Bug#509662: graphical splash screen not iLO compatible
Frans Pop <elendil@planet.nl> writes:
> On Friday 26 December 2008, Daniel Pocock wrote:
>
>>>> When someone is accessing a server remotely using a HP iLO, they may
>>>> not have the iLO licensed for graphical modes (extra license fees
>>>> have to be paid to HP)
>>>>
>>>> Alternatively, someone may be using a serial port for remote access
>>>> (e.g. through a Cisco 2511 with multiple async ports)
>>>
>>> This issue is covered in the Installation Guide
>>> http://www.debian.org/releases/lenny/i386/ch05s01.html.en#boot-screen
>>
>> Thanks for pointing that out - the page correctly describes the issues.
>> However, the instructions given there don't work for an iLO - blindly
>> pressing keystrokes doesn't seem to work.
>
> Strange. It was tested by someone with access to iLO boxes.
> Dann: could you retest this please?
This is the same with Dell Remote Access Cards: at least some versions
only support text mode, and what is worse, they don't even forward
keystrokes while "waiting for video text mode". So up to the ISOLinux
banner everything is fine, then you get a blank screen and no
interaction at all.
This is indeed very easy to work around when using netboot, but
extremely annoying when booting from CD. And the solution is only and
ESC away...
One possible solution I can think of is having a couple of seconds
timeout before loading vesamenu.c32, which an alert user could use to
load menu.c32 instead, like this:
$ cd debian-installer/i386/boot-screens
$ mv syslinux.cfg graphical.cfg
$ cat >syslinux.cfg
prompt 1
timeout 30
default graphical
say ---------------------------------------------------
say Enter 'text' or wait 3 seconds for a graphical menu
label graphical
config debian-installer/i386/boot-screens/graphical.cfg
label text
config debian-installer/i386/boot-screens/text.cfg
$ sed s/vesa// graphical.cfg >text.cfg
The exithelp.cfg is pretty much mistaken (kernel and config exclude each
other), but that's a minor point.
I lightly tested the above with git syslinux components put into the
netboot image of the Alpha1 Squeeze installer, and liked the result.
What do you think?
--
Cheers,
Feri.
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