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interactive dashboard does not receive function keys via HPE iLO 4 remote console #12905

@aslafy-z

Description

@aslafy-z

Bug Report

Description

Function keys are not received by the Talos interactive dashboard when using HPE iLO 4 remote console.

I first observed this on an HPE MicroServer Gen8 with iLO 4, and another user confirmed the same behavior on a ProLiant DL380e Gen8 with iLO 4. The problem appears to affect all iLO 4 versions I was able to test, including the latest available one.

What works:

  • Entering BIOS with F9 works through iLO
  • Non-Talos systems tested through similar remote console setups can receive function keys
  • Regular remote console access itself works

What does not work:

  • Inside the Talos interactive dashboard / TUI, function keys such as F2/F3 do not seem to register at all
  • This was tested through:
    • HTML5 remote console
    • Java remote console / JNLP applet
    • iLO virtual keyboard / hotkey options

I also wrote a small patch to display the keys/events Talos receives, and in this setup Talos does not receive anything when those function keys are pressed through iLO:

A Talos maintainer suggested this might be related to the TUI library and asked to retest with the newer implementation in Talos 1.13 alpha. I tested again on 1.13 alpha and still saw no key events.

I could not reproduce the issue with Dell iDRAC, so this looks specific to HPE iLO 4 behavior or to how Talos handles the input coming from it.

There is also at least one report that this happens on cloud provider instances exposing an iLO 4 based remote console, so it may not be tied to one specific physical machine.

Relevant Slack thread:

Logs

Observed behavior:

  • Pressing function keys in the Talos dashboard through iLO 4 produces no visible action
  • With the debug patch above, Talos does not receive any corresponding key events at all

Additional notes:

  • BIOS hotkeys such as F9 do work through the same remote console
  • Tested with multiple input methods in iLO:
    • HTML5 console
    • Java console
    • Virtual keyboard
    • Programmed hotkeys
  • Same general setup does not reproduce on iDRAC

Environment

  • Talos version: v1.12.1 initially tested, v1.12.4 and also reproduced on b551cb9b861f9e96f9b7c123a235d7b020c4b963
  • Platform: HPE iLO 4 remote console (confirmed on HPE MicroServer Gen8 and ProLiant DL380e Gen8)

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