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KVM switch + Windows 7 creates monitor switching nightmare
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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).
Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers
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401 answers
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Anonymous
2010-05-12T21:55:42+00:00 -
Anonymous
2010-05-13T05:12:41+00:00 I just installed an IOGear GCS632U to a Windows 7 64 bit machine and a Windows XP and it works great. And only $29. I appreciate the tip I got from this (very long) string!
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Anonymous
2010-05-13T23:49:38+00:00 Unbelievable, Microsoft has been aware of this issue at least since October 2009 and have done nothing to fix it.
How lame this company is and how irresponsible to its customers. Having so many programmers on board they could have fix this issue long time ago with a simple patch and give us a break.
Honestly I will wait another month and if they don't address the issue I will switch to Mac and never go back. I'm sick and tired of Microsoft man, like someone said on this thread I hope they get sued over and over and over again and loose $$$, millions of them, ...I will not feel sorry
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Anonymous
2010-05-20T05:02:32+00:00 Just to be clear here: Most people specifically using DVI KVMs will never be happy to just go out and buy a VGA KVM instead. DVI KVMs are clearly targeted at users who will NOT accept a strong loss of picture quality due to an analog connection. People who do graphics work, photo editing or any other kind of work that relies on a precise and undistorted image will only accept a digital connexion to their monitor. What's the point in having a 800$+ monitor (some in the thousands of dollars) if you feed a crappy signal to it?!
So even if some of you guys would gladly settle for a VGA switch, I know I (and many others) won't.
Imagine if their was only two cable companies: Microsoft Cable and Apple Cable. The latter would have very beautiful and expensive set-tops but be lacking in the programming department. So most people would sign up with Microsoft Cable instead. After all, their cheap and plain looking set-tops would do the job... and most people are more interested in the programming anyway.
Now, imagine that MS Cable just convinced you to buy into their newest, upgraded, redesigned service. But the minute they switch you to this pricey upgrade you discover that it in fact forces you back to analog TV! And when you complain about it, they simply say that they knew it would make your set-top inoperable from the start... but that they were the ones to decide what was best for you... and that they could always sell you a new set-top if you now wanted to go back to digital! :+o
So that's the way to progress in a monopolistic environment: They create a new product, your choice is to buy it or keep the old one... and if you choose the new one, you may or may not be able to use your computer the way you did before. Just live with it dude.
So now I feel like I've just given MS money to pay part of its latest Billion dollars fine to the EU for mopolistic behavior... and ended up with a product that renders some of my hardware unusable in exchange. Thanks MS! :+0
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Anonymous
2010-05-20T10:33:37+00:00 It seems that I'm having similar problem. It is not exactly a KVM issue, but if you treat AV Receiver as KVM it gets common. My PC is connected to 42" plasma display through HDMI using AV Receiver and antother display is 22" LCD connected through DVI.
I'm having hard times with this setup.I cannot boot to my Windows session because I always get my login screen on the 42" display which is .... powered off! I have two solutions for that:
- turn on the display just for a second, login screen gets back to 22" LCD, and then turn it off to resume work.Sometimes it works, sometimes desktop will switch to not used and powered off display again. It depends on how fast I will turn the display off.
- disconnect HDMI display physically.
I've tried different combinations of AVR and windows 7 multiple displays setups. No success. I'm using GF9800 card with one HDMI and one DVI outputs.
I'm unable to change which display is which under setup. My 42" TV is always detected as "2" and LCD as "1" no matter how they are set using "Primary/Secondary" switch. My LCD is set as primary but gets "2" during detection....
Is there any solution for that? I'd like to disable autodetect of displays or anyhow set my monitor setup as "static".