Hi Tony,

This was a simple install of the current COS 7.

I'm generally familiar with IPMI and the SOC for it...I just mentioned that as a common factor in all the problematic boards in case it struck a note. Especially since it contains a VGA solution. The installation seems to be generally working, but I don't trust it given the odd video symptoms and earlier instability.

I have always been suspicious that the OEM engineers never seem to be able to explain to me when the VGA solution on chip is used, and when the integrated VGA on the CPU is used. I think this is somehow part of the mess I keep encountering.

I'm not clear on the relevance of that video driver for specific Intel boards to mine...can you explain?

I follow regarding blacklisting drivers, kernel parameters, etc. but wouldn't have a clue where to begin determining that.

Thanks,
Drew

Tony Ellis wrote:

IMPI is very useful - see, for example, Here for software and a desciption... It has been around since about 2001 - ipmitool.x86_64 version 1.8.18-7.el7 is available from clearos-centos as is OpenIPMI-modalias-2.0.23-2.el7.x86_64.

Might be worthwhile doing a quick simple install of the current CentOS Version 7 - if that works OK, then it is something about ClearOS that is tripping you up... but read below first.

ASpeed is not just a chipset - it is a SoC - a complete ARM processor system that runs independently of the main processor, usually with its own NIC for remote access, which monitors the main system, performs a number of useful functions such as powering up the main system, remote installing an OS on the main system, monitoring the main system health such as temperature, fans etc. Very useful for enterprise administrators to control systems all over the world from a central location. The graphics in the SoC is very basic - 2D only. ASpeed have a driver to get the best from the graphics for some OS... Intel also supplies a special graphics driver for its server boards when using Redhat V7 - see Here for an older (v7.3) sample giving an idea of the requirements...

Note also that some servers may require setting certain kernel parameters eg "acpi=force" or black-listing a driver...

Sorry - cannot be of much more help. I have been retired now for over 5 years and no longer "in the game". However, if you want to run server hardware and use all its fuctions, you probably need to be a "server" admininstator