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
    2010-03-24T18:56:20+00:00

    Not really contributing with this comment, simply venting -

        Stev 411 says

    "Microsoft won't consider providing a fix for an INTENDED 'feature', so we can keep on waiting."

    and

    "If Apple can...why can't MS?"

    * The Road to a very hot place is paved with good intentions

    * Apple has ALWAYS cared far more about the user experience than the MS obsession with features & functions.

    * Clearly 12,000 views in 5 months isn't enough to get MS to offer anything interesting up to this thread.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-03-24T16:56:01+00:00

    Microsoft won't consider providing a fix for an INTENDED 'feature', so we can keep on waiting.

    I understand the reason they did this, I've had times where i've connected a different monitor to a system to realize the resolution Windows was running was too high, then I'm rebooting and safe moding and whatever just to change to a compatible resolution.  But I'd never had those issues with Mac OS - and when used with a KVM I've only had Mac issues when booting the system while the KVM is on a different port.  It would come up at 640x480 - but that was only when booting.  If Apple could come up with a decent way to handle DDC/EDID stuff, why can't MS?

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-03-22T02:01:03+00:00

    add me to the list... and at least Mac has the decency to make it so the monitor always comes back. Half the time with windows 7, it just stays black.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-03-17T23:32:37+00:00

    My issue is similar. I have a 2-port Trendnet DVI KVM (Model TK204U) that worked just ducky on Windows XP. When I replaced a PC with a Windows 7Pro 64-Bit machine (an HP 9180f) that has an NVIDIA GeForce GTS250 with 1 GB V-RAM the whole shebang works fine until I switch back to the Win7 machine from the older Windows XP-32 machine. The display goes black, but the KB and mouse still work AFAICT.

    My workaround has been to unplug the display from the KVM switch and plug it back in, that seems to work every time. uckily for me it is in a conveinant place for me right now, but I bought this particular KVM (at over $120)  since it supports software switching between PC's and has DVI.

    I haven't had any resolution issues, just the black screen after switching to the Win7-P-64 box.

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  5. Anonymous
    2010-03-16T18:22:02+00:00

    NEW (At least to this Forum) INFO

    For my experience, the issue is indisputedly video hardware/driver related(maybe 32 v 64 bit tossed in)

    Environment

      IOGear 4 Port MiniView KDM

         Port 1 - Self Built XP                                                                                    (No resolution issues with KVM switching)

    Port 2 - Mac Mini                                                                                       (Reverts to default resolution on KVM de-select)     Port 3 - HP P120f, Windows 7 64 Bit                                                              (No resolution issues with KVM switching)

    Port 4 - IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad T500, Windows 7, 32 Bit                          (Reverts to default resolution on KVM de-select)

    Guess while I'm doing the Rip Van Winkle waiting for MS to patch the OS/publish an effictive RegEdit I'll turn the doggies lose on Lenovo. I wonder if foreign suppliers are any more responsive...

    FTR - BOTH machines are MS Certified Win 7 compliant.

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