Unable to boot into GUI Mode

[JustKev85]

Hi I'm new to unRAID and new to the forum, I'm just beginning to explore the possibilities of unRAID and it's very exciting! However just encountering a few small bugs that I'm not sure how to get past.

 

To start off I'm unable to boot into GUI mode with the monitor connected to the server, it just shows a flashing underscore on the top left of the screen. I am however able to access the webUI via another computer on the network and the server runs just fine. 

 

I do wish to use Windows VM with a monitor on the unRAID server with the monitor connected to it, and I know it's possible to boot into GUI mode to do that. Is there a config I'm missing? What diagnostic should I provide. Appreciate the help, thanks! 

 

unRAID OS version 6.5.3

[Frank1940]

I am not completely sure what problem you are having.  Are you simply trying to boot to the GUI mode because you want to see if it works?  Or do you have a specific reason that you need to do it?  (The principal reason for using the Console GUI mode is to solve network problems.)   

 

As I read your post, it appears that you can access the GUI from another computer using a web browser.  If this is true, you will be able to do exactly the same things using that interface that you can from the Console GUI.  In fact, that is the preferred method as there are some real security issues if you use the console GUI to access the Internet!   

 

Your server has to meet certain hardware requirements in order to pass the GPU through to a VM.  You should first  check to see  if you hardware meets  the basic compatibility criteria by clicking on the Info option on the GUI menu.  You will be looking at the HMV: and IOMMU:  results.  Many times these can be turned on in the BIOS if they are disabled.  For further information on hardware, you can read this information here:

 

        http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/UnRAID_Manual_6#Determining_HVM.2FIOMMU_Hardware_Support

 

  If you don't find your hardware listed, ask about your hardware as the list is not always current.  This is particularly true is you have recent hardware.  

Edited August 17, 2018 by Frank1940

[JustKev85]

Thanks for the response! My problem is that I simply could not access boot into the console GUI mode using the server machine. Let's say I don't have another computer to access the GUI via network, and I just want to access the server and make changes via the server machine itself, is that supposed to be possible? What do I do with that "flashing underscore" on my monitor? (attached photo) 

 

I am aware of the requirements for VM, I dont have a problem on that yet. But you mentioned that It's a security risk to access the internet via console GUI, could you elaborate on that? Even if I access internet via a VM using console GUI? 

 

Thanks for your help! 

 

 

[Frank1940]

2 hours ago, JustKev85 said:

What do I do with that "flashing underscore" on my monitor? (attached photo) 

 

OK, What do you see when the server is booting up?  You should be seeing the 'Splash' screen of the MB BIOS followed by the unRAID Boot Menu which stays for about ten-to-twenty seconds, followed by a couple of hundred lines of text as Linux is being installed.  IF you are NOT seeing this, there is something with the Video setup.  Double check that you are connected to the proper connectors on your MB.  (Double check that your MB/CPU combination will actually provide a Video output as unRAID does not actually require a video connection to run!  I almost hesitate to mention this but more than one person has been bitten --- including me--- by this.  I have seen MB's that contain video ports that are not usable unless you pick a CPU with a GPU designed into them.)

 

2 hours ago, JustKev85 said:

But you mentioned that It's a security risk to access the internet via console GUI, could you elaborate on that?

 

unRAID does not have any firewall, anti-virus or malware software installed as a feature. I don't believe that the version of Firefox that is used has any real security features.  You would be entering a world of predators completely without any type of protection.   You are safe as long as you just using the website that is a part of the unRAID GUI as you never even leave the server.  The danger starts as soon as you type "www" on the URL box...

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by Frank1940

[JustKev85]

1 hour ago, Frank1940 said:

OK, What do you see when the server is booting up?

I see the boot menu and everything, including the hundreds of lines of codes of the server booting up. The server boots successfully and server is up and running no problem, I just don't have a GUI output from the baremetal machine after it boots. The "Flashing Underscore" happens and stays like that after the server boots. My MB and CPU combo (MSI H110i Pro & i7 6700K) contains an iGPU and I'm using an HDMI output from the MB, so the problem is not there (or else I wouldn't be able to see the boot menu at all) 

 

1 hour ago, Frank1940 said:

The danger starts as soon as you type "www" on the URL box...

Ah I see, makes sense. If I access the internet via a Windows 10 VM through the server it should be fine right? Since windows contains firewall & defender and other protection features. 

[Frank1940]

OK, It is not anything really simple.  I would now suggest that you get a get a diagnostics file from the server.  You can do this two ways.

 

First way, from the GUI.  go to    TOOLS   >>>>    Diagnostics    That will generate and save the diagnostic zip file to the download folder/directory for your browser on your PC.

 

Second Way.  Use an SSH session and log onto the server to the Command line interface.  Now type    diagnostics  at the prompt. This will write the file to the   logs  directory on the flash/boot drive.  Put the flash drive into your PC and copy it off.  

 

Which ever way you get the file upload it in your next post.  

[John_M]

From your description is looks as though the text-based part of the boot sequence is displaying normally but the problem happens when the output switches to graphical mode. Try the nomodeset tweak here:

 

 

[sse450]

I have exactly the same problem with my new server. All works except boot to GUI. I tried the "nomodeset" solution as referenced above but still no GUI. 

 

As a summary:

1. I can access to unRAID by ssh and browser from another PC on lan

2. I see all the boot up lines after selecting the second menu option (GUI) of unRAID

3. In the end a dash blinks  in the upper left corner on a blank screen

 

Please find attached the diagnostics file.

tower-diagnostics-20180818-0128.zip

[Vr2Io]

Does boot in UEFI ? Anyway pls try enable CSM（Compatibility support Module） in mainboard BIOS even boot in UEFI mode.

[sse450]

Thank you, Benson directing me to UEFI. My boot was UEFI. Couldn't find anything like CSM in UEFI options. Instead, there is "UEFI Optimized Boot" which was enabled by default. I disabled it and bingo! It is now booting to GUI.

 

Also, deleted "nomodeset" from unRAID menu entries as there is no need in my case.

 

All the best.

[Vr2Io]

1 hour ago, sse450 said:

Thank you, Benson directing me to UEFI. My boot was UEFI. Couldn't find anything like CSM in UEFI options. Instead, there is "UEFI Optimized Boot" which was enabled by default. I disabled it and bingo! It is now booting to GUI.

 

Also, deleted "nomodeset" from unRAID menu entries as there is no need in my case.

 

All the best.

Also good to know this BIOS setting may affect too.

[Frank1940]

Did any of this help @JustKev85's problem?

[JustKev85]

4 hours ago, Frank1940 said:

Did any of this help @JustKev85's problem?

Yes! OMG it was my boot setting the whole time! a "Windows 8.1/10 WHQL Support" was the culprit, I turned it off and it works! I think disabling that setting turned on Legacy boot, prob was only UEFI boot before. The MB bios wasnt very clear so was somewhat confusing. 

 

Thanks everyone for the help!

[EricM]

Does anyone have a more detailed description on what setting i am looking for in my bios. I dont find any setting with csm oder uefi optimized boot, i dont know where i can find this settings. 

 

I do have an ASRock B450M Pro 4 Mainboard.

 

Got the same problem as @JustKev85and @Vr2Io

 

Thank you 

[cut_chemist]

@EricM Had the same thing setting up a ASRock B450M Pro 4 - chage the boot settings to USB:<your memorystick> from UEFI:<yourmemorystick>

That worked for me. Hopefully you'd got it sorted by now anyway!

[EricM]

@cut_chemistSo that it doesn't boot into UEFI Mode? I will try that

 

Edited May 16, 2021 by EricM

[Licardo]

On 8/18/2018 at 12:58 AM, JustKev85 said:

Thanks for the response! My problem is that I simply could not access boot into the console GUI mode using the server machine. Let's say I don't have another computer to access the GUI via network, and I just want to access the server and make changes via the server machine itself, is that supposed to be possible? What do I do with that "flashing underscore" on my monitor? (attached photo) 

 

I am aware of the requirements for VM, I dont have a problem on that yet. But you mentioned that It's a security risk to access the internet via console GUI, could you elaborate on that? Even if I access internet via a VM using console GUI? 

 

Thanks for your help! 

 

 

Same problem!!

1. CSM enabled

2. EUFI and LEGACY boot enabled

3. No UEFI Optimized Boot in my bios

 

Really don't know what to do.

 

[RifleJock]

Looks like I still have this problem as well...

I had thought it was just my hardware, seen with UEFI and Legacy, I've tried every CSM variation in my bios, even trying older and newer bios's.

Asus z10pe-d16 ws.

Board ended up dying a while back, and I ended up upgrading to the Asus PRO WS wrx80e SAGE SE WIFI, this uses a similar IPMI and BMC setup as the previous board, both used an ASPEED (VGA compatible controller: ASPEED Technology, Inc. ASPEED Graphics Family (rev 41)) This one being a newer revision.

Not sure what I'm missing. I hadn't tried other modes, but I suspect that CSM usage and legacy boot will allow the gui to work once again. (version 6.9.2)

cryzen-diagnostics-20211022-0913.zip cryzen-diagnostics-20211024-1119.zip

[ShadowLeague]

On 10/24/2021 at 8:31 AM, RifleJock said:

Looks like I still have this problem as well...

I had thought it was just my hardware, seen with UEFI and Legacy, I've tried every CSM variation in my bios, even trying older and newer bios's.

Asus z10pe-d16 ws.

Board ended up dying a while back, and I ended up upgrading to the Asus PRO WS wrx80e SAGE SE WIFI, this uses a similar IPMI and BMC setup as the previous board, both used an ASPEED (VGA compatible controller: ASPEED Technology, Inc. ASPEED Graphics Family (rev 41)) This one being a newer revision.

Not sure what I'm missing. I hadn't tried other modes, but I suspect that CSM usage and legacy boot will allow the gui to work once again. (version 6.9.2)

cryzen-diagnostics-20211022-0913.zip 82.72 kB · 0 downloads cryzen-diagnostics-20211024-1119.zip 121.31 kB · 0 downloads

How's that wrx80e working for you? Any issues?

[RifleJock]

On 11/9/2021 at 1:20 AM, ShadowLeague said:

How's that wrx80e working for you? Any issues?

It's doing pretty well, though one major issue, can't run a GPU in PCIE slot one, New bios update came out yesterday, was going to do some testing again on it.

Having GPU in slot one, board fails to do resets correct. Luckily, managed to get SLI working still using slot 3 and 7. Find it weird that slot 7 is hardware id 1:00:00. Additionally, raw windows 10 thinks the same, that the bottom gpu ends up being the primary. Doing research on other sites about the slot resets failing, I managed to find that it's apparently due to the chipset drivers, AMD has the version that supposedly fixes it labeled as Beta, so Asus doesn't officially include them in the bios updates. They are still using the lastest full release, which has been known to cause issues on Ryzen Threadrippers on gaming boards (which have the beta drivers as a beta bios) as well as the Threadripper Pros. Recommend using another item in the slot 1 as a work around.

Anyways, I had once also though that the microSD card slot on the board would work for passthrough. While it did technically, I ended up confusing the licensing as this slot is IPMI passable. As well as some virtual USB's that you can upload files to using the web-ui for the board management.

Was weird, because having the system boot, it would change the GUID of the microSD card slot every boot, and additionally, if I installed my valid USB, the licensing would see it correctly, and think its writing to the usb flash drive, but would actually write to the SD card (which showed up as flash). But os would see the usb's capacity and licensing.

Other than that, or and the Kernel not showing a supported CPU on boot, it all has been working okay I suppose. Lots of troubleshooting for sure, and 6.10 rc2 is allowing the gui to work in UEFI boot, and tpm2.0 passthrough works as well. both cpu based and motherboard/hardware based.

DM me or something if you have more detail questions or are interested in the board, can do some testing for you.

[Digital Shamans]

On 5/8/2021 at 7:58 PM, cut_chemist said:

@EricM Had the same thing setting up a ASRock B450M Pro 4 - chage the boot settings to USB:<your memorystick> from UEFI:<yourmemorystick>

That worked for me. Hopefully you'd got it sorted by now anyway!

 Thanks man!

This solved the issue also for me, where Unraid was not loading GUI and being sort of stuck on blinking underscore in the top-left.
OS files loaded up correctly and Unraid was accessible via MyServer, just no GUI.