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| Thread ID: 35741 | 2003-07-20 07:14:00 | KWM Switches and Linux | twelvevolts (2623) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 161496 | 2003-07-20 07:14:00 | I have a copy of Mandrake 9.1 on a stand alone PC and a Windows operating system on another stand alone system. Decided to link both using a KVM (manual) switch so that I could use the two computers with one keyboard/monitor/mouse. When I turn both computers on all is well. I switch from linux to windows and everything works. When I switch back to linux the mouse freezes. Only way I can find to fix that is to use the keyboard to log out of the current user, and log back in again as the same/new user. This frees up the mouse and I'm off again until I switch back to windows and back to linux, and the mouse freezes again. Replaced the KVM switch with a new one, tested a different mouse, but the same thing happens. Any ideas how I can overcome the mouse freeze? |
twelvevolts (2623) | ||
| 161497 | 2003-07-20 07:16:00 | That was a typo - should be a KVM switch (keyboard video mouse) | twelvevolts (2623) | ||
| 161498 | 2003-07-20 07:26:00 | does the 2 pc's require software to use the KWM switches? maybe it needs a special driver for the type of mouse you are using |
Patrick 2003 (277) | ||
| 161499 | 2003-07-20 07:36:00 | Curious. The KVM switches have no / need no driver software. They are supposed to replicate the connection to each PC even when switched away. They work fine under Windows here but never tried under Linux. It sounds like the mouse is being lost when going back to Linux. Somehow its not being maintained, I wonder if Linux is too smart and can somehow detect the loss.... |
godfather (25) | ||
| 161500 | 2003-07-20 08:40:00 | I've never used one on these switches, but i am interested. Does it make any difference when you boot the linux machine if the switch is "pointing" at the windows machine? What happens if you do the switch when you are logged out on the Linux box (I presume it would be ok). As a matter of interest, I use a program called vnc to view the Linux desktop on my windows machine so only have one monitor. The slight down side is that as the communication between machines is over a network, screen updating from the virtual screen can be slightly slow. |
Dolby Digital (160) | ||
| 161501 | 2003-07-20 09:48:00 | I use a KVM switch with Red Hat 9/ME on one box and XP on the other . If you are using a manual switch, try waiting until linux has finished booting before switching to the other PC . I just booting up Red Hat with the KVM switch pointing to the XP machine and it didn't seem to mind with my switch . What does Mandrake detect your mouse as? Have a look under Menu, System Settings, Mouse (or similar path depending upon how it is set up) . I only ever "lose" the mouse when I have forgotten to select that PC . My KVM switch is automatic and I use a combination of keys to switch between the PC's and another one actually to select it, otherwise it just keeps switching every 5 seconds between the 2 PC's and the mouse cannot be used . |
Jen C (20) | ||
| 161502 | 2003-07-20 10:54:00 | An automatic switch has emulates the mouse so that the computer will always think that a mouse is connected to it the whole time. I must say that I've never had much luck with a mouse and linux myself. Be it through a KVM or not. |
-=JM=- (16) | ||
| 161503 | 2003-07-20 11:44:00 | I've searched the net and the best suggestion seems to be just to use a second mouse for Linux. Seems this is a common problem with some KVM switches and the Dick Smith variety is obviously the wrong type. I can live with the two mouse suggestion as it is better than two keyboards and two monitors (as I have another computer as well). | twelvevolts (2623) | ||
| 161504 | 2003-07-21 08:00:00 | I started using a DSE KVM switch between my W98 & W2K boxes after my Hyundai monitor died a few weeks back . I have found it necessary to boot each computer separately, with the switch in the relevant position, or the keyboard and mouse will not be recognised . After that it switches 100% reliably from W2K to W98, but about 10% of the time switching from W98 to W2K leaves the mouse frozen . To get around this I have plugged a spare USB mouse into the W2K box and that solved the problem . Seems that maybe the DSE KVM switch is a little suspect, but at $28 I don't think I have too much to complain about . Cheers Billy 8-{) |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 161505 | 2003-07-21 10:35:00 | Yes I think $28 price tag makes the slight inconvenience worth it. A second mouse takes up a lot less space than a second monitor, so it's still a winner really. I also prefer it to partitioning linux/windows on one computer as there always seemed to be problems sooner or later when I last did that. I might tell DSE about the problem though. | twelvevolts (2623) | ||
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