White Screen with Black Cursor on Installation

[diatech]

Hello all!

I'm having a bit of trouble installing Proxmox for the first time.

Hardware : Dell R210 (11th Gen - not the 12th Gen R210 II) rackmount server
Version : Proxmox VE 3.2

Issue (Please see below) :

When booting normally (no boot parameters):
When I boot normally, it seems to load fine. I get the white screen witht he fancy wbbed looking graphics that says "Booting System" and has an option to "Press F2 for Verbose mode." Eventually, it gets to a white screen with a black cursor, then just stays there. After 5-10 mins, it reboots. I never see the install Wizard.

When booting with boot parameters (boot: debug vga=normal)
It stops after configuring network settings with an error, "/ninstallation aborted". I checked the log (cat /var/log/xorg.0.log) and it seems that it was related to graphics.. (No screens found). So I tried the below boot parameters.

When booting with boot parameters (boot: debug vga=788)
Same thing as booting with no boot parameters, exception instead of the fancy loading screen, I saw penguins and scrolling black text. Same result with the white screen and black cursor.

Does anyone have any advice on this for me? I don't believe it to be a hardware fault, as the server passed a full diagnostic. I haven't had an OS on this prior - the server was bought second hand specifically for Proxmox and has been sitting for a few weeks because of this error. Any help is appreciated.


Thanks!
Diatech

p.s. Other details I forgot to include are that I am installing via a CD in a USB cd/dvd rom. I have no tried the USB option because the link to the opensuse livewriter software needed to created the bootable flash is broken.

 

[diatech]

Bumping in the hopes someone will see this and be able assist.

 

[wahmed]

Is there a RAID in your Proxmox node?

 

[diatech]

Is there a RAID in your Proxmox node?

Yes - I'm not sure if it's onboard or an add in card, but its a PERC RAID controller - I have two identical SATA drives in a RAID 0 config.

 

[wahmed]

I had issues before installing Proxmox on RAID. To make sure that it is the cause of the problem, do you have the option to attach a HDD/SSD directly to the motherboard and try to install Proxmox on it?

 

[diatech]

Yeah. The hard drives are attached to the motherboards anyway - I can just disable RAID. Thanks for the advice, I'll try that tonight and post my results.

 

[cesarpk]

Hi diatech

It is necessary that you know the model of your RAID controller, ie:
Internal Controllers:
PERC S100 (software based) => Not supported by PVE (fake-raid)
PERC S300 (software based) => Not supported by PVE (fake-raid)
PERC H200 (6Gb/s) => Supported by PVE (it isn't a fake-raid)

If you start your server, you can see in the screen the model of RAID controller that you have. Or simply enter to the bios.

 

[diatech]

Hi diatech

It is necessary that you know the model of your RAID controller, ie:
Internal Controllers:
PERC S100 (software based) => Not supported by PVE (fake-raid)
PERC S300 (software based) => Not supported by PVE (fake-raid)
PERC H200 (6Gb/s) => Supported by PVE (it isn't a fake-raid)

If you start your server, you can see in the screen the model of RAID controller that you have. Or simply enter to the bios.

Thanks for pointing that out. After a quick Google, I learned a bit about software raid vs hardware raid vs fake raid.

I deleted the virtual discs in my perc s100 raid controller, and switched the Sata mode to AHCI. Unfortunately, I'm having the same issue. It boots to the boot prompt, I hit enter, then it loads a white screen with a black cursor, nothing happens, and it eventually reboots.

Anything else you could think of?

 

[cesarpk]

Thanks for pointing that out. After a quick Google, I learned a bit about software raid vs hardware raid vs fake raid.

I deleted the virtual discs in my perc s100 raid controller, and switched the Sata mode to AHCI. Unfortunately, I'm having the same issue. It boots to the boot prompt, I hit enter, then it loads a white screen with a black cursor, nothing happens, and it eventually reboots.

Anything else you could think of?

Without know which is the problem, try with these options before of install PVE:
1- In modern DELL servers, the bios have the option "UEFI" and "legacy", try to change this option.
2- Add a VGA card and configure your bios for use it.
3- Test the RAM or all server, or
4- Try install PVE with the same of CD/DVD and same device in other computer

 

[diatech]

Without know which is the problem, try with these options before of install PVE:
1- In modern DELL servers, the bios have the option "UEFI" and "legacy", try to change this option.
2- Add a VGA card and configure your bios for use it.
3- Test the RAM or all server, or
4- Try install PVE with the same of CD/DVD and same device in other computer

Hi cesarpk,

Thanks again for these suggestions. Please see below :

1. Tired both BIOS and UEFI - same result
2. Can you add a VGA card to a rackmount server??
3. A full diagnostic was run on the server (Dell Diag extended test) - all hardware passed.
4. I will try this later at home and edit this post with result. I will also redownload/reburn the ISO and try again in the server.

Lastly, does anyone have a working link to the USB livewirter utility mentioned in the Wiki (used to create a bootable USB drive)? The current link is broken.

Thank you,
Dustin

 

[cesarpk]

Can you add a VGA card to a rackmount server??

1- As PVE is installed in a graphical enviroment, may be that PVE isn't compatible with your graphic card, then the idea is only for discard possibilities, and if the installation was successful, after, you can remove the new graphical card (after the installation, PVE don't need a graphical card, or you can leave it on the server if you like)

2- If your server have as minimum a slot PCIe available, of course that you can add a VGA card

I will try this later at home and edit this post with result. I will also redownload/reburn the ISO and try again in the server.

1- Try to burn your new CD to the more slow speed, after, try copy all files of your CD in other PC.
2- In other models of DELL server, with a USB CD/DVD-RAM of brand LG (which is a very economy brand), i was installing many PVEs successfully, so PVE-3.2 supports the installations since a USB CD/DVD.
3- Try install PVE in the first USB port of your Server (due to that PVE try be installed only since the first USB ports), if you don't know where are the first USB ports, try it in all ports.
4- Also, i believe that you should try install PVE in other PC, only for test and discard that the problem is in the CD or in the USB device, and remember that you can remove a hard disk of your DELL server for put it in other PC only for this test, and the other PC inclusive may be any workstation.

Lastly, does anyone have a working link to the USB livewirter utility mentioned in the Wiki (used to create a bootable USB drive)? The current link is broken.

If you have a MS-Windows machine, try use UltraISO, this is a commercial program with demo of 30 days, but i think that can help you for create a bootable USB drive, i have this program, and for my, it works perfectly for do this task. You can download it in this Web link:
http://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/

Best regards
Cesar