I'm currently running unRAID 6.12.15 on a Dell PE R510 server. Server is connected to a KVM. Booting the unRAID server I see all the typical BIOS/Boot information on the screen. However, once the boot finishes and it loads unRAID, the screen goes blank. Pressing keys on the keyboard do not "wake" it etc. unRAID is up and working just fine and I can connect to the GUI portal. It's just the screen connected to the server. KVM port or cable change does not fix the issue. 

I don't use the server console all that often, but on occasion I do. Not sure if this happened with an upgrade of unRAID or not. Google searches provided some ideas, but did not fix the issue for me.

Anyone have this happen before? Any idea what might be the cause and the fix for this problem?

🦾Hey spyder,

 

It looks like your Unraid server is booting and operating correctly, but the local console display goes blank once Unraid loads. Since you’ve already ruled out issues with the KVM port and cables, here are a few potential causes and solutions to help resolve the issue:

 

Possible Causes & Solutions:

1. Have You Tried Booting Unraid in Terminal Mode or Safe Mode?

Before diving into deeper troubleshooting, I’d recommend testing the following boot options:

 

Terminal Mode:

-When booting Unraid, select "Unraid OS GUI Mode" from the boot menu to see if the display issue is specific to standard boot.

-If the issue persists, try "Unraid OS (Terminal Mode)" to check if the console is functional without the GUI.

 

Safe Mode:

-Try booting into "Unraid OS Safe Mode (No Plugins)" from the Unraid boot menu.

-If the display works in Safe Mode, a plugin may be interfering with the normal console operation.

 

KVM Process:

Access the Unraid Boot Menu:

-From the Unraid WebGUI: Navigate to Main > Boot > Device > Flash > Syslinux Configuration.

-Advanced View: Select "advanced view" in the Syslinux Configuration.

-Select Safe Mode: Choose the "safe mode" option.

-Apply and Reboot: Apply the changes and reboot the system. 

 

Booting to Terminal:

-Unraid Boot Menu: Follow the same process as above to access the Unraid boot menu. 

-Select Terminal: Instead of "safe mode", select the option that allows you to boot to a terminal or command line interface. 

 

2. Terminal/Console Output Disabled or Redirected

-Unraid may be booting without a visible console session due to framebuffer settings or redirection to a serial console.

-Solution: Try switching to a different virtual terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + F1 through Ctrl + Alt + F6 to see if one of them brings the display back.

 

3. GPU/Console Framebuffer Issue

-Some Unraid versions and hardware combinations may have issues displaying the console if the framebuffer (fb) is misconfigured.

-Solution: Try booting with Legacy Mode (CSM) instead of UEFI in the BIOS, or vice versa, if supported. You can also try adding the following boot parameter to your syslinux configuration:

*-----Access the Unraid flash drive via the web GUI (Main > Boot Device > Flash > Syslinux Configuration).

*-----Under the "Unraid OS" section, append the following after append initrd=/bzroot: "nomodeset"

-Save and reboot. This forces Unraid to disable kernel mode setting, which can resolve blank screen issues on some hardware.

 

4. Unraid Console Output to Serial Port

-On Dell PowerEdge servers, the console might be defaulting to a serial output, especially if the iDRAC Serial Console is enabled.

-Solution: Check your BIOS settings:

*-----Disable Serial Console Redirection in BIOS.

*-----Disable Redirection After Boot in the iDRAC settings if applicable.

*-----Ensure the primary video output is set to VGA or Integrated Video instead of serial.

 

5. BIOS/Unraid Version Compatibility

-Some firmware versions on Dell servers may not play well with newer Unraid versions regarding console output.

-Solution: Consider updating your BIOS and iDRAC firmware to the latest versions available from Dell’s support site.

 

6. Corrupt Boot or GUI Mode Issue

-If the system is attempting to load a GUI but fails, it may result in a blank screen.

-Solution: If you haven't already, try booting into Safe Mode (as mentioned above) to rule out plugin interference.

 

Other Steps:

If none of the above solutions resolve the issue, you may want to:

-Check Unraid logs by connecting via SSH (ssh root@server-ip) and running: "dmesg | grep -i video"

-This may provide hints about display issues.

-Try connecting a different monitor directly to the server.

-If using a discrete GPU, test with the integrated VGA output.

 

I’ve included a few different troubleshooting steps that should help diagnose and resolve the issue. Hopefully, one of these solutions restores your console visibility! If you’re still experiencing problems or need further assistance, feel free to share any updates, I'll check back as much as I can.

Best & Success,

-DirtyDarrell

Thank you for the suggestions. I will check on these shortly. I'm thinking it has something to do with a configuration or change with an update. I have not made any changes to the physical server for some time. BIOS is the same. No additional memory or other cards installed. It was running fine for well over a year.

I'll see if any of your suggestions point me to a solution. thx

2 hours ago, spyder99 said:

Thank you for the suggestions. I will check on these shortly. I'm thinking it has something to do with a configuration or change with an update. I have not made any changes to the physical server for some time. BIOS is the same. No additional memory or other cards installed. It was running fine for well over a year.

I'll see if any of your suggestions point me to a solution. thx

Sounds like a solid plan! If it's been running fine for over a year with no hardware changes, an update or config tweak does seem like the likely culprit. Hopefully, one of the suggestions helps pinpoint the issue.

Best of luck with the troubleshooting, hope one of these steps gets you back up and running! Keep me posted on what you find and if you hit a roadblock, I’m happy to help brainstorm more solutions.

Cheers & Best,

-DirtyDarrell

Please post the diagnostics, also does the image only goes way at the end or the boot, or during boot, when it's still loading stuff?
 

I shutdown the server and booted in GUI mode and that works. Brought me to a GUI UNRAID login prompt. So, I'm guessing something is not correct with the Unraid OS Syslinux configuration. That configuration only has the following options:
 

kernel /bzimage
append initrd=/bzroot

Since GUI mode worked, I didn't try any of the other boot options, like Safe Mode. What would cause the standard mode to not work?

10 hours ago, spyder99 said:

kernel /bzimage
append initrd=/bzroot

That's normal, post a photo showing where the boot stops.