Strange ESX Console Behaviour

I usually use a web interface to our KVM system. It can be a little bit clunky with ESX Server, especially since v3.5, but generally does the job.

A colleague built a new ESX server out in our DMZ and we were having some problems accessing it. The fireWall was being just a tad too restrictive. Strike that. It was being completely restrictive.

Anyhow, I was using the Web interface, but the ESX login seemed to be frozen. Alt-F1 & Alt-F11 worked, but nothing else.

I walked into the server room and used the console directly attached to the KVM system in there. Same problem!

I attached a keyboard and monitor directly to the server!! A complete PITA. Same Problem!
My colleague was being to get worried he'd built the server incorrectly.

I added an USB Keyboard to the system. Same Problem!

Whilst pondering what to do I randomly turned the Scroll, Num and Function Lock keys off and hit enter. Eureka!! It worked!!

After some experimenting, it turns out that the Scroll Lock was the problem. Which is a slight issue when double--click is the action that brings up the KVM server list!

Back at my desk I googled for ESX and Scroll Lock and there were two interesting posts. They both came from VMware's own community pages, with the more interesting being spot on! Although the other perhaps provides some explanation?!

Well! That's that!