Troubleshooting
This section covers common issues you might encounter during the setup and installation process.
Issue: Server does not boot from installation media
Possible Cause 1: The BIOS boot order is incorrect.
Solution: Reboot the server, enter the BIOS setup, and ensure your installation media (e.g., "USB Hard Disk" or the device corresponding to the virtual media) is set as Boot Option #1.
Possible Cause 2: The virtual media ISO is not mounted correctly in the BMC.
Solution: Log in to the BMC web interface, navigate to the Virtual media page, and confirm that the ISO file shows a "Success" or "Connected" status. If not, unmount and remount the file.
Issue: Cannot access the BMC web interface
Possible Cause 1: Incorrect IP address.
Solution: Double-check the IP address obtained from the
ifconfigcommand in the serial console. Ensure you are usinghttps://if the interface requires a secure connection.
Possible Cause 2: Network connectivity issue.
Solution: Verify the network cable is securely connected to the dedicated BMC management port on the server and to your network switch or laptop. Ping the BMC's IP address from another device on the same subnet to test connectivity.
Issue: Default BMC password does not work
Possible Cause: The password was changed previously and not documented.
Solution: Contact your system administrator to check if a new standard password has been set for this device. If the password is lost, you may need to follow the hardware manufacturer's procedure for resetting the BMC to factory defaults.
Issue: OS installer does not find any hard drives
Possible Cause: The OS installer is missing the necessary driver for the server's storage controller (e.g., a specific RAID card or NVMe controller).
Solution: Download the correct storage driver from the server manufacturer's support website. During the OS installation (this is common in Windows Server), look for an option to Load driver. Provide the driver files via a separate USB drive or another virtual media slot to allow the installer to detect the drives. For Linux, you may need a more recent kernel version or a specific distribution that includes the required driver.
Issue: Installation fails midway with an error
Possible Cause 1: Corrupted installation media.
Solution: The ISO file may have been corrupted during download. Re-download the ISO and verify its integrity using its MD5 or SHA256 checksum, if provided. Then, re-create your bootable media or re-mount the ISO in the BMC.
Possible Cause 2: Hardware failure.
Solution: A failing RAM module or hard drive can cause random installation errors. Most server BIOS include built-in hardware diagnostic tools. Reboot the server and look for an option like Diagnostics or Hardware Test to check the system's memory and disks.
Issue: OS installed, but no network connection
Possible Cause: The installed OS does not have a built-in driver for the server's network interface card (NIC).
Solution: From another computer, visit the server manufacturer's support website and download the correct network drivers for your specific OS version. Transfer the drivers to the server using a USB drive. Once transferred, run the driver installer or use the operating system's device manager to manually install the driver.
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