Installer: no keyboard or mouse

[n4te]

Running via IPMI, I boot the Proxmox installer ISO off USB. My keyboard works in BIOS and in the Proxmox installer. I use it to choose GUI or console. That loads but on the next screen where I need to choose I agree, I can no longer use the keyboard (or mouse). Enter, tab, alt+anything -- nothing works. I can't tell if it crashed there or just no longer accepts input. I have legacy USB and handoff enabled in BIOS.

Any ideas?

 

[cheiss]

Hi,

could you please the hardware a bit? From what vendor? How old? Is the firmware up-to-date? Etc.
Is it really legacy BIOS or UEFI?

I have legacy USB and handoff enabled in BIOS.

Have you tried maybe disabling legacy USB?

You can also try pressing Ctrl+Alt+F2 after it hangs (if it works) to see the logs of the installer, which might reveal something.

 

[n4te]

Sure! It's a brand new SuperMicro H13SSL-NT motherboard with latest BIOS 1.9 and BMC 01.02.06. Epyc 9684X CPU. 12x96GB RAM.

I'm choosing the boot option UEFI: USB .... Proxmox shows EFI boot mode detected.

I have tried with legacy USB enabled and disabled.

Unfortunately ctrl+alt+F2 didn't do anything at the EULA screen/hang.

I tried closing the BMC and opening it again. I tried the BMC onscreen keyboard. I tried booting with a USB keyboard physically attached.

 

[n4te]

Anything else I can try? Should I give up an install Debian, then Proxmox? I want to install Debian/Proxmox on ZFS root and I thought the Proxmox installer would be easiest. I'd really like to get it to work!

Any logs or other debugging I can do?

 

[pikey]

First of all, you could see if a Debian 12 installation causes something similar for you.
If not, there is still the possibility to install Proxmox on top of a fresh debian 12.
Take a look on this: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Install_Proxmox_VE_on_Debian_12_Bookworm
Edit: nice beast btw

 

[n4te]

Thanks, I really look forward to getting an OS on it!

I can try installing Debian, sure. I want it on ZFS root though, so may need to find a guide for doing that, since I don't think the Debian installer does it.

First I'll go get a second keyboard just to be sure that's not an issue.

 

[pikey]

Ah, I see the problem.
That's actually a bit tricky then.

You could also create the system using a Live CD and chroot. The official OpenZFS instructions are now working pretty well.
This is how I created my Desktop Proxmox with ZFS encryption.
Takes some time, but better than nothing.

 

[n4te]

Is it normal for "Waiting for /dev to be fully populated" to time out?

At a local store they only had gaming keyboards, so I got one with silly RGB. That turned out to be a boon! I plugged it in, booted the Proxmox installer, and when it got to the EULA the keyboard RGB was off. I tried different USB ports until finding one that turned on the RGB, and then I could type!

That allowed me to install. The installer could only see 4 of my 6 SSDs. I'm not sure why, since I see 6 in BIOS. They are gen5 SSDs connected via MCIO to dual U.2 cables, and I've had trouble with getting them recognized. That could explain the /dev timeout above, if it's not related to the lack of keyboard.

The installer seems to only create 1 vdev anyway, so I installed on 2 drives for now. Hopefully I can fix the drive recognition and add 2 more vdevs later. I have retimer cards in the mail.

Once installed I can boot Proxmox. At the login prompt, I still cannot type via iKVM, but I can with the local keyboard. That is very annoying, but I could probably live with it.

I found this post about not being able to type at the Proxmox login:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Proxmox/comments/ussxmy/pve_724_supermicro_ipmi_kvm_stops_responding_once/
The OP there says this "kernel cleanup" script fixed it for him:
https://github.com/tteck/Proxmox/raw/main/misc/kernel-clean.sh
Seems strange that would help. I haven't tried it yet.

Most other discussions are about nomodeset, which I tried but it didn't help. I also tried iommu=soft.

In case it helps, I ran the installer and used the local keyboard to ctrl+alt+F2:

Any of that useful? Couldn't figure out how to get back to the installer from there.

 

[n4te]

Well, I removed 4 SSDs, leaving 2, and now I can type via IPMI. WTF?! Maybe the failure to communicate with 2 of the drives prevented the recognition of my mouse and keyboard? In that cause I guess the "Waiting for /dev to be fully populated" timeout was important.

I've had a hell of a time getting my drives to work. MCIO to dual U.2 cables are garbage. I've tried 3 brands. Currently using 45cm gen5 certified cables from SM, still Proxmox can't see 2 drives. First I had soo many troubles with an Asus K14PA-U12 motherboard. That thing is trash, connecting any gen4 SSD to MCIO prevents booting from USB or SSD. I also changed from Micro to Kioxia SSDs. Now the SM board is much better, boots no problem, BIOS always sees all 6 drives. There still must be some wonkyness given Proxmox sees 4 and seemingly times out. It has been a nightmare. I hope C-Payne retimer cards fix it.

 

[pikey]

Sounds like a weird driver problem, related to Debian 12 or the pve-kernel.
Hope that the new card fix that problem.

 

[gheadley]

I am having this exact same problem trying to install on an i7-10710U Intel NUC (BSNUC10i7FNHN2). I have tried multiple keyboards/mice and with/without legacy USB support.

I really would like the GUI, so I haven't tried the terminal installation. Is it possible to convert to GUI after running the terminal installer as a way around this problem?