KVM switch + Windows 7 creates monitor switching nightmare

Anonymous

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).

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Anonymous

2010-03-26T02:49:25+00:00

No comment from Microsoft since LAST YEAR.

I'd be interested to know how many of us have put in a call to tech support about this? I have and they said that they were unaware of the issue. I'm waiting on a response.
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Anonymous

2010-03-25T18:16:37+00:00

Waiting for a FIX?

Heck, I'd like a response. "Buy new hardware" and "Tell me what hardware you have (with no follow up)" makes me feel unloved.

No comment from Microsoft since LAST YEAR.
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Anonymous

2010-03-25T15:02:28+00:00

I am still waiting for a fix.... As are all the ppl in here..

Care to comment Microsoft?
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Anonymous

2010-03-25T03:01:35+00:00

Although not a KVM issue I wanted to add my problem (which i believe is related) to the growing list:

I have dual displays running off an ATI HD4200, one's an epson tw-3000 projector, the other a 1080p acer monitor. Often I like to just have the monitor on if i'm listening to music and will then turn the projector on later if i'm going to watch something. I never had a problem with this with XP but noticed when I "upgraded" to win 7 that often upon turning the projector on it would not display, and no matter how many times i'd try to force detection I would need to restart the computer to get windows to detect the projector.

For a few reasons I reinstalled 7 the other day and made sure the only monitor hooked up was the projector. To cut a long story short if the computer boots with the projector on then it'll display, i can turn the projector on and off and it'll still work, the problem arises if I start the computer up without the projector on, it won't get detected and this is frustrating. Since I've plugged the acer LCD back in, the acer LCD does not behave like this, it can be off when the computer boots but i can switch it on later and it works.

The acer is running off VGA and the Projector DVI.

I've tried xenubite's fix but it doesn't work. I've also disabled TMM and ATI's servcie monitor. In looking closer at the EDID stuff in the registry i've noticed some things though: Firstly with just the projector hooked up there was no "default monitor" listed, so i guess windows recognises the EDID just fine. Strangely the epson registry entry actually has 2 EDID entries - not sure why that is. When i hooked the ACER up it reads the edid fine too but then also adds a default monitor entry for the acer, in addition to the EDID entry, perhaps this explains why the acer always works fine but not the epson - of course win 7 doesn't let you add further default monitors. Not sure how related it all is but I really wish this could get solved - at present i simply have to leave the computer running (i can't put it into sleep for other reasons) so not very environmentally friendly on microsofts part!

Sean
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