VMware Cloud Community
scottbtr
Contributor
Contributor

Esxi install does not recognize keyboard

Trying out ESXi. Installed fine on a very old test machine. Now trying to put it on a newer machine for production. ISO loads, "reboots", then asks "To Install Press Enter" but won't recognize the Enter key. It seems like it does not recognize the keyboard. Tried both a PS2 and a USB keyboard.

Keyboard works fine to set the BIOS so I guess there's something in the ESXi drivers that doesn't work with this motherboard

Motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R/DS; documentation says it uses an iTE8718 I/O chip. Any help?

Reply
0 Kudos
18 Replies
RDPetruska
Leadership
Leadership

Thread moved to VI:ESXi forum.

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Welcome to the VMware Community forums. You might want to send a PM to the person who started this thread to see if they were able to resolve the same issue - http://communities.vmware.com/message/1038234#1038234. Are you running the lastest BIOS revision for the MB? You might also want to search this forum for 'keyboard' as there are similar threads like this one - http://communities.vmware.com/click.jspa?searchID=3759009&objectType=2&objectID=962110.

Reply
0 Kudos
BroJason
Contributor
Contributor

Hi all, i am facing the same issue with scottbtr here. and it is a coincidence that we are using the same Gigabyte motherboard series. seems like this is a common issue for the new gigabyte motherboard? what else can be done to rectify this? i have gone through all the threads and none of the solution works... please help. thanks.

Reply
0 Kudos
patbuck
Contributor
Contributor

Same problem here on a Gigabyte EG45M-DS2H.

Getting a bit fed up with this. This is the third motherboard bought to install esxi with HW raid. The first, Asus, wouldn't recognize all of my 8GB mem. The second, Intel, wouldn't boot with a very common LSI logic raid controller in it (not really a problem according to them - "There are so many combinations of hardware, we can't support them all"). And now this...

Reply
0 Kudos
scottbtr
Contributor
Contributor

I actually just went and installed Xen on it. At this newbie stage I can't tell the difference between VM engines. Xen seems as good as VMWare.

Xen does take a lot longer to load but on the good side it seems to support a lot more hardware. Seems like they did not strip out as much Linux as VMware stripped out.

Only trouble I had with Xen is that it does not really support the Realtek 8111c ethernet built into the board. Would only initialize the ethernets every 5th try or so; and it was random (should have seen me pull my hair out on that). Finally just bought a PCI ethernet card to plug in and all is now well with Xen.

Reply
0 Kudos
patbuck
Contributor
Contributor

Reading all ESXI threads with the word "keyboard" in them tells me that more people have had this problem and there is no solution for it. Is it possible to file a bug report somewhere or couldn't VMWare care less about whitebox compliance?

Cheers,

Patrik

Reply
0 Kudos
scottbtr
Contributor
Contributor

My take is the latter; they don't really care about whitebox compliance. Now attached to a big iron company pushing big iron suppliers. If you aren't big enough to buy the iron forget it. They shouldn't even bother supplying a free product. Just entices the whiteboxers without really supporting them.

I guess I understand why; easier for them to not have to worry about supporting all kinds of hardware. Easy for them; hard for you.

Try Citirix Xen. Seems to work almost as easily; much slower to boot but I guess that's because it's supporting more hardware.

Reply
0 Kudos
WieslawDalmer
Contributor
Contributor

All, some workaround for Gigabyte EG45M-DS2H motherboard - ICH10, probably ICH10.

Problem releated to keyboard. After starting installation ESXi 3.5 -

keybard hangs on some motherboards.

To use workaround, start by

using PS2, when you get screen - installation start and you keyboard is

hang, please plug USB keyboard and ENJOY. Installation you can finish

by using USB keyboard. If you use USB keyboard, without PS2, you can

wait long time, i never get success, to start installation.

It's probably of ICH10 Intel controler.

Reply
0 Kudos
bpaci
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

As said in his reply, you can workaround the keyboard trouble like that:

1) In the BIOS, activate support for USB keyboards.

2) Connect a PS/2 keyboard and boot on ESXi install CD.

3) When the install program ask you to press 'enter', connect a USB keyboard (do not disconnect the PS/2 keyboard). The USB keyboard should be running so you can go on with installation...

as just forgot to say one important thing : YOU MUST USE THE LAST ESXi UPDATE 3 CD !! That doesn't work with update 2...

Unfortunatly, after passing the keyboard trouble, it seems like ESXi can't see the SATA controller... ESXi says there is no disk to install ESXi on.... Smiley Sad

So now, I am stucked there... I have PATA and SATA disks in my desk, no SCSI disks... Is there anyone here that succeed in installing ESXi on GA-EP45-DS3R motherboard, using SATA disks ???

I also have a GA-EP35-DS3R motherboard in another machine... Would I be able to install ESXi with this 'old' motherboard ?

Thanks for anyhelp you can give,

Regards,

Bruno

Reply
0 Kudos
WieslawDalmer
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

Your are right, it works by using LAST ESXi UPDATE 3 CD.

I have installed modified Update 3 CD - full story on website -

It works, you can use SATA disk

Few days ago, i bought Adaptec AAR-2410Sa, today i will check whether ESXi 3,5 Update 3 can start.

Regards,

Controller works fine, without problem on ESXi 3.0.5 3i

Regards,

Wieslaw

Reply
0 Kudos
Tschak
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

does ESXi with Adaptec AAR-2410Sa support Raid 0 or 1?

Regards Markus

Reply
0 Kudos
egraphix
Contributor
Contributor

That Raid card supports 0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD. But it is only a sata1 not sata II. im trying to find a pci-x card (the mini pci-x) which will work. i've got a Adaptec 2610 raid card-but havent got round to testing it.

I'm running the Gigabyte board as mentioned above with ICH10 controller. Have got a intel 1000GT nic- so im hoping that would be ok.

Reply
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Take a look here for ICH10 support - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/customize_oem_tgz.php.

Reply
0 Kudos
OsoGrande
Contributor
Contributor

The USB keyboard method worked for me as well using a Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P motherboard with Intel ICH10.

Have PS/2 keyboard attached

Boot with ESXi v3.5 install CD

When you get to Welcome screen , PS/2 keyboard will freeze.

Plug in USB keyboard and continue installation.

Reply
0 Kudos
ZieJay
Contributor
Contributor

Maybe a little late, but I came across the same problem with a Gigabyte motherboard (GA-M785 series) I used a USB keyboard and when the message came to continue installation i switched the usb port of the keyboard. It worked like a charm Smiley Happy!

Reply
0 Kudos
satish_lx
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Try to disable acpi=off at kernel line. It works for me.

following example

mboot.c32 vmkboot.gz acpi=off --- vmkernel.gz --- sys.vgz --- cim.vgz --- ienviron.vgz --- install.vgz

- If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Thanks Satish Patel - Journey toward "Virtual world"
Reply
0 Kudos
MarkP201110141
Contributor
Contributor

I had this problem on several of our ASUS servers. (Whitebox with ASUS motherboards, or otherwise). I imagine the problem is similar to all, and the last guy was on the right track with noacpi.

I figured out however, that using ACPI v1.0 (bios setting) worked fine, but v2.0 or v3.0 cause a keyboard hangup when vmware switches to 64bit mode.

If you can change the ACPI in BIOS to v1.0, then I think this should fix your problem!

Reply
0 Kudos
peobe
Contributor
Contributor

Had the same problem on Fujitsu Primergy S300 - attached USB keyboard and it worked like a charm, thanks guys

Reply
0 Kudos