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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).
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I just spent over an hour in a chat with a microsoft tech.After all this and allowing him to control my pc remotely I still have the problem.I have an appointment to talk on the phone with someone supposedly more knowledgeable in a week from now.I will let you know if I find a fix.
By the way where the $%^& is the moderator that was here?
OK I guess I,ll bump this while asking a couple questions.I am using hdmi as my connection from my onboard video.This is a new ASUS mobo with the HD 4200 ati video.Just to try and find a common link, what are we all using for video and connection.I have a suspicion that this is a part of enforcing HDCP.Maybe I am wrong but what are we to think when a microsoft moderator is AWOL for all this time, on their own friggin forums?
If we think on the good side, we might think MS is off working like busy bee's trying to find a solution for this problem, or we can think at the other end of the spectrum that MS is ignoring us because as they (or the MIA moderator) has already stated, "a problem does not exist, we have faulty hardware". Hopefully someone, I do not care if it is MS or some hacker, comes up with a solution soon.
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Although my application is different, the problem and cause are the same I believe.
I was using XP (skipped over Vista) with MCE 2005. I have a standard def. TV, and a monitor with speakers on long wires as a 'bedroom extension' of MCE. The monitor is on a KVM as a simple switch so I can easily turn it on from another room.
With XP the monitor and TV signals were always on, and I could turn off the TV or monitor, and when I turned them back on the signal was there; everything just worked whether they got turned off or not with the PC on, or in S3 standby.
But now with Windows 7 it detects whether monitors are turned on or off, and stops sending a signal if one or the other is off. Then all mayhem ensues as it wakes up with the TV on and monitor off, but it thinks it should only output to the monitor. And I always lose the TV signal even though it's set as my 'preferred display' after waking up from S3. Rebooting (and losing a possible recording) is the only way to get it to output correctly again.
If they just took out the 'detect an off or disconnected monitor' switch, and put back XP's (and possibly Vista's) method of always outputting on all video connections, we'd all be happy.
The only other way is to always leave both monitors on, and never put the PC in S3 sleep, but WHAT A WASTE OF ENERGY! I thought Microsoft was trying to be 'greener', but making this single change is and will be causing people to be less efficient rather than deal with the frustrations.
Edit: If I bypass the KVM I have the same problems; I don't think our issues have to do with KVM's, rather it's the signal that gets turned off or changed. Just keep giving me the signal (like in XP), and I'll control where it is shown. Otherwise it's rarely where I want it to be.
