ESXi 5.1 Black Screen when opening VM console

[HenryHazotVCP]

Hello All,

I installed a new ESXi 5.1 server and it is a member of a cluster of 2 ESXi Servers.

One is 5.0 and the new one is 5.1

When i power on a VM on the 5.0 it works fine, after it boots and i vmotion it to the 5.1 and i open the VM console it also works fine.

Now the wired thing.

If i start the vm on the 5.1 and open the vm console it will show the windows bar and the boot processes but as soon it gets to the logon screen the vm console becomes black.

if i will vmotion it to the 5.0 it will be fine, also if i vmotion it back it will be fine as well.

So only if i start the vm on 5.1 i have a problem.

Help Please.

Henry

[admin]

Do you see any error/warning in the VM console? What is the Operating system in the VM? May be relevant to this

VMware KB: Accessing a virtual machine with O/S Windows 2008 or Windows 7 displays a blank console

[HenryHazotVCP]

No errors at all, also the screen readjust the resolutions to fit the OS but it is still black.

The OS is 2008R2 and we also tried 2003R2,

I just now tried to install a new VM fresh install and after the first step of loading windows files the screen becomes black.

[HenryHazotVCP]

I also tried that KB did't help me.

[admin]

Try connecting directly to the host using vSphere client and check if the console works. I guess now you checking it from vCenter

[HenryHazotVCP]

No, i tried from both same result.

Also tried to connect from two different V sphere Client and same result

Tried to upgrade virtual Hardware and still same result

Also tried to check port 902 via telnet to be sure its not block and i receive a 220 vmware

[admin]

Can you check for Port 903. If 903 is blocked between the vCenter and ESXi host. ie do telnet from vCenter server

[HenryHazotVCP]

902 works but 903 doesn't work

[admin]

Then you might have to redirect the mks connection to 902 or open port 903 between vCenter and host. By default host uses 903 for MKS console connection.

[HenryHazotVCP]

OK, but how is possible that i am able to view the console while it starts up while booting until it gets to the Logon part then it becomes black.

I am confused with your solution.

[HenryHazotVCP]

Also how do i redirect the MKS to 902 because to open another port is quite difficult.

Thanks a lot for your time.

[HenryHazotVCP]

More then that, i tried to telnet 903 to the 5.0 ESXi and get the same result (No reply) and when i move the VM to that ESXi it does work fine.

I guess that is not the issue for my case.

[admin]

* If you see the boot process and if it is going blank after that, then this happen mostly due to Video Ram memory issue, I guess you have already tried this before,  (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1023933). May be you try one more time.

* You can try step:2 in the below article to redirect the mks connection from 903 to 902

VMware KB: Cannot open the virtual machine console

[admin]

Check if config file has this entry  vmauthd.server.alwaysProxy in the ESXI 5.0 host. Refer this KB VMware KB: Cannot open the virtual machine console

[HenryHazotVCP]

is true.

My next step is to reinstall the ESXi to the latest version.

[admin]

So you are saying that vmauthd.server.alwaysProxy is already present in the ESXi 5.0 ?

[HenryHazotVCP]

OK, after formatting and installing the ESXi 5.1 U1 still have the same error this is crazy.

I move the vm from an older version to this new Host and i see the boot process but once it gets to the logon step it turns Black.

while its black i wait a while but no change

If i move it back to the old Host while its black it comes back immediately....

This issue is crazy...any ideas ?

[admin]

vmauthd.server.alwaysProxy is this added in your ESXi 5.0 ?

[HenryHazotVCP]

Yes

[admin]

Sorry Henry am not sure what is happning. If you have a support contract with VMware you can raise a SR. We might have to look into the logs. I am not aware of any known issues, if I come across I will update you.