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  • 1.  No video when using KVM. Direct attached monitor works fine.

    Posted Oct 17, 2011 05:39 PM

    We have had an on going problem with one of our ESX hosts.

    The Host is an HP Proliant DL360G5 running ESX 4.1 connected to an Avocent AutoView 3016 KVM.

    When using the KVM to connect to the ESX host, the keyboard and mouse work fine, but we get no video. We can connect a monitor directly to the VGA port on the server and we get video with no problem.

    When connecting to the KVM by IP, we also get no video.

    Other servers attached to this KVM are working fine, and we have tried different KVM dongles on the ESX server as well without success.

    Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.



  • 2.  RE: No video when using KVM. Direct attached monitor works fine.

    Posted Nov 05, 2011 01:02 PM

    We have upgraded the ESX host to ESXi 5.0 with the same results. I do not believe this is a VMWare issue at this point, but any assistance would be appreciated.



  • 3.  RE: No video when using KVM. Direct attached monitor works fine.

    Posted Nov 05, 2011 03:35 PM

    Hi I think this must be KVM related.  I have used at least 20 DL380/360 G4/5 on a Rose Electronics UltraMatrix KVM.

    I also have 3 DL380 G5 running through a Rose Vista KVM. So i think you can safely say the hardware is ok.

    Is your KVM equipped with DVI ports rather than VGA?

    Here are a few things you could try:

    Upgrade the KVM firmware.

    There are usually KVM hotkey fuctions to reset ports that may help.

    There is a setting in the server BIOS for VGA port priority. To do with the server front and rear VGA port.

    Try upgrading the server VGA firmware.



  • 4.  RE: No video when using KVM. Direct attached monitor works fine.

    Posted Nov 07, 2011 01:34 PM

    I have upgraded the KVM firmware, which upgrades the KVM dongles as well with the same results.

    I would agree that the KVM is the issue, except that we are running another DL380G5 on the same KVM without issues.

    The KVM only has VGA ports, no DVI.

    I have checked the BIOS in the past for reference to the VGA port, but I have not found anything relevant.

    An external monitor works fine on either the front or rear VGA ports. The KVM dongle can only plug in to the rear VGA port (it gets power from the PS/2 ports).

    I suspected it could be a refresh rate mismatch, but the BIOS has no setting that I can find regarding VGA refresh rates. (The no video occurs all the time, there is no POST displayed when on the KVM, but there is when using an external monitor)