unreadable video during esxi install through ipmi

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zoob

New Member
Sep 8, 2013
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0
1
hi all,
I am not sure where to post this, if any admin feels it should be moved elsewhere, please do so :)

I am installing esxi 5.5 through the ipmi kvm console of this x10slm supermicro motherboard and while the console is working just fine for all bios operation, as soon as I boot from the esxi5.5 iso (connected as virtual storage) I am getting a completely unreadable video output (see screenshot below).

Has anyone encountered this problem? I would appreciate any infos regarding this issue as plugging a monitor is going to be annoying really fast ;)

printscreen from windows:


screenshot capture from the kvm console:
 

foongkev

New Member
Oct 11, 2013
10
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Sydney
Im not an expert, but I just finished setting up my core build using esxi on the x10slm as well. What cpu + other hardware are you using?

Also it looks like you're accessing kvm viewer from the web remote ipmi. Could be a java version issue? Also try installing ipmi viewer and using that instead. I believe it uses its own instance of java.

Never know it could work
 

zoob

New Member
Sep 8, 2013
9
0
1
Im not an expert, but I just finished setting up my core build using esxi on the x10slm as well. What cpu + other hardware are you using?

Also it looks like you're accessing kvm viewer from the web remote ipmi. Could be a java version issue? Also try installing ipmi viewer and using that instead. I believe it uses its own instance of java.

Never know it could work
hi foongkev, thanks for your reply.
This is a very basic setup so far, there's just the motherboard with a e3-1220v3 & 2x4Gb ECC, and the power supply obviously.
I've tried using the pure http web client, but somehow I am getting warning I need to upgrade to the latest java version although I already have it installed. As I have java disabled for my browser, I was even surprised in the first place that it was actually doing anything.
Both screenshot above were taken while using the IPMIView program (v2.9.25).

Also, I've noticed that the IPMI reports the motherboard bios version as a 1.0b, I was meaning to update to the latest from supermicro's website (latest version which I believe is 1.1?) but I am not really sure if it will have any effect on the IPMI?
 

PigLover

Moderator
Jan 26, 2011
3,184
1,545
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Does the video do the same thing if you use a real monitor? In other words...is this an IPMI issue or a motherboard issue.

I did have experience just like this with ESXi a couple of years ago on a SM X8SIA-F. Using a real monitor (not IPMI) and loading ESXi the screen looked pretty much the same and the system was hung requiring reboot. Turned out it was a BIOS issue related to the PCIe switch used in that Motherboard. BIOS flash to current fixed it - so doing your bios update to 1.1 might help.