KVM switch + Windows 7 creates monitor switching nightmare

Anonymous
2009-10-29T16:44:18+00:00

I have a problem with Windows 7 and my KVM switch (Iogear model# gcs1764) which is makes switching via KVM an absolute nightmare.  The iogear KVM does not use drivers nor are any available on their website.

Here's what happens:

I switch from Win 7 (2 monitors) to XP (1 monitor) via KVM.  When I switch back to Win 7 (2 monitors) sometimes Win 7 will throw my desktop to the 2nd monitor (1st monitor goes blank) and opening up display settings only shows the 2nd monitor as existing.  It's as if the 1st monitor is now unplugged which it isn't.  At this point I have to go into display settings, click Detect, and then it re-detects my 1st monitor and "extends" my desktop back out over 2 monitors.  All windows have now been thrown to my 1st monitor and i have to rearrange all my work back across 2 monitors.  This is why KVM switching in Win 7 makes my work life a living nightmare.  This isn't all of it either...

When everything gets thrown to my first monitor, it takes any windows that were maximized and resizes them to about 1/4 my screen size.  Due to compatibility issues between Win 7 and SQL Server Management Studio, Management Studio has a redraw bug that doesn't "re-size" the query window correctly.  So even though I maximize the app, when I start typing in the query window my text disappears about 1/4 the way across the whole window.  The only way to fix this is to save all my work, close the app, and then re-open the app with all my work.  So basically every time I switch computers there's about a 1/5 chance I have rinse and repeat everything I just typed above.  Fun times.

So are there any future fixes planned for this?  I have tried everything and nothing fixes this problem.  I have all the latest Nvidia drivers (my card: Nvidia GTS 250).

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-01-23T18:49:37+00:00

    Well sorry to say this but the EDID_OVERRIDE registry hack which was working for me, suddenly stopped working! :(

    what is strange to me is that based on what i see in the registry, i shouldnt even be having the problem. I have two devices in the Display key. One is my Dell 2408WFP and the other is called KVM2004, both have identical EDID information, identical resolutions etc. yet when i switch away from that system it is now always resizing and repositioning all my windows because it has reverted to some LOW resolution whilst i was away!

    This problem and YES I DO CALL IT A PROBLEM, is so annoying, i fear i may need to fall back to Vista since i have a GPT partition and XP will not work. 

    This really sux!

    EDIT: Well i discovered that for some reason the VNC 'fix' which had been somewhat of a workaround, had somehow during one of my KVM switches away, reverted to a resolution of 1024x768.  Using VNC i set the resolution to 1920x1200 and all is well with me again. Why it reverted however is a mystery and i am sure part and parcel of the problem MS has thrown into the laps of thousands of KVM users along with a recommendation we go purchase switches which are compatible with their Operating System.  Yes i know this is not only a KVM issue, but in my case it is and i want a REAL fix.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-01-23T09:37:38+00:00

    Well it seems Microsoft is getting record O/S sales with Windows 7, so it looks like the disatisfaction of the minority here isn't worth the minimal PR it would take for a tech to drop by and say

    "Hey, I see the problems you guys are having. It's not top of our list but we want to get this sorted out, please bear with us while we research the problem."

    or something similar to indicate the problem is acknowledged and in need of a solution to appease us.

    Kind of disssapointing that a problem as plain as day as this can't penetrate the Microsoft machine - even with all the Microsoft support staff frequenting here.

    They know about it and don't know how to fix it without violating DRM contracts.  Remember who we are dealing with here.  IP protection far outweighs usability.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-01-23T07:50:13+00:00

    Hi Trees,

    Did the VGA experiment reveal anything?

    The disconnected-connected sounds Emre is hearing when powering on the monitor makes me wonder if there's something besides just EDID polling going on.

    Apparently DVI has a dedicated pin for hot plug detection, so perhaps it could somehow be involved. It could explain why the EDID override trick is not working. Perhaps the EDID is always correct, but the hot plug pin state changes when powering on the monitor, making Windows think the monitor is temporarily unplugged. The "Plug and Play Specification" over here may hold some more clues:

    http://www.ddwg.org/lib/dvi_10.pdf

    My guess is the MS support staff is just as or even more clueless than we are. They are only allowed to use approved replies from the database, and they've already done that. The software engineers that would instantly understand what we are talking about don't read these forums, and even if they did they would not be allowed to comment.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-01-23T06:18:35+00:00

    Well it seems Microsoft is getting record O/S sales with Windows 7, so it looks like the disatisfaction of the minority here isn't worth the minimal PR it would take for a tech to drop by and say

    "Hey, I see the problems you guys are having. It's not top of our list but we want to get this sorted out, please bear with us while we research the problem."

    or something similar to indicate the problem is acknowledged and in need of a solution to appease us.

    Kind of disssapointing that a problem as plain as day as this can't penetrate the Microsoft machine - even with all the Microsoft support staff frequenting here.

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  5. Anonymous
    2010-01-23T00:46:04+00:00

    Kind of the same problem here with a DVI KVM and two Win7 workstations. It took about two weeks for me to get annoyed by this enough to try and fix the problem... and another week to end up here. My KVM worked fine until the day my two computers got migrated to Win7. I told the techs I thought it was way too soon to migrate anyone to Win7 because it was just out a couple of months ago or so... but who cares what the user has to say about it, right? So now I'm stuck with all my windows being resized each time I switch from one PC to the other... and on one of them, even the icons and gadgets are moved towards the left side of the desktop.

    I'm also quite astounded at the attitude of the mod who said "well, we don't care that much... so go ahead and buy a new KVM. It's not like we're going to fix this for you!". Okay... he might not have used these exact words but... :+P

    Anyway, my KVM is really cheap... but it works just as fine as major brands products (they're probable all made in the same Chinese factory anyway). Here's my info:

    HP LP2475w - 1920x1200 native res.

    StarTech STARVIEW SV231UADVI

    nVidia 9800GTX+ on system #1

    nVidia 6200LE on system #2

    Both OSes are Win7 64bit (horrible... but true).

    EDIT: Oh... and I tried the registry hack but it didn't do anything for me. :+( [runs out to weep in a dark corner of the office]

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