iDRAC 8/7 v2.30.30.30 User’s Guide

Virtual Console session is active even if you have logged out of iDRAC web interface. Is this the expected behavior?

Yes. Close the Virtual Console Viewer window to log out of the corresponding session.

Can a new remote console video session be started when the local video on the server is turned off?

Yes.

Why does it take 15 seconds to turn off the local video on the server after requesting to turn off the local video?

It gives a local user an opportunity to take any action before the video is switched off.

Is there a time delay when turning on the local video?

No, after a local video turn ON request is received by iDRAC, the video is turned on instantly.

Can the local user also turn off or turn on the video?

When the local console is disabled, the local user cannot turn off or turn on the video.

Does switching off the local video also switch off the local keyboard and mouse?

No.

Does turning off the local console turn off the video on the remote console session?

No, turning the local video on or off is independent of the remote console session.

What privileges are required for an iDRAC user to turn on or turn off the local server video?

Any user with iDRAC configuration privileges can turn on or turn off the local console.

How to get the current status of the local server video?

The status is displayed on the Virtual Console page.

Use the RACADM command racadm getconfig –g cfgRacTuning to display the status in the object cfgRacTuneLocalServerVideo.

racadm -r (iDrac IP) -u (username) -p (password) getconfig -g cfgRacTuning 

The status is also seen on the Virtual Console OSCAR display. When the local console is enabled, a green status is displayed next to the server name. When disabled, a yellow dot indicates that iDRAC has locked the local console.

Why is the bottom of the system screen not seen from the Virtual Console window?

Make sure that the management station’s monitor resolution is set to 1280 x 1024.

Why is the Virtual Console Viewer window garbled on Linux operating system?

The console viewer on Linux requires a UTF-8 character set. Check your locale and reset the character set if required.

Why does the mouse not synchronize under the Linux text console in Lifecycle Controller?

How to synchronize the mouse pointers on the Virtual Console Viewer window?

Before starting a Virtual Console session, make sure that the correct mouse is selected for your operating system.

Make sure that the Single Cursor option under Tools in the iDRAC Virtual Console menu is selected on iDRAC Virtual Console client. The default is two cursor mode.

Can a keyboard or mouse be used while installing a Microsoft operating system remotely through the Virtual Console?

No. When you remotely install a supported Microsoft operating system on a system with Virtual Console enabled in the BIOS, an EMS Connection Message is sent that requires that you select OK remotely. You must either select OK on the local system or restart the remotely managed server, reinstall, and then turn off the Virtual Console in BIOS.

This message is generated by Microsoft to alert the user that Virtual Console is enabled. To make sure that this message does not appear, always turn off Virtual Console in the iDRAC Settings utility before remotely installing an operating system.

Why does the Num Lock indicator on the management station not reflect the status of the Num Lock on the remote server?

When accessed through the iDRAC, the Num Lock indicator on the management station does not necessarily coincide with the state of the Num Lock on the remote server. The state of the Num Lock depends the setting on the remote server when the remote session is connected, regardless of the state of the Num Lock on the management station.

Why do multiple Session Viewer windows appear when a Virtual Console session is established from the local host?

You are configuring a Virtual Console session from the local system. This is not supported.

If a Virtual Console session is in-progress and a local user accesses the managed server, does the first user receive a warning message?

No. If a local user accesses the system, both have control of the system.

How much bandwidth is required to run a Virtual Console session?

It is recommended to have a 5 MBPS connection for good performance. A 1 MBPS connection is required for minimal performance.

What is the minimum system requirements for the management station to run Virtual Console?

The management station requires an Intel Pentium III 500 MHz processor with at least 256 MB of RAM.

Why does Virtual Console Viewer window sometimes displays No Signal message?

You may see this message because the iDRAC Virtual Console plug-in is not receiving the remote server desktop video. Generally, this behavior may occur when the remote server is turned off. Occasionally, the message may be displayed due to a remote server desktop video reception malfunction.

Why does Virtual Console Viewer window sometimes display an Out of Range message?

You may see this message because a parameter necessary to capture video is beyond the range for which the iDRAC can capture the video. Parameters such as display resolution or refresh rate too high causes an out of range condition. Normally, physical limitations such as video memory size or bandwidth sets the maximum range of parameters.

When starting a Virtual Console session from iDRAC web interface, why is an ActiveX security popup displayed?

Why is the Virtual Console Viewer window blank?

If you have Virtual Media privilege, but not Virtual Console privilege, you can start the viewer to access the virtual media feature, but the managed server’s console is not displayed.

Why doesn’t the mouse synchronize in DOS when using Virtual Console?

The Dell BIOS is emulating the mouse driver as a PS/2 mouse. By design, the PS/2 mouse uses relative position for the mouse pointer, which causes the lag in syncing. iDRAC has a USB mouse driver that allows absolute position and closer tracking of the mouse pointer. Even if iDRAC passes the USB absolute mouse position to the Dell BIOS, the BIOS emulation converts it back to relative position and the behavior remains. To fix this problem, set the mouse mode to USC/Diags in the Configuration screen.

After launching the Virtual Console, the mouse cursor is active on the Virtual Console, but not on the local system. Why does this occur and how to resolve this?

This occurs if the Mouse Mode is set to USC/Diags. Press Alt + M hot key to use the mouse on the local system. Press Alt + M again to use the mouse on the Virtual Console.

When iDRAC web interface is launched from the CMC web interface soon after Virtual Console is launched, why does GUI session time-out?

When launching the Virtual Console to iDRAC from the CMC web interface a popup is opened to launch the Virtual Console. The popup closes shortly after the Virtual Console opens.

When launching both the GUI and Virtual Console to the same iDRAC system on a management station, a session time-out for the iDRAC GUI occurs if the GUI is launched before the popup closes. If the iDRAC GUI is launched from the CMC web interface after the popup with the Virtual Console closed, this issue does not appear.

Why does Linux SysRq key not work with Internet Explorer?

Why is the "Link Interrupted" message displayed at the bottom of the Virtual Console?

When using the shared network port during a server reboot, iDRAC is disconnected while BIOS is resetting the network card. This duration is longer on 10 Gb cards, and is also exceptionally long if the connected network switch has Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) enabled. In this case, it is recommended to enable "portfast" for the switch port connected to the server. In most cases, the Virtual Console restores itself.