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I just encountered an annoying issue.

When trying to log onto Windows Server Core via ILO using a local account, it is impossible to type a backslash if the server’s keyboard layout is too foreign.

In my case it’s a Swiss keyboard layout. Swiss keyboards apparently have a key between z and left-shift that (in combination with alt-gr, another special key on the Swiss keyboard) types . My American keyboard doesn’t have that key.

I tried:

1. Changing the keyboard layout in the console. This fails because ILO does not, apparently, send shift-alt through to the server.

2. Typing left-alt and 9 and 2 on the numberpad to get ASCII . This fails because Server Core apprently doesn’t support this handy input method. (It acts as if I pressed return.)

3. Using / instead of .

4. Using @servername instead of servername. (Obviously this didn’t work.)

5. Using ILO hotkeys, which apparently cannot send foreign keycodes either. becomes $ (because a Swiss keyboard has $ where an American has ).

6. Calling a colleague with a Swiss keyboard. That worked, but is not practical at all hours.

How did HPE think this should work? What am I overlooking?