SOLVED FreeNAS Mini - Remote Console OSX Java Issue

[jasn]

Everything was working fine accessing the Remote Console on my FreeNAS Mini from my OSX 10.10 system. At some point, (probably during a Java upgrade), the Remote Console JViewer applet stopped working correctly. I'd upgraded to the recommended Java 8 Update 60 JRE, and I'm guessing it's either incompatible, or there's some Java setting that's not set correctly. In this IPMI document from ASRock's website, it states in section 3.6.1 Console Redirection, on page 39;

"NOTE: A compatible JRE must be installed in the system prior to the launch of the JNLP file."

So the question is, what are the compatible JREs and versions for the ASRock Java Applets? You can only have one JRE on an OSX system at one time, and I can't downgrade the JRE so these applets can run. So either ASRock updates their IPMI BMC firmware, (I'm on the current 0.23.0), to update the applets for running with newer JREs, or I'm going to have to run VirtualBox and a VM in order to run these applets.

Version Info:
BMC Firmware: 0.23.0
KVM Remote Console Utility: 1.114.0
java version "1.8.0_60"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_60-b27)

Any other ideas are welcome.

Jason

 

[dlavigne]

Are you able to access it using another operating system? One of our developers mentioned he was never able to get it to work at all from his Mac.

 

[jasn]

I did have it working from my OSX system. However it looks like a Java update broke it. I'm just not sure which one. I have not tried it from another system, but I may have to do this as a workaround.

 

[fta]

It works for me. I do Remote Control -> Console Redirection, then click the Java Console button. It downloads a .jnlp and I open it and run it. I think there is some security setting in Safari that prevents the .jnlp from downloading so I use Chrome (Firefox works as well) to do it. Note that it needs an X11 server. I have XQuartz installed as my X11 server.

Code:

[18:10:40][macbook ~]$"/Library/Internet Plug-ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/Contents/Home/bin/java" -version
java version "1.8.0_60"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_60-b27)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.60-b23, mixed mode)

 

[jasn]

Thanks fta.

As I mentioned, I had it working originally, but after some OS and Java updates, it had stopped working. So after you posted that it's working on your system using the same version of Java that I have on my system, I looked at my system components again. I had already de-installed/re-installed the Java update, which didn't change anything, the only thing I hadn't tried was reinstalling XQuartz. So after your post, I reinstalled XQuartz and the remote console utility started working correctly again.

I guess that after I upgraded the OS on my systems, (one from OSX 10.10 to 10.11, and another from OSX 10.9 to 10.10), I didn't realize that XQuartz would have to be reinstalled in order for the Java applet to start working again. This wasn't obvious because after my OS updates, the XQuartz app worked fine, but apparently some applet related part of the XQuartz installation had broke during the OS update. (as best as I can figure it)

Jason

 

[TooMuchData]

I researched jViewer problems for many days before finding the XQuartz fix with the help of ASRock support. The sole purpose of this post is to add the term "jViewer" to the thread in hopes of helping some other FreeNAS appreciator.

This is a great forum with extraordinarily helpful people.