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
    2009-12-02T23:45:37+00:00

    Thank you Kevin for looking into this!!  Here's my info again just in case anyone missed it:

    KVM: Iogear, model# gcs1764

    Graphics Card: XFX, Nvidia GTS 250

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-12-03T07:15:07+00:00

    I have 2 systems on a gcs 1764 IOGear switch both are win 7 64 bit and both keep 1680x1050 resolutions (my monitor's max) perfectly without hiccups unlike any of you which I find good to see yet still odd. One system is an Intel graphics card, the other is nvidia 7900 gs.

     For some reason however, when either system allows the display to sleep, the screen prepares to sleep then wakes back up saying "no signal detected", then precedes to go back to sleep and wake back up again. This occurs across all input selections except for input 4 which I have no cables attached. Once I unplug the running win7's dvi cable, the monitor sleeps as normal so I know its win7 causing the occurrence. What in the world is causing this?

    Edit: I am only noticing such behavior on this particular 20" Sceptre lcd I am using - seems fine on a 42" Samsung lcd. Bleh.

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-12-03T08:11:46+00:00

    My issue is that every time i turn my monitor off, Windows 7 rearrange and resize my desktop windows. This probably happens because win7 change the resolution of the desktop when the monitor gets 'un-plugged' (in reality just turned off).

    Please give us the option to turn the automatic screen resolution change-thing off. ****

    I found a solution that works!

    My situation is a single monitor. When I switch it off and on, windows were resized and moved to the top left corner.

    I now have this fixed: http://lemon.soju.co.uk/2009/12/03/windows-7-monitor-problem/

    It requires installing VNC and using another PC or iPhone to VNC to the machine though - but at least it works.

    Hope this helps people!

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  4. Anonymous
    2009-12-03T20:31:37+00:00

    The answer proposed by summerfk while not a solution, does make things tolerable in my case.  The objective is to get the monitor settings, which WIN7 has decided to change to while you are switched away, the same as the monitor settings you use when you are switched to the system. 

    Using VNC (RDP will not work) you connect to system while switched away.  In my case, upon connecting i found the monitor was called KVM Monitor and in advanced settings was called a Generic PnP monitor, with max resolution of 1024x768. I first installed my Dell 2408WFP driver which required a reboot to make it recognized.  Win7 still wanted native resolution of 1024x768, but by unchecking Hide all modes the monitor cant display, i was able to force the monitor to 1920x1080.  I could not get 1920x1200 so any window which is near the taskbar will be moved up about an inch, when I return from being switched away.  This is much better than the movement/resizing which happened when it was going to 1024x768 while away.

    As i stated this is not a solution and you may find it troublesome getting these settings set for your systems, but i will now be able to tolerate Windows7's freaking out because my display has suddenly disappeared, because i have forced those freaking out settings to something close to my real settings.

    At the very least instead of checking this thread twice daily for solutions, I will now check less often. :)

    EDIT: This method also does nothing for the occasional time when i switch back, and the resolution is 'stuck' and does not change back to the 1920x1200 which it should be. However again 1920x1080 is not that far from 1920x1200 so it is not a big issue and by clicking the Detect button it switches properly.

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  5. Anonymous
    2009-12-04T17:24:35+00:00

    ATEN CS-62DU (DVI) KVM

    connector 1: NVIDIA ION Win7 64bit (195.62 NVidia drivers)

    connector 2: NVIDIA 280 Win7 64bit (195.62 NVidia drivers)

    For some inexplicable reason one of the systems works flawlessly (namely ION) while the other one (Nvidia 280 card) displays the widely described behavior (reverting to 1024 resolution, window resize, stuck at low res. Sometimes it even stops displaying Aero and claims that video drivers need to be updated). The only difference in configuration (apart from obvious hardware differences) is that 280 system has got it's monitor driver updated via Windows update while the ION still runs on Generic PnP Monitor with Windows Update being optional and on hold. I refuse to tamper with it at the moment, but I will try to revert to generic display on 280 system and see if it maybe solves the issue.

    After reading all posts, I couldn't care less about EDIDs, buying additional adapters or presumably "compatible" KVMs while all it would apparently take is a software/registry change. If it worked before, why can't it work now all of a sudden? Especially if it's not only related to KVMs but also monitors being switched off.

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