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Journal the_mad_poster's Journal: Stupid Technology (Need Help/Recommendation) 11

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I have 2 major boxes at home: a Linux box for 'net access and development, and a Windows box primarily for mp3/DVDs/games. Basically, it's a standalone entertainment box hiding behind the Linux box.

It's easiest for me to just use a KVM switch for these two boxes, and just set up SSH access to any other box on the network I want to work on. That way, I only have to have 1 monitor for the whole network.

Problem: I have a D-Link DKVM-2 switch with 2 ports. It works... OK. That is, I can switch back and forth, but 90% of the time, I lose the mouse on the switch. This is, obviously, a major problem with the Winbox being that it's for gaming (plus MusicMatch's keyboard support is a serious pain in the ass). It's not such a big deal on the linbox since I can just CTRL-ALT-F* out to a text console then back into the GUI I was on and the mouse comes back.

So, the question: Can sombody either

a) Provide me with a way to get the mouse back to life on Windows (I assume it has to do with a polling problem?) or

b) Suggest a decent KVM?

I would be much obliged.

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Stupid Technology (Need Help/Recommendation)

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  • I assume "reboot" is NOT the answer you are looking for... :-)

    Everything I read on the net said unplug it and plug back in. That seems stupid. Should be a software way to do it. Try going to device manager and clicking Scan for New Hardware.

  • Have you tried switching the KVM to the other box, then back again when the mouse doesn't work? Also, is it a USB/PS2/(gasp)Serial mouse?

    • Question 1: yes. I just wind up with no mouse on both :p

      Question 2: PS/2. It just acts as if you unplugged it from the back of the computer (except, I've seen people do that with PS/2 mice on WinXP and it worked ok). I was going to actually try unplugging the KVM cable and plugging it back in, but it's not giving me crap at the moment. The only other thing I can figure is that maybe it's touchy about how the system gets booted.

      • I have the 4-port model of your KVM, but I only run it on text-only servers... actually, I don't think I even bothered hooking up the mouse... so can't be of much more help than this...

        This is from Belkin, but give it a try anyway:
        "Avoid moving the mouse or pressing the mouse button when switching ports on the E-Series KVM switch."

        Also "You can rest the mouse and resume proper mouse movement simply by unplugging the mouse from the front of the [KVM switch] for about 2-3 seconds, and Plugging it back in ag

        • I have the 4-port model of your KVM, but I only run it on text-only servers...

          I also have the 4-port model, and I have used it to switch between Windows, Linux, and Mac OS boxen. The only trouble I've ever run into was when switching to the Mac sometimes, and I suspect that might be some weird interaction between the switch and the PS/2-to-USB adapter (probably should use a PS/2-to-ADB adapter, but those are more expensive and hard to find). When switching between Windows and Linux (either text consol


  • I've mentioned it before, and if you have an extra monitor, it rocks... synergy.

    synergy2.sourceforge.net

    One K, one M, 2 V's. Clipboard across, ssh-tunnelable, etc. Roxors my soxors. :)
  • USB is much more robust about hot-swapping, and at least in some cases can parse PS/2. You can get little USB to PS/2 adapters. No guts, just a physical adapter. Kensington throws one in the box with every trackball, just in case. I assume other manufacturers do as well. Ask around, somebody's gotta have a few laying around. Try plugging your KVM's mouse cable into your USB port. I'd swear I was able to do that in Win98 a while back, so who knows?

  • you didn't specify win version, but there is a reg entry (ummmm...something.somthing.....sermouse) that can be turned on to help prevent this.
    and not moving the mouse when switching ports is rights too.

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