DL380 G3 does not work sometimes on a 8port KVM switch

[Gordon Yee]

I have a server rack with 2 x DL580 and 4 x DL380 G3 servers. They are connected to a Avocent Switchview OSD 8port KVM. Here is the weird part, the KVM works with 4 of the 6 servers. I just added a new DL380 G3 and the mouse does not work but the monitor and keyboard does. There is another dl380 g3 mouse does not work also.

I have tried simplifying the mouse by downgrading to a kensington 2 button mouse from a microsoft 2 button with wheels. i also tried the microsoft 2 button mouse but the kvm still does not work. the avocent technical support requested that the ILOE be turned off which i did but no dice. they have also recommended updating to the latest ILOE firmware/software. i will be doing updating the firmware and will update this posting with new information as necessary.

i am hoping hp or another techie type person may have experience a similar problem and might have a suggestion to correct the situation.

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

Same issu was reported under hp KVM i have updated the firmware of kvm and it has helped. Have you checked ny updated firmware of KVM.

Regards,
Prashant S.

[Gordon Yee]

hi prashant,
thanks you for your posting. i ask that question of the avocent technical support and the kvm product that i have is not firmware upgradable. considering the problems, i defintely would have preferred that i spent my money with a hp kvm, firmware upgradable product.

gordon

[jim serafin]

Hi Gordon,
My DL380 had a RiLO board and my normal cabling to KVM didn't work. I think it was my mouse that wouldn't function. I had to cable my mouse through my Rilo board then to the KVM to get it to work. Just a thought.

[Gordon Yee]

hi jim,
thanks for responding. i am curious to determine the kvm vendor and the type of cable connecting KVM swtich to the ILO. i checked the back of dl380 and the ilo slot has 2 USB ports. did you use the USB mouse kvm cable to get it to work?

[jim serafin]

Hey Gordon,
I went back and checked on the server. It was my keybaord and not my mouse that would not work on the HP 8 port KVM.
I have a different board than what you are looking at. My RiLO has a power cable, a monitor cable, and a single black plug with three PS2 type cables. One black cable has a mouse PS2 cable that is not connected to anything. The second black cable is my keybaord plug and it is plugged directly into the back to my DL380 keyboard port. The third branch cable has a -| connector. My kvm keybaord plugs into one side of the T. the other side of the t is empty.
Your issue sounds like the output is being picked up by the ilo and not sent to the KVM. Good luck and remeber your not alone :).

[Doug de Werd]

yes, there were some problems with older KVM switches that needed to be firmware upgraded.

one other thing I found was that you could hang the mouse by switching to another KVM port while at the Windows login screen. In other words, if Windows was at the login screen - especially right at boot up - and you switch to another server and then switch back again, the first server's mouse would be locked (keyboard was OK). Other than the FW upgrade, the only way to get th emouse working was to reboot the server with the KVM switch active on that port, then login. Once you logged in you could switch back and forth all you wanted.

You might try this with your old KVM (before you buy another one). Reboot the servers that are non-responsive. Let each one fully boot with the KVM switch active for it, and then log in (you can use a password pretected screen saver to help maintain security). Once you're logged in, switch to the other servers and repeat for all of them. It's not pretty, but it might work.

Or... you could just use iLO for all of your remote access.

Thanks,
Doug

[Terry Hutchings]

I'd recommend disabling the ILO on at least one of these machines and then test whether the mouse works on the this port of the KVM. If it does then it's likely the firmware on kvm needs to be updated.

[Gordon Yee]

terry,
thanks for your posting. i tried disabling the iLOE but mouse will still not respond (monitor and keyboard works.)

[Rob Leadbeater]

I've got some servers connected to a non HP KVM (can't remember the model unfortunately) and occasionally get the same problem. In my case the solution, as Doug mentioned is to make sure the operating system (NT4) boots up completely with the KVM switch set on the machine thats booting.

Flicking around between different machines invariably makes one of them not detect the mouse - which is a real pain when trying to boot 8 servers as you have to wait for each one to complete before doing the next...

Cheers,
Rob

[Gordon Yee]

rob and doug,
thanks for your postings. i have warm and cold boot up without switching ports but the mouse still does not work (monitor and keyboard works.) since my last posting i have updated all firmware and drivers on the DL380: (1)BIOS firmware (2)iLOE firmware and (3) proliant support pack. the update of the drivers did not change the outcome. the avocent 8port KVM is not capable of firmware update.

i will let you know how it all shakes out.

cheers,
gordon

[Rob Leadbeater · Accepted solution]

I'm sure you'll have checked this but I'll mention it anyhow...

On my non-HP KVM (its actually a 16 port Belkin Omniview) the sockets on the back are very difficult to access because of the way its situated in the rack. I did have a few issues with mice and keyboard not being detected after first installing it, simply because the PS/2 cables had pulled out of the KVM switch, and I couldn't see that they had.

The HP models which mount on the back of the keyboard tray are 100% better in this respect as you can easily see whats connected. Plus the PS/2 connectors on HP cables latch meaning its a lot more difficult for things to come adrift.

Just a thought, as the obvious solutions are often ones that get overlooked !!

Cheers,
Rob

[Richard Teegarden]

I have a DL380 G4 on an Avocent 8-port KVM. I had a similar problem with the mouse not working. But it's working now. HP support had me upgrade the iLO firmware, which didn't help. They also pointed me to Avocent. Getting nowhere I fumbled through things myself (seems like that happens alot).
I openned up the server case and set the iLO security jumper to ON. As the server power-cycle came up, I hit F8 to get me into the iLO Config utility. At first I wasn't able to do anything other than Reset to Factory Defaults or Exit. Not much for choices. However, when I'd arrow to the right many more choices became available. I'm pretty sure my screen positioning was off (scrolled too high) to see the other menus. Regardless, I was able to get into the option to DISABLE iLO. Once disabled, I powered down the server, reset the on-board jumper for iLO to OFF, and powered the server back up. The mouse works. I completed the installation of Win2003 and have had no problems. I'm hoping to test this on a couple of DL360's that I bought earlier this year with similar mouse problems.

[Gordon Yee]

rob,

thank you for your posting and input. i started pulling and moving kvm cables with different ports the kvm ports in questions started working.

i also agree with you on it is very difficult to see and actually plug the kvm cables into the back of a congested 19 inch server rack with 20 cables connection already plugged. it is guess work to determine if all cables are plugged in perfectly. i did reseat them several times but not good enough. you also mentioned that it was obvious but it still needed to be mentioned. muchas gracias.

richard thanks for your input.

i wanted to thank everyone who posted replies. this is my first major posting of a annyoing hardware problem. i posted my issue as it was a last resort having worked directly with hp and avocent with no solution in sight.

having used this forum and i am touched by the many fellow techincal computer geeks who wanted to help each other.

thank you all for your concen and posting. i know this is a little sappy but i want you all to know i appreciate everyone help.

thank you all,

gordon

[Chad Mounteny]

I'm having similar troubles with dl380s and belkin kvms. I've found that using ps/2 to usb adapters solve the problem, that is an adapter that allows you to connect the ps/2 plug of the kvm cable into a usb port.