IPMI Console is cut off

[rmccullough]

When I connect to my server using IPMI and view the console, it looks like it is cut off at the bottom. Is this typical?

 

[dlavigne]

Did you find the answer to your question?

 

[Johnny Fartpants]

Is this typical?

Nope.

Have tried selecting 'Auto-resize window' in iKVM via Options, Preference, Window?

 

[Redcoat]

@Chris Moore reported this previously in a thread that was discussing the cutoff of the first three characters of each line of a console screen. I have searched but can't find the thread even though I posted in it...

 

[Redcoat]

Here's the thread https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/11-2-console-screen-weirdness.71971/#post-498313 and the associated bug report is https://redmine.ixsystems.com/issues/64044. You'll find Chris's screenshot there.

 

[rmccullough]

Nope.

Have tried selecting 'Auto-resize window' in iKVM via Options, Preference, Window?

Yes, I tried those suggestions from SuperMicro Support. The next thing to try was changing the resolution of FreeNAS. This was something I was reluctant to try, if it is even possible being that FreeNAS is considered an appliance.

Here's the thread https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/11-2-console-screen-weirdness.71971/#post-498313 and the associated bug report is https://redmine.ixsystems.com/issues/64044. You'll find Chris's screenshot there.

Yes, I am seeing the exact same behavior as @Chris Moore as you can see in my screenshot. The bottom line is cut-off and makes it difficult to read or confirm you are typing the correct commands.

In the end I rationalized that I use the IPMI console so infrequently that it wasn't worth investing more time to try and figure out how to fix this display issue.

 

[rmccullough]

FWIW, I also updated my BIOS and IPMI firmware. Neither of these had an impact. Also tried accessing the console from the web IPMI interface as well as the Window/Linux application. Results were consistent across all options.

 

[Chris Moore]

Did you find the answer to your question?

I have been complaining about this for a couple years and even had a support ticket on it, but it has been ignored.

 

[Chris Moore]

Here's the thread https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/11-2-console-screen-weirdness.71971/#post-498313 and the associated bug report is https://redmine.ixsystems.com/issues/64044. You'll find Chris's screenshot there.

I had a bug report also: https://redmine.ixsystems.com/issues/38689#change-242803
It was closed because they couldn't be bothered.

 

[Chris Moore]

FWIW, I also updated my BIOS and IPMI firmware. Neither of these had an impact. Also tried accessing the console from the web IPMI interface as well as the Window/Linux application. Results were consistent across all options.

The thing about it is, during initial boot, at the grub menu for example, the resolution is fine and nothing is being cut off. It is during the load of the FreeNAS software that the resolution changes several times and ends up at a resolution that does not work. If they would leave it alone, it would be fine, but they change it and then they lock it out so you can't change it to anything else.

 

[Chris Moore]

The next thing to try was changing the resolution of FreeNAS. This was something I was reluctant to try, if it is even possible being that FreeNAS is considered an appliance.

I wasn't able to get it to work, but if you figure it out, I would like to know how.

 

[rmccullough]

I think the end result here is that this is likely a FreeNAS bug, but in all fairness I use the IPMI console so infrequently that this is not a pressing issue for me. I think the balance here is that if it is easy to fix, it should be fixed. If it requires more than a few hours of work, I don't think it is worth investing it. For instance, if the solution was as simple as just leaving the resolution the same as the grub menu and this only took a few hours to accomplish, I think it would be worth the investment.

 

[joltman]

Try this. I had this happen on my Dell R210 II running pfSense. This fixed it.

I'm having an issue where my Mojave MacOS running an 8.x release of Java won't bring up the IPMI console. ATEN Java iKVM just gives me the pinwheel. I had to use Windows to inorder to use the KVM.

 

[rmccullough]

@joltman I was not able to use the management software to launch the iKVM, but was able to from the web interface. I did have to configure the jws files to launch with with the 'javaws' binary though.

 

[joltman]

@joltman I was not able to use the management software to launch the iKVM, but was able to from the web interface. I did have to configure the jws files to launch with with the 'javaws' binary though.

The JNLP file launches with Java correctly. Most of the time, I see the console window border, with the right title, but the pinwheel just spins and I never get to interact with the console. Really frustrating.

 

[rmccullough]

Odd. Is there perhaps a firmware update for your IPMI interface?

 

[joltman]

Odd. Is there perhaps a firmware update for your IPMI interface?

I've actually installed the latest BIOS and IPMI firmwares and rebooted/power cycled the server. That's when the issue presented itself. It's a bummer, as I've moved to Mac, but I do have some Windows machines around. I guess no one else has seen this.

 

[rmccullough]

Can you update your version of Java? I am running 10.x and the iKVM launches and runs fine on my mac when using the jnlp file.

 

[joltman]

Can you update your version of Java? I am running 10.x and the iKVM launches and runs fine on my mac when using the jnlp file.

Just tried an update to Java. Currently running 1.8.211. Same issue. Pinwheel. Windows works as expected. What's interesting, the loader.conf line I provided above is not working for Supermicro IPMI...interesting.

 

[Eric106]

I had the same problem as the OP, the bottom line getting cut off when using the IPMI (iDRAC6 in my case) console.

I ended up solving the problem by setting hw.vga.textmode=1 as a loader tunable.

System -> Tunables -> Add, Variable => hw.vga.textmode, Value => 1, Type => loader

Now instead of switching to 640x480 graphics mode it says VT(vga): text 80x25 and the text looks the same as in the early stages of the boot process.

I created a bug report here https://jira.ixsystems.com/browse/NAS-102814

-Eric