[Bug 429443] Re: /usr/bin/kvm-ok should be disassociated from kvm

[Dustin Kirkland]

kvm-ok used to be just a grep for vmx|svm of /proc/cpuinfo.

Now, it performs a couple of additional checks.  It will also check
dmesg for a message about kvm being disabled in your bios, and look
for /dev/kvm.

The check for the bios message has been exceedingly useful to users,
and we the maintainers trying to support users who's computer
manufacturers arbitrarily disable kvm in their bios by default.  Much
of the documentation spread around the web simply says "grep your
cpuinfo for vmx|svm", but most of it neglects to say, "oh, by the way,
check your dmesg for a kvm disabled in bios message".

This particular bug is really about moving /usr/bin/kvm-ok out of the
qemu-kvm package and into some package the user will already have on
their system when they're trying to decide if they can use kvm or not.

The current mode is clearly suboptimal, which looks like:
 $ sudo apt-get install qemu-kvm
 $ kvm-ok || sudo apt-get purge qemu-kvm

That's clearly silly.

Whether a message ends up in MOTD, I care not.  But I thought Kees'
change set a precedent for giving friendly hints about cpu features
which are disabled in BIOS.

-- 
/usr/bin/kvm-ok should be disassociated from kvm
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/429443
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