ISO file just downloaded and select it by a left-click drag from the first character on the first line to the last character on the second line and release. Then right-click on the selection and left-click on the Copy item that pops up:

Go back to the vmadm command prompt and type "echo '", then right-click on the terminal and left-click on the Paste item that pops up, then type the following exactly:

' | awk '{print $10" *"$11}' >plan9.sha1sum

and press the Enter key. Once that goes well, run the "sha1sum -c plan9.sha1sum" command to validate the ISO file. If that is "OK", next decompress the ISO by running a "bunzip2 plan9.iso.bz2" command. Remove the no longer needed plan9.sha1sum file and lastly check your work with another "ls -lh" command. It should all look pretty much like this:

Subsection 3-3: Define the Plan 9 Virtual Machine

Return to the Virtual Machine Manager application's main window and left-click on the Create a new virtual machine icon:

Step 3-3-1: Page 1 of 5 — General

My vm's name reflects its future role: Plan 9 Bell Labs Server, but you may use what you think best. The default installation type is what this recipe calls for. We left-click on the Forward icon to proceed.

Step 3-3-2: Page 2 of 5 — First Boot Source

We select the "Use ISO image:" radio button and left-click on its Browse icon.

We left-click on the plan9.iso line to select it and left-click on the Choose Volume icon.

We left-click on the OS type: pull-down icon and left-click on the Show all OS options item that drops down.

We left-click on the OS type: pull-down icon again but this time left-click on the Other item.

We left-click on the Version: pull-down icon and left-click on the Generic item that drops down.

We left-click on the Forward icon to proceed.

Step 3-3-3: Page 3 of 5 — RAM and CPUs

We set these as makes sense for the project platform, remembering they can be adjusted later if necessary, then left-click on the Forward icon to proceed.

Step 3-3-4: Page 4 of 5 — Disk Drive

We left-click on the Select managed or other existing storage radio button and left-click on its Browse button.

We left-click on the sda item under the Storage Pools column.

We left-click on the sda4 item in the second column and left-click on the Choose Volume icon.

We left-click on the Forward icon to proceed.

Step 3-3-5: Page 5 of 5 — Advanced Options

We left-click on the Customize configuration before install checkbox and left-click on the Advanced options pull-down icon.

A virtual fixed MAC address for the vm's NIC has been suggested.

Prefering to have a MAC address more indicative of the vm using it, I change the last three bytes, but you can choose not to or use different values. Be sure Virt Type and Architecture are properly set. We left-click on the Forward icon to proceed.

Subsection 3-4: Customize the Virtual Machine Configuration

We begin the advanced tailoring of the virtual machine prior to its first instantiation that will boot the virtual CD-ROM ISO. I will show all changes my platform receives and skip panels that don't require adjustments. You should review all options on all panels to ensure all are correct for your platform. Visit the virt-manager website and perhaps the libvirt website if you have questions about any of this.

Step 3-4-1: Overview Panel of Customization

I enter a description of this vm—its mission. You enter what you consider appropriate, what will help members of the vmadm group to differentiate this vm from all the others. I left-click anywhere on the Machine Settings line to pull down its details (note the bottom row of icons is about to be pushed down below the viewing area on my screen).

I left-click on the Enable ACPI: checkbox until it is empty.

If you can see the Apply icon, left-click on it (I can't get it to return but I'm not doomed). I left-click on the Processor item in the left column to change to that panel.

Because I haven't clicked the Apply icon that was pushed off screen, I am asked to apply my changes, which I do by left-clicking the Yes icon in the pop-up. Hopefully this will not be what you experience.

Step 3-4-2: Processor Panel of Customization

I left-click on the Configuration line to pull down its details and left-click on the Copy host CPU configuration icon to have virt-man fill in the Model.

I check the value reflects reality and resolve any discrepancy. I apply the changes and left-click on the Sound: default item in the left column to change to that panel.

Step 3-4-3: Sound Panel of Customization

I left-click on the pull-down icon of the Device model: line and left-click on the sb16 option.

I apply the changes and left-click on the Video Default item in the left column to change to that panel.

Step 3-4-4: Video Panel of Customization

I left-click on the pull-down icon of the Model: line and left-click on the VMVGA option.

I left-clicked on the Overview item in the left column again to be able to respond to the apply dialog for the video change, but you may be able to simply apply the change. Either way, now that we're finished with setting up the vm, we left-click on the Begin Installation icon.

Subsection 3-5: Install Plan 9 from the ISO

Now virt-man finishes the customizations, creates an instance of this vm, and (this time only) causes it to boot from the installation device we defined. If a problem forces me to reboot the installer, as I don't know if that can be reconfigured and am really trying to get this cookbook finished, I have always deleted and recreated the vm . If you find a way around that, let me know so I can document that here.

We are here in the Plan 9 Installation Instructions.

A flash of black announces Plan 9 executable code has started running on your computer! In short order you should get to the first question (if not, the Plan 9 Installation Instructions should be consulted and if necessary, ask on #plan9 at freenode (but be sure you've done your homework and be respectful).

Assuming you are new to Plan 9, it is VERY important to avoid experimenting with the interface by key presses and mouse clicks not directly in the recipe until you know what you're doing. You can get lost very easily and will be on your own to find your way back to the path. It may take a LOT of time to figure out how to recover.

Type 1 and press the Enter key. After a little while, you'll be asked the next question:

libvirt supports the default so just press the Enter key for that question and this one:

To facilitate taking screenshots, I will just press the Enter key here to use the default but you can type something somewhat smaller than your actual screen size (although the installer does not make use of the extra pixels, what gets installed will). Good choices are "800x600x16" and "1024x768x16".

For the next question (about the monitor), type in "vesa" but hold off on pressing the Enter key; instead, take a look at that mouse pointer. That is the XFCE pointer and indicates the mouse is not dedicated to the virtual machine.

Now left-click once with the pointer in that general location:

Where did it go?

Well, actually, it's still there, it's just not apparent because it's solid black just like its background. It has changed into the Plan 9 pointer because the mouse is now dedicated to the virtual machine. The title bar has been updated with a prefix that tells you how to release the mouse to X again (while serving to remind you who owns the mouse when its pointer is inside the vm sceen).

Now press the prescribed key combo, the Ctrl and Alt keys to the left of the space bar. The screen should look like the previous screen again and the pointer is again free to be moved outside the vm screen.

Now press the Enter key to continue with the boot. After a bit of activity, you should be entertained by the Plan 9 GUI:

Now you can see the Plan 9 cursor hiding in the top left corner of the active Plan 9 window. The XFCE pointer is outside the snapshot of the vm window. You won't be able to move the Plan 9 pointer until you move the XFCE pointer into the vm window and do a left-click (then the XFCE pointer ceases to exist, but you know how to bring it back). You won't need to move the Plan 9 pointer to perform the installation. I did while making the screenshots to point to something, usually the text of immediate interest in the window, like so:

You might have noticed the vm console window is hanging off the bottom of my screen again. I need to do something about that, and so do you if you are also experiencing that. There's nothing in that bar of icons underneath the console's menu bar that we can't active via the menu bar, so let's dispense with it. We move the X pointer to the View item in the menu bar and left-click once to pull down the Toolbar checkbox and left-click on the checkbox:

If that didn't help you, we can maximize the vm window in the usual XFCE way, a left-click on the min/max icon as shown:

That pulls my Plan 9 windows up a little closer to the menu bar. I hope it helped you sufficiently.

Step 3-5-1: Task configfs of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the configfs task:

We simply take the default here by pressing the Enter key (we'll install venti in the next version of the cookbook).

Step 3-5-2: Task partdisk of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the partdisk task:

The correct response should be obvious. We type it and press the Enter key.

Perhaps it is, indeed. Do not miss an important reality in this analysis—Plan 9 believes it is dealing with a physical hard drive. The project's plan for this hard drive provides for multiple partitions for future use with an MBR that will only be used by Plan 9 virtual machines. Thus we type "y" and press the Enter key.

The installer has suggested it take the entire disk. We have other plans, however. Note that 128 cylinders are almost precisely equal to 1 GB.

We delete the first primary partition and create a new ~20 GB one:

Whence sprang such incantations, you ask? Well, the Installation Instructions include a link:

We type a "q" and press the Enter key to finish partitioning.

Step 3-5-3: Task prepdisk of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the prepdisk task:

Make sure it found the partition you intended before you take the default by pressing the Enter key.

This shows how prepdisk thinks we should carve up the partition (somewhat like a primary partition used to provide multiple logical partitions, but this is a facility managed by prepdisk, not partdisk, and can be applied to multiple primary partitions. This breakdown is acceptable for my purposes, so I use the "w" and "q" subcommands per the instructions.

Step 3-5-4: Task fmtfossil of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the fmtfossil task (there is only one fossil filesystem to format, so we can accept the default for the question by pressing the Enter key when asked, as shown without a separate screenshot). There are no other responses needed for the task to complete.

Step 3-5-5: Task mountfs of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the mountfs task (as with the fmtfossil task, there is only one choice, which we handle the same way, and no other responses to make).

Let's look at Sid's view of this activity to observe the invisibility of this virtual disk. The parted utility still does not know how the partition is being used:

and the kernel does not have it mounted:

Thus, all I/O to the partition depends upon the permissions of /dev/sd4 for authorization.

Step 3-5-6: Task configdist of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the configdist task, and accept the default to "local" by pressing the Enter key at the appropriate time. There are no other responses to make for this task.

Step 3-5-7: Task mountdist of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the mountdist task, type in the name of the distribution disk, /dev/sdD0/data, when asked, and press the Enter key.

Since /dev/sdD0/data is the CD-ROM image, we type "/" for this question and press the Enter key.

Now mountdist does its job and returns for the next task.

Step 3-5-8: Task copydist of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the copydist task, which does not need any direction from us, but will take a while to copy everything from the ISO to the hard drive—take a decent break.

When finished performing copydist, you should see the following:

Step 3-5-9: Task bootsetup of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the bootsetup task, then, in response to the boot method question, we type in "plan9" and press the Enter key.

In response to the MBR question, we type "y" and press the Enter key.

When finished performing bootsetup, you should see the following:

Step 3-5-10: Task finish of Plan 9 Installation

We press the Enter key to start the finish task.

When Plan 9 accomplishes an "fshalt" command, you can ignore the appearance of continuing activity, since it doesn't shutdown in the sense of most operating systems. The "-r" parameter will cause a reboot to occur but the installer doesn't specify that for its invocation of "fshalt". So we will believe what the message says and feel free to reboot the vm manually.

Subsection 3-6: Reboot Plan 9 from the Virtual Disk

Since that won't be a problem, we left-click on the Yes icon of the pop-up dialog:

and see the machine does not automatically start rebooting, it is stopped and its RAM is intact. To start it running again, we left-click on the Virtual Machine icon again but this time we left-click on the Run item that drops down:

causing the vm to reboot. It appears pretty much like the boot from the ISO until we get to the first prompt that wants to know what root filesystem to use. We see it will accept a default that sets the device and filesystem to load as the fossil sub-partition of the local hard drive (sdC0). This is want we expected and want, so we press the Enter key:

and get the next question, what user to use for booting purposes; i.e., which user will "own" this incarnation of the root filesystem. For this standard system just installed, that user is glenda (the name of the logo bunny), so we type that in and press the Enter key.

After a little more activity, the display ends up looking something like this (hopefully no smaller than 800x600):

We have arrived at a Plan 9 stand-alone terminal system at your fingertips!

Start reading through this interactive tutorial to learn how to work with the GUI (the window shown in front) if this is all new to you. Then, if you want to take the time now to go through the other tutorials, that is fine (but if this is a 640x480 screen, the acme tutorial should be deferred until you have at least 800x600 for it to use). If, however, you want to get this self-contained system communicating with the outside world first, you can defer that step and proceed to the next section to transform this platform into a networked, multi-user, and amazingly distributed yet highly secure participant in the Plan 9 paradigm.