# Xen Hypervisor Command Line Options

This document covers the command line options which the Xen
Hypervisor.

## Types of parameter

Most parameters take the form `option=value`.  Different options on
the command line should be space delimited.  All options are case
sensitive, as are all values unless explicitly noted.

### Boolean (`<boolean>`)

All boolean option may be explicitly enabled using a `value` of
> `yes`, `on`, `true`, `enable` or `1`

They may be explicitly disabled using a `value` of
> `no`, `off`, `false`, `disable` or `0`

In addition, a boolean option may be enabled by simply stating its
name, and may be disabled by prefixing its name with `no-`.

####Examples

Enable noreboot mode
> `noreboot=true`

Disable x2apic support (if present)
> `x2apic=off`

Enable synchronous console mode
> `sync_console`

Explicitly specifying any value other than those listed above is
undefined, as is stacking a `no-` prefix with an explicit value.

### Integer (`<integer>`)

An integer parameter will default to decimal and may be prefixed with
a `-` for negative numbers.  Alternatively, a hexadecimal number may be
used by prefixing the number with `0x`, or an octal number may be used
if a leading `0` is present.

Providing a string which does not validly convert to an integer is
undefined.

### Size (`<size>`)

A size parameter may be any integer, with a size suffix

* `G` or `g`: GiB (2^30)
* `M` or `m`: MiB (2^20)
* `K` or `k`: KiB (2^10)
* `B` or `b`: Bytes

Without a size suffix, the default will be kilo.  Providing a suffix
other than those listed above is undefined.

### String

Many parameters are more complicated and require more intricate
configuration.  The detailed description of each individual parameter
specify which values are valid.

### List

Some options take a comma separated list of values.

### Combination

Some parameters act as combinations of the above, most commonly a mix
of Boolean and String.  These are noted in the relevant sections.

## Parameter details

### acpi
> `= force | ht | noirq | <boolean>`

**String**, or **Boolean** to disable.

The **acpi** option is used to control a set of four related boolean
flags; `acpi_force`, `acpi_ht`, `acpi_noirq` and `acpi_disabled`.

By default, Xen will scan the DMI data and blacklist certain systems
which are known to have broken ACPI setups.  Providing `acpi=force`
will cause Xen to ignore the blacklist and attempt to use all ACPI
features.

Using `acpi=ht` causes Xen to parse the ACPI tables enough to
enumerate all CPUs, but will not use other ACPI features.  This is not
common, and only has an effect if your system is blacklisted.

The `acpi=noirq` option causes Xen to not parse the ACPI MADT table
looking for IO-APIC entries.  This is also not common, and any system
which requires this option to function should be blacklisted.
Additionally, this will not prevent Xen from finding IO-APIC entries
from the MP tables.

Finally, any of the boolean false options can be used to disable ACPI
usage entirely.

Because responsibility for ACPI processing is shared between Xen and
the domain 0 kernel this option is automatically propagated to the
domain 0 command line

### acpi\_apic\_instance
> `= <integer>`

Specify which ACPI MADT table to parse for APIC information, if more
than one is present.

### acpi\_pstate\_strict
> `= <integer>`

### acpi\_skip\_timer\_override
> `= <boolean>`

Instruct Xen to ignore timer-interrupt override.

Because responsibility for ACPI processing is shared between Xen and
the domain 0 kernel this option is automatically propagated to the
domain 0 command line

### acpi\_sleep
> `= s3_bios | s3_mode`

### allowsuperpage
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Permit Xen to use superpages when performing memory management.

### apic
> `= summit | bigsmp | default`

Override Xen's logic for choosing the APIC driver.  By default, if
there are more than 8 CPUs, Xen will switch to `bigsmp` over
`default`.

### allow\_unsafe
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Force boot on potentially unsafe systems. By default Xen will refuse
to boot on systems with the following errata:

* AMD Erratum 121. Processors with this erratum are subject to a guest
  triggerable Denial of Service. Override only if you trust all of
  your PV guests.

### apic\_verbosity
> `= verbose | debug`

Increase the verbosity of the APIC code from the default value.

### ats
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Permits Xen to set up and use PCI Address Translation Services, which
is required for PCI Passthrough.

### availmem
> `= <size>`

> Default: `0` (no limit)

Specify a maximum amount of available memory, to which Xen will clamp
the e820 table.

### badpage
> `= List of [ <integer> | <integer>-<integer> ]`

Specify that certain pages, or certain ranges of pages contain bad
bytes and should not be used.  For example, if your memory tester says
that byte `0x12345678` is bad, you would place `badpage=0x12345` on
Xen's command line.

### bootscrub
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Scrub free RAM during boot.  This is a safety feature to prevent
accidentally leaking sensitive VM data into other VMs if Xen crashes
and reboots.

### cachesize
> `= <size>`

If set, override Xen's calculation of the level 2 cache line size.

### clocksource
> `= pit | hpet | cyclone | acpi`

If set, override Xen's default choice for the platform timer.

### com1,com2
> `= <baud>[/<clock_hz>][,DPS[,<io-base>[,<irq>[,<port-bdf>[,<bridge-bdf>]]]] | pci | amt ] `

Both option `com1` and `com2` follow the same format.

* `<baud>` may be either an integer baud rate, or the string `auto` if
  the bootloader or other earlier firmware has already set it up.
* Optionally, a clock speed measured in hz can be specified.
* `DPS` represents the number of data bits, the parity, and the number
  of stop bits.

  `D` is an integer between 5 and 8 for the number of data bits.

  `P` is a single character representing the type of parity:

   * `n` No
   * `o` Odd
   * `e` Even
   * `m` Mark
   * `s` Space

  `S` is an integer 1 or 2 for the number of stop bits.

* `<io-base>` is an integer which specifies the IO base port for UART
  registers.
* `<irq>` is the IRQ number to use, or `0` to use the UART in poll
  mode only.
* `<port-bdf>` is the PCI location of the UART, in
  `<bus>:<device>.<function>` notation.
* `<bridge-bdf>` is the PCI bridge behind which is the UART, in
  `<bus>:<device>.<function>` notation.
* `pci` indicates that Xen should scan the PCI bus for the UART,
  avoiding Intel AMT devices.
* `amt` indicated that Xen should scan the PCI bus for the UART,
  including Intel AMT devices if present.

A typical setup for most situations might be `com1=115200,8n1`

### conring\_size
> `= <size>`

> Default: `conring_size=16k`

Specify the size of the console ring buffer.

### console
> `= List of [ vga | com1[H,L] | com2[H,L] | none ]`

> Default: `console=com1,vga`

Specify which console(s) Xen should use.

`vga` indicates that Xen should try and use the vga graphics adapter.

`com1` and `com2` indicates that Xen should use serial ports 1 and 2
respectively.  Optionally, these arguments may be followed by an `H` or
`L`.  `H` indicates that transmitted characters will have their MSB
set, while received characters must have their MSB set.  `L` indicates
the converse; transmitted and received characters will have their MSB
cleared.  This allows a single port to be shared by two subsystems
(e.g. console and debugger).

`none` indicates that Xen should not use a console.  This option only
makes sense on its own.

### console\_timestamps
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Flag to indicate whether include a timestamp with each console line.

### console\_to\_ring
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Flag to indicate whether all guest console output should be copied
into the console ring buffer.

### conswitch
> `= <switch char>[,x]`

> Default `conswitch=a`

Specify which character should be used to switch serial input between
Xen and dom0.  The required sequence is CTRL-&lt;switch char&gt; three
times.

The optional trailing `x` indicates that Xen should not automatically
switch the console input to dom0 during boot.  Any other value,
including omission, causes Xen to automatically switch to the dom0
console during dom0 boot.

### cpu\_type
> `= arch_perfmon`

If set, force use of the performance counters for oprofile, rather than detecting
available support.

### cpufreq
> `= dom0-kernel | none | xen`

> Default: `xen`

Indicate where the responsibility for driving power states lies.

### cpuid\_mask\_cpu (AMD only)
> `= fam_0f_rev_c | fam_0f_rev_d | fam_0f_rev_e | fam_0f_rev_f | fam_0f_rev_g | fam_10_rev_b | fam_10_rev_c | fam_11_rev_b`

If the other **cpuid\_mask\_{,ext\_}e{c,d}x** options are fully set
(unspecified on the command line), specify a pre-canned cpuid mask to
mask the current processor down to appear as the specified processor.
It is important to ensure that all hosts in a pool appear the same to
guests to allow successful live migration.

### cpuid\_mask\_ ecx,edx,ext\_ecx,ext\_edx,xsave_eax
> `= <integer>`

> Default: `~0` (all bits set)

These five command line parameters are used to specify cpuid masks to
help with cpuid levelling across a pool of hosts.  Setting a bit in
the mask indicates that the feature should be enabled, while clearing
a bit in the mask indicates that the feature should be disabled.  It
is important to ensure that all hosts in a pool appear the same to
guests to allow successful live migration.

### cpuidle
> `= <boolean>`

### cpuinfo
> `= <boolean>`

### crashinfo_maxaddr
> `= <size>`

> Default: `4G`

Specify the maximum address to allocate certain structures, if used in
combination with the `low_crashinfo` command line option.

### crashkernel
> `= <ramsize-range>:<size>[,...][@<offset>]`

### credit2\_balance\_over
> `= <integer>`

### credit2\_balance\_under
> `= <integer>`

### credit2\_load\_window\_shift
> `= <integer>`

### debug\_stack\_lines
> `= <integer>`

> Default: `20`

Limits the number lines printed in Xen stack traces.

### debugtrace
> `= <integer>`

> Default: `128`

Specify the size of the console debug trace buffer in KiB. The debug
trace feature is only enabled in debugging builds of Xen.

### dma\_bits
> `= <integer>`

Specify the bit width of the DMA heap.

### dom0\_ioports\_disable
> `= List of <hex>-<hex>`

Specify a list of IO ports to be excluded from dom0 access.

### dom0\_max\_vcpus
> `= <integer>`

Specify the maximum number of vcpus to give to dom0.  This defaults
to the number of pcpus on the host.

### dom0\_mem
> `= List of ( min:<size> | max:<size> | <size> )`

Set the amount of memory for the initial domain (dom0). If a size is
positive, it represents an absolute value.  If a size is negative, it
is subtracted from the total available memory.

* `<size>` specifies the exact amount of memory.
* `min:<size>` specifies the minimum amount of memory.
* `max:<size>` specifies the maximum amount of memory.

If `<size>` is not specified, the default is all the available memory
minus some reserve.  The reserve is 1/16 of the available memory or
128 MB (whichever is smaller).

The amount of memory will be at least the minimum but never more than
the maximum (i.e., `max` overrides the `min` option).  If there isn't
enough memory then as much as possible is allocated.

`max:<size>` also sets the maximum reservation (the maximum amount of
memory dom0 can balloon up to).  If this is omitted then the maximum
reservation is unlimited.

For example, to set dom0's initial memory allocation to 512MB but
allow it to balloon up as far as 1GB use `dom0_mem=512M,max:1G`

If you use this option then it is highly recommended that you disable
any dom0 autoballooning feature present in your toolstack. See the
_xl.conf(5)_ man page or [Xen Best
Practices](http://wiki.xen.org/wiki/Xen_Best_Practices#Xen_dom0_dedicated_memory_and_preventing_dom0_memory_ballooning).

### dom0\_shadow
> `= <boolean>`

### dom0\_vcpus\_pin
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Pin dom0 vcpus to their respective pcpus

### e820-mtrr-clip
> `= <boolean>`

Flag that specifies if RAM should be clipped to the highest cacheable
MTRR.

> Default: `true` on Intel CPUs, otherwise `false`

### e820-verbose
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Flag that enables verbose output when processing e820 information and
applying clipping.

### edd (x86)
> `= off | on | skipmbr`

Control retrieval of Extended Disc Data (EDD) from the BIOS during
boot.

### edid (x86)
> `= no | force`

Either force retrieval of monitor EDID information via VESA DDC, or
disable it (edid=no). This option should not normally be required
except for debugging purposes.

### extra\_guest\_irqs
> `= <number>`

Increase the number of PIRQs available for the guest. The default is 32. 

### flask\_enabled
> `= <integer>`

### flask\_enforcing
> `= <integer>`

### font
> `= <height>` where height is `8x8 | 8x14 | 8x16 '`

Specify the font size when using the VESA console driver.

### gdb
> `= <baud>[/<clock_hz>][,DPS[,<io-base>[,<irq>[,<port-bdf>[,<bridge-bdf>]]]] | pci | amt ] `

Specify the serial parameters for the GDB stub.

### gnttab\_max\_nr\_frames
> `= <integer>`

Specify the maximum number of frames per grant table operation.

### guest\_loglvl
> `= <level>[/<rate-limited level>]` where level is `none | error | warning | info | debug | all`

> Default: `guest_loglvl=none/warning`

Set the logging level for Xen guests.  Any log message with equal more
more importance will be printed.

The optional `<rate-limited level>` option instructs which severities
should be rate limited.

### hap\_1gb
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Flag to enable 1 GB host page table support for Hardware Assisted
Paging (HAP).

### hap\_2mb
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Flag to enable 1 GB host page table support for Hardware Assisted
Paging (HAP).

### hpetbroadcast
> `= <boolean>`

### hvm\_debug
> `= <integer>`

### hvm\_port80
> `= <boolean>`

### idle\_latency\_factor
> `= <integer>`

### ioapic\_ack
### iommu
### iommu\_inclusive\_mapping
> `= <boolean>`

### irq\_ratelimit
> `= <integer>`

### irq\_vector\_map
### lapic

Force the use of use of the local APIC on a uniprocessor system, even
if left disabled by the BIOS.  This option will accept any value at
all.

### lapic\_timer\_c2\_ok
> `= <boolean>`

### ler
> `= <boolean>`

### loglvl
> `= <level>[/<rate-limited level>]` where level is `none | error | warning | info | debug | all`

> Default: `loglvl=warning`

Set the logging level for Xen.  Any log message with equal more more
importance will be printed.

The optional `<rate-limited level>` option instructs which severities
should be rate limited.

### low\_crashinfo
> `= none | min | all`

> Default: `none` if not specified at all, or to `min` if **low_crashinfo** is present without qualification.

This option is only useful for hosts with a 32bit dom0 kernel, wishing
to use kexec functionality in the case of a crash.  It represents
which data structures should be deliberately allocated in low memory,
so the crash kernel may find find them.  Should be used in combination
with **crashinfo_maxaddr**.

### max\_cstate
> `= <integer>`

### max\_gsi\_irqs
> `= <integer>`

### maxcpus
> `= <integer>`

### mce
> `= <integer>`

### mce\_fb
> `= <integer>`

### mce\_verbosity
> `= verbose`

Specify verbose machine check output.

### mem
> `= <size>`

Specify the maximum address of physical RAM.  Any RAM beyond this
limit is ignored by Xen.

### mmcfg
> `= <boolean>[,amd-fam10]`

> Default: `1`

Specify if the MMConfig space should be enabled.

### msi
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Force Xen to (not) use PCI-MSI, even if ACPI FADT says otherwise.

### nmi
> `= ignore | dom0 | fatal`

> Default: `nmi=fatal`

Specify what Xen should do in the event of an NMI parity or I/O error.
`ignore` discards the error; `dom0` causes Xen to report the error to
dom0, while 'fatal' causes Xen to print diagnostics and then hang.

### noapic

Instruct Xen to ignore any IOAPICs that are present in the system, and
instead continue to use the legacy PIC. This is _not_ recommended with
pvops type kernels.

Because responsibility for APIC setup is shared between Xen and the
domain 0 kernel this option is automatically propagated to the domain
0 command line.

### nofxsr
> `= <boolean>`

### noirqbalance
> `= <boolean>`

Disable software IRQ balancing and affinity. This can be used on
systems such as Dell 1850/2850 that have workarounds in hardware for
IRQ routing issues.

### nolapic
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Ignore the local APIC on a uniprocessor system, even if enabled by the
BIOS.  This option will accept value.

### no-real-mode (x86)
> `= <boolean>`

Do not execute real-mode bootstrap code when booting Xen. This option
should not be used except for debugging. It will effectively disable
the **vga** option, which relies on real mode to set the video mode.

### noreboot
> `= <boolean>`

Do not automatically reboot after an error.  This is useful for
catching debug output.  Defaults to automatically reboot after 5
seconds.

### noserialnumber
> `= <boolean>`

Disable CPU serial number reporting.

### nosmp
> `= <boolean>`

Disable SMP support.  No secondary processors will be booted.
Defaults to booting secondary processors.

### nr\_irqs
> `= <integer>`

### numa
> `= on | off | fake=<integer> | noacpi`

Default: `on`

### ple\_gap
> `= <integer>`

### ple\_window
> `= <integer>`

### reboot
> `= b[ios] | t[riple] | k[bd] | n[o] [, [w]arm | [c]old]`

Default: `0`

Specify the host reboot method.

`warm` instructs Xen to not set the cold reboot flag.

`cold` instructs Xen to set the cold reboot flag.

`bios` instructs Xen to reboot the host by jumping to BIOS. This is
only available on 32-bit x86 platforms.

`triple` instructs Xen to reboot the host by causing a triple fault.

`kbd` instructs Xen to reboot the host via the keyboard controller.

`acpi` instructs Xen to reboot the host using RESET_REG in the ACPI FADT.

### sched
> `= credit | credit2 | sedf | arinc653`

> Default: `sched=credit`

Choose the default scheduler.

### sched\_credit2\_migrate\_resist
> `= <integer>`

### sched\_credit\_default\_yield
> `= <boolean>`

### sched\_credit\_tslice\_ms
> `= <integer>`

Set the timeslice of the credit1 scheduler, in milliseconds.  The
default is 30ms.  Reasonable values may include 10, 5, or even 1 for
very latency-sensitive workloads.

### sched\_ratelimit\_us
> `= <integer>`

In order to limit the rate of context switching, set the minimum
amount of time that a vcpu can be scheduled for before preempting it,
in microseconds.  The default is 1000us (1ms).  Setting this to 0
disables it altogether.

### sched\_smt\_power\_savings
> `= <boolean>`

Normally Xen will try to maximize performance and cache utilization by
spreading out vcpus across as many different divisions as possible
(i.e, numa nodes, sockets, cores threads, &c).  This often maximizes
throughput, but also maximizes energy usage, since it reduces the
depth to which a processor can sleep.

This option inverts the logic, so that the scheduler in effect tries
to keep the vcpus on the smallest amount of silicon possible; i.e.,
first fill up sibling threads, then sibling cores, then sibling
sockets, &c.  This will reduce performance somewhat, particularly on
systems with hyperthreading enabled, but should reduce power by
enabling more sockets and cores to go into deeper sleep states.

### serial\_tx\_buffer
> `= <size>`

> Default: `16kB`

Set the serial transmit buffer size.

### smep
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Flag to enable Supervisor Mode Execution Protection

### snb\_igd\_quirk
> `= <boolean>`

### sync\_console
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Flag to force synchronous console output.  Useful for debugging, but
not suitable for production environments due to incurred overhead.

### tboot
> `= 0x<phys_addr>`

Specify the physical address of the trusted boot shared page.

### tbuf\_size
> `= <integer>`

Specify the per-cpu trace buffer size in pages.

### tdt
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Flag to enable TSC deadline as the APIC timer mode.

### tevt\_mask
> `= <integer>`

Specify a mask for Xen event tracing. This allows Xen tracing to be
enabled at boot. Refer to the xentrace(8) documentation for a list of
valid event mask values. In order to enable tracing, a buffer size (in
pages) must also be specified via the tbuf\_size parameter.

### tickle\_one\_idle\_cpu
> `= <boolean>`

### timer\_slop
> `= <integer>`

### tmem
> `= <boolean>`

### tmem\_compress
> `= <boolean>`

### tmem\_dedup
> `= <boolean>`

### tmem\_lock
> `= <integer>`

### tmem\_shared\_auth
> `= <boolean>`

### tmem\_tze
> `= <integer>`

### tsc
> `= unstable | skewed`

### ucode
> `= <integer>`

Specify the CPU microcode update blob module index. When positive, this
specifies the n-th module (in the GrUB entry, zero based) to be used
for updating CPU micrcode. When negative, counting starts at the end of
the modules in the GrUB entry (so with the blob commonly being last,
one could specify `ucode=-1`). Note that the value of zero is not valid
here (entry zero, i.e. the first module, is always the Dom0 kernel
image). Note further that use of this option has an unspecified effect
when used with xen.efi (there the concept of modules doesn't exist, and
the blob gets specified via the `ucode=<filename>` config file/section
entry; see [EFI configuration file description](efi.html)).

### unrestricted\_guest
> `= <boolean>`

### vcpu\_migration\_delay
> `= <integer>`

> Default: `0`

Specify a delay, in microseconds, between migrations of a VCPU between
PCPUs when using the credit1 scheduler. This prevents rapid fluttering
of a VCPU between CPUs, and reduces the implicit overheads such as
cache-warming. 1ms (1000) has been measured as a good value.

### vesa-map
> `= <integer>`

### vesa-mtrr
> `= <integer>`

### vesa-ram
> `= <integer>`

### vga
> `= ( ask | current | text-80x<rows> | gfx-<width>x<height>x<depth> | mode-<mode> )[,keep]`

`ask` causes Xen to display a menu of available modes and request the
user to choose one of them.

`current` causes Xen to use the graphics adapter in its current state,
without further setup.

`text-80x<rows>` instructs Xen to set up text mode.  Valid values for
`<rows>` are `25, 28, 30, 34, 43, 50, 80`

`gfx-<width>x<height>x<depth>` instructs Xen to set up graphics mode
with the specified width, height and depth.

`mode-<mode>` instructs Xen to use a specific mode, as shown with the
`ask` option.  (N.B menu modes are displayed in hex, so `<mode>`
should be a hexadecimal number)

The optional `keep` parameter causes Xen to continue using the vga
console even after dom0 has been started.  The default behaviour is to
relinquish control to dom0.

### vpid (Intel)
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Use Virtual Processor ID support if available.  This prevents the need for TLB
flushes on VM entry and exit, increasing performance.

### vpmu
> `= ( bts )`

> Default: `off`

Switch on the virtualized performance monitoring unit for HVM guests.

If the current cpu isn't supported a message like  
'VPMU: Initialization failed. ...'  
is printed on the hypervisor serial log.

For some Intel Nehalem processors a quirk handling exist for an unknown
wrong behaviour (see handle\_pmc\_quirk()).

If 'vpmu=bts' is specified the virtualisation of the Branch Trace Store (BTS)
feature is switched on on Intel processors supporting this feature.

*Warning:*
As the BTS virtualisation is not 100% safe and because of the nehalem quirk
don't use the vpmu flag on production systems with Intel cpus!

### watchdog
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `false`

Run an NMI watchdog on each processor.  If a processor is stuck for
longer than the **watchdog\_timeout**, a panic occurs.

### watchdog\_timeout
> `= <integer>`

> Default: `5`

Set the NMI watchdog timeout in seconds.  Specifying `0` will turn off
the watchdog.

### x2apic
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Permit use of x2apic setup for SMP environments.

### x2apic\_phys
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Use the x2apic physical apic driver.  The alternative is the x2apic cluster driver.

### xsave
> `= <boolean>`

> Default: `true`

Permit use of the `xsave/xrstor` instructions.
