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
    2010-01-22T11:38:44+00:00

    Xenubite, I am using an LG W2261VP-PF 22" widescreen LCD which is connected with a DVI-D cable to my GeForce 6800 GS. I've also posted my NVIDIA System Information Report in this thread.

    I should also state that when I turn off my monitor, it simply turns off and I don't hear any "Device Disconnected" sound untill I press the power button and turn on my monitor back. When I press the power button to turn it back on, first I hear "Device Disconnected" sound and just after a second, the "Device Connected" sound. My monitor seems to be failing at constantly sending EDID while booting / turning on for about 1 second. There isn't any sound coming when I turn it off.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-01-22T11:14:09+00:00

    I have a DVI-D cabel (single link)

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-01-22T10:40:35+00:00

    I'll see if I can draw any conclusions through testing with this new info.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-01-22T10:34:25+00:00

    OK, then the only theory I have left is perhaps the cable length is preventing reliable EDID polling. Here's a page about troubleshooting DVI, including issues with the cable length. I got the dual EDID doc link from here:http://www.playtool.com/pages/dvitrouble/dvitrouble.html

    In any case, I've got a feeling all these problems we have are side effects of the constant EDID polling, and if we could just get someone at MS capable of abstract thought to read this thread, we might have some hope.

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  5. Anonymous
    2010-01-22T09:18:36+00:00

    Actually on closer inspection my cable is DVI-D (dual link)

    refer

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DVI_Connector_Types.svg

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

    to quote: "The connector also includes provision for a second data link for high resolution displays, though many devices do not implement this. In those that do, the connector is sometimes referred to as DVI-DL (dual link)"

    I don't know whether this means the problem may be dual EDID related or not now.

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