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?

 

[cheiss]

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?

What do you mean exactly? Both the GUI and the terminal installer install the exact same packages, i.e. you get the same system with either of them.