topic Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB in Server Management - Remote Server Management

Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Michael Ernstoff — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:16:15 GMT

Is it possible to have both the Virtual CD and the Virtual USB active at the same time?

I have a Red Hat ISO image (which I want to mount as the virtual CD) and a kickstart file (which I want to mount as the virtual USB).
I booted server and tried various commands along the lines of "linux ks=floppy", but cannot see the kickstart file.

I am aware that there are other methods, but would like to know if this one is possible.

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Pieter 't Hart — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:43:53 GMT

have not used ilo virtual media on linux yes.
so forgive if i point in the wrong direction.

did you check "enable multiple connections" in the ilo virtual media options?
you may first need to enable usb-support in the system bios.

does the system have a physical floppy? then you may also need to specify floppy1 or floppy2 in your mount command.?

an image file must have the right format (.flp ?) else try to physically copy the file onto an usb-stick and mount the stick.

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Michael Ernstoff — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:02:15 GMT

I cannot see any option to "enable multiple connections".
I am using iLO 2

I do not have physical access to the server.

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Pieter 't Hart — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:11:53 GMT

the attached image in previous post is from a DL380 G3; wich (afaik) has ilo 2
iLO Firmware Version: 1.82

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Michael Ernstoff — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:03:39 GMT

I don't have that option.
My firmware is 1.70

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Pieter 't Hart — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:13:59 GMT

see ILO firmware revision history :
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=18964&prodSeriesId=397989&swItem=MTX-6011807da53845899bda5311ba&prodNameId=397991&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=5

Â» Version: 1.80 (15 Jul 2005)
Support for USB key drives as a virtual media devices. This feature is available with an iLO Advanced license. Also, the virtual media web interface was updated to more easily enable multi-device connection.

so you may need to upgrade to at least 1.80.
latest Version: 1.94 (21 Apr 2009)

but as it says "easily enable multi-device connection" it may allready be present on 1.70 somewhere else in the interface => look for option settings.
Sorry, I can't test this myself)

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Pieter 't Hart — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:17:20 GMT

Â» Version: 1.60 (15 Jul 2004)
Virtual Media Enhancements including:
Support for scriptable virtual media access, CD-ROM images support, composite device (floppy and CD-ROM) support.

look for this "composite" option.

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Michael Ernstoff — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:32:21 GMT

Although there is no "composite button" to press, I can have both Virtual Floppy/USB and Virtual CD/DVD showing as "connected" at the same time.
I am just not sure it is actually working, but that may be the way that RHEL installation works and not iLO 2

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Pieter 't Hart — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:56:23 GMT

so i was focussing on the wrong issue ?
and as from ILO point of view you allready are able to connect a virtual floppy and a virtual CDrom at the same time?

reading
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.3-Manual/custom-guide/s1-kickstart2-startinginstall.html

=> the filesystem on (which must be vfat or ext2)
I assume you checked ??

instead of "linux ks=floppy" have you tried :
linux ks=hd:fd0/ks.cfg
or
linux ks=hd:fd1/ks.cfg
?

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Michael Ernstoff — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:35:20 GMT

Yes I tried all those.

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Pieter 't Hart — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:45:46 GMT

have you also tried to perform the installation booting from the virtual floppy instead of CDrom?

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

Michael Ernstoff — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:40:01 GMT

Not yet.
Dealing with another issue at the moment, but that seems like a good idea.

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

MadisonTate — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:13:38 GMT

You can do that with Lo100i. I do it all the time.

Re: Virtual CD and Virtual USB

acartes — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:58:02 GMT

Sounds like there is some confusion.
The lights-out 100 series products are different than iLO.

There are two generations of iLO, with different firmware versions:

iLO v1.94
iLO 2 v1.79

The latest iLO 2 does support connecting an ISO as well as a virtual folder at the same time.