The iLO remote console gives you the server's screen, keyboard and mouse from a browser, and iLO virtual media presents an ISO or image file to the server as a USB CD/DVD or floppy drive. Together they let you install an OS, enter the System Utilities or repair a server that will not boot, without going to the data centre. This guide covers ProLiant Gen10/Gen10 Plus (iLO 5) and Gen11 (iLO 6); the web menu names below are the same in both user guides.
Before you start
- An iLO account with the Remote Console privilege, plus Virtual Media and Virtual Power and Reset if you will mount media and reboot. See iLO first-time setup.
- Remote Console and Virtual Media enabled under Security > Access Settings (both are enabled by default; default ports TCP 17990 and TCP 17988).
- An iLO Advanced licence for most non-blade use (see the next section).
- The ISO on your PC, or on a web server on the same network as iLO for URL-based media.
What needs an iLO Advanced licence
From the HPE iLO 5 and iLO 6 licensing guides:
| Feature | iLO Standard | iLO Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated Remote Console (graphical) | Pre-OS only, except BL and WS servers | Yes |
| Virtual media through the Remote Console | BL and WS servers only | Yes |
| Scripted or URL-based virtual media | No | Yes |
| Text-based Remote Console (Textcons) | No | Yes |
| Remote Console record and playback | No | Yes |
In practice: on a rack server with iLO Standard you can watch POST and use the System Utilities, but the console stops once the OS starts and you cannot mount an ISO. A free 90-day trial licence can be applied once per server.
Choose a console
| Console | Where it runs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HTML5 integrated remote console | Any supported browser | iLO 5 and iLO 6. The usual choice. |
| .NET integrated remote console | Windows, .NET Framework 4.5.1 or later | Starts through Microsoft ClickOnce. Chrome and Firefox do not support it; HPE suggests Edge, where ClickOnce is an experimental flag. |
| Java integrated remote console | Windows or Linux with a JRE | Listed in the iLO 5 user guide only. |
| HTML5 standalone console / HPLOCONS | Browser / Windows desktop | Opens the console without the iLO web interface. |
Do not run the remote console from the host OS of the same server. The UID LED flashes while a console session is active.
Step 1 — Open the HTML5 remote console
- Log in to the iLO web interface and click Remote Console & Media in the navigation tree. The Launch tab opens.
- Click HTML5 Console to open it inside the iLO page, or New Window to open it in a window you can move to another monitor.
- If someone else is using the console, iLO tells you so; follow the on-screen prompt to request it from that user.
In new-window or standalone mode the console starts inside your iLO web session. If that web session ends, the console disconnects and you must reconnect.
Step 2 — Mount the ISO
Option A: an ISO on your PC
- In the HTML5 console, click the Virtual Media icon and select CD/DVD > Local *.iso file (or Floppy > Local *.img file).
- Browse to the file and click Open.
Keep the console open: the image is streamed from your PC. HPE recommends images on the client's local disk or on a fast network drive for best performance.
Option B: an ISO on a web server (URL-based)
- Click Remote Console & Media, then the Virtual Media tab.
- In Connect CD/DVD-ROM, enter the image address in Virtual Media URL. HPE accepts an FQDN, an IPv4 or IPv6 address, or an FTP URL.
- Tick Boot on Next Reset if the server should boot from this image only once. iLO ejects it automatically on the second reboot so the server does not boot it twice.
- Click Insert Media.
You can also mount a URL from the console: Virtual Media > CD/DVD > Virtual Media URL, enter the URL and click Apply. URL media does not light the console's drive activity indicator, so do not wait for it.
Step 3 — Boot from the virtual drive
If you did not use Boot on Next Reset, set a one-time boot:
- Click Administration, then the Boot Order tab.
- In Select One-Time Boot Option, choose CD/DVD Drive and click Apply.
- In the console, open the menu and choose an option from the Power menu (for example Reset), then confirm. This needs the Virtual Power and Reset privilege.
Other one-time options in UEFI mode include Intelligent Provisioning, HTTP Boot, Embedded UEFI Shell and Embedded iPXE. Floppy images can be mounted but are not bootable.
Step 4 — Finish and eject
When the install or repair is done, disconnect the drive from the server OS first, then use Virtual Media > CD/DVD > Force Eject Media in the console, or eject it on the Virtual Media tab. Stopping the device in the OS first avoids an "unsafe device removal" warning.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Cause and fix (from the HPE user guides) |
|---|---|
| Console works in POST, goes blank or refuses to open after the OS boots | Non-blade server without iLO Advanced: the graphical console is pre-OS only. Install a licence. |
| .NET console: "Cannot Start Application - Application download did not succeed" | ClickOnce does not trust the iLO certificate while "IRC requires a trusted certificate" is enabled. Trust the iLO certificate or use the HTML5 console. |
| Console or virtual media drops for a few seconds during boot | Shared Network Port: iLO is briefly unreachable while NIC drivers load. Use the dedicated iLO port. |
| Error when ticking Boot on Next Reset | The server is in POST, when the boot order cannot change. Wait for POST to finish and try again. |
| Cannot attach a second image | Only one device of each type can be connected; a virtual floppy/USB key and a virtual folder count as the same type. |
| Console button missing or console port not reachable | Remote Console is disabled in Security > Access Settings, or TCP 17990 is blocked between you and iLO. |
HPE states virtual media supports ISO images up to 8 TB, and virtual folders up to 2 GB.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install an OS through iLO without an iLO Advanced licence?
On non-blade ProLiant servers, virtual media through the remote console and URL-based virtual media are iLO Advanced features, and the graphical console is pre-OS only with iLO Standard. HPE's licensing guide lists these as Standard only on BL and WS servers.
Which console should I use on iLO 6?
The HTML5 integrated remote console works in a supported browser on any client. The .NET console needs Windows, .NET 4.5.1 or later and ClickOnce.
Checklist
- Licence checked: iLO Advanced installed if you need the console after OS boot or virtual media.
- Remote Console and Virtual Media enabled; your account has the needed privileges.
- HTML5 console opened from Remote Console & Media > Launch.
- ISO mounted (local or URL) and Boot on Next Reset or a one-time boot set.
- Media ejected when finished.
- For guided OS installs, see Intelligent Provisioning.
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