ILO 2 & VMWARE ESX 3.0.x USB Keyboard problem

[Tom_Paeleman]

Hi All

I loose keyboard connectivity once VMWare ESX starts loading. I am able to go into BIOS settings via F9 etc, but once ESX loads the problem appears. This is a fact via ILO connection and via physical connection to this server.

I did following:

1. Succefully installed esx 3.0.1-32039

2. Succesfully upgraded to esx 3.0.2-61618

3. After upgrade reboot is required and problem occurs

Current config:

HP BL685c

ILO 2 firmware version: 1.50

Onboard Administrator firmware version: 2.20

ESX 3.0.2, 61618

It might be

- ilo 2 firmware

- VMware patch (I did not find one)

Does anybody have a solution for this?

Many thanks in advance!

-Tom

Some links I found, but I did not find a solution for my problem:

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/71076

[Texiwill]

Hello,

The problem is most likely the ILO2 or your keyboard. Remember ESX does not really like USB all that much. I assume you are using the ILO to do the install and not direct console access? If it was me, I would switch to a PS/2 type keyboard which I have never seen fail. You can also adjust the ILO2 to not use USB based devices but map everything to ILO....

So far I am unsure how you are doing your install. Is the it local or remote?

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education. CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354, As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[Tom_Paeleman]

Hi

Thanks for your prompt reply!

Answers on your questions:

• Ilo is used for installation (mounted iso)

• ps/2 connection is not possbile with a connector for HP BL685c (c-class series)

• ilo2 adjustement to not use USB based devices & map everything to ILO: I don't know if this is even possible.

-Tom

[Texiwill]

Hello,

I think you need to contact HP ILO2 Support on this one then. You can change how devices appear within the ILO, At least you can do that for CDROM. I believe for the others as well.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education. CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354, As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[Schorschi]

We have built or rebuilt 100s of HP blades via iLO in our Lab environment. We have had a few odd issues with ESX 3.5, but almost no issues with 3.0.x. I tried to recreate the problem and was unsuccess at my end. How is your blade setup in virtualconnect? Bladechassis firmware and blades all latest firmware?

[Tom_Paeleman]

We have in total 16 blades. 15 of them were already deployed and never gave a problem. I faced these problems when installing the 16th (install happened after succesfull run of all the others blade for long time) On blade 1 I have this same problem after a reboot during maintenance weekend (1 to 15 are in production and are all on the same firmware level).

- Bladechassis firmware (Onboard Administrators) & all ILO firmware have the latest firmw since recent.

- ROM version did not have the latest version. I just upgraded blade 16 to the latest version (via HP firmware maintenance cd 8.10-0 -> BIOS A08 2008.03.27) and this does not fix the problem.

Detailed timing of symptom:

I lose keyboard connection as soon as ESX starts (I am able to choose an option in GRUB) -> I can notice this when I physicaly connect keyboard and press nu lock (num lock led hangs as soon as ESX starts loading).

(I still have to check out Texiwill his proposal "I think you need to contact HP ILO2 Support on this one then. You can change how devices appear within the ILO, At least you can do that for CDROM. I believe for the others as well.")

[habibalby]

Hello,

Have you tried connecting the Front console and connecting the iLO on 192 via Labtop and fire the internal iLO not the OA for the Blade Enclosure.

Are you accing it via the OA?, i have faced this problem, ILO Certificate Problem, recently when i deployed an ESX Server on HP BL460c G1, but once i change to FireFox Explorer this problem disappear.

Best Regards,

Hussain Al Sayed

[Tom_Paeleman]

I found out that if I immediately install upgrade-esx-3.0.2-61618 problems are solved.

If someone else faces this problem: problem occurs if you upgrade 3.0.2-52542 to 3.0.2-61618 -> loss of ILO2 connection for Keyboard (not able to login with ALT-F1).

[Tom_Paeleman]

I found out that if I immediately install upgrade-esx-3.0.2-61618 problems are solved.

If someone else faces this problem: problem occurs if you upgrade 3.0.2-52542 to 3.0.2-61618 -> loss of ILO2 connection for Keyboard (not able to login with ALT-F1).