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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.
the ones I paid Hundreds of Dollars for do not work and countless hours of wasted time - what is wrong with me?
The same thing that is wrong with me. I spent hundreds and lost monitor capability, and networking, (and remote access). At least I now know not to be so foolish as to ever do it again.
What is the console monitor you connected to the KVM switch ? DVI or VGA ?
I just want to give you the right direction but I need to know the console monitor you have first.
Ths SAD thing is I have 4 Machines connected to the same KVM, one UBUNTU, one Centos V5.5, one Windows Server 2008, and One Windows 7 so how long did it take me to get the ones that actually work to work - 0 time - it just worked - that would be Ubuntu and Centos - oh the free ones - the ones I paid Hundreds of Dollars for do not work and countless hours of wasted time - what is wrong with me?
I found a workaround that works for me in another forum http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/89953-kvm-switch-windows-7-changing-screen-resolution.html . I'm using an Atens CS52 KVM between a Vista 32 PC and a Win7 64 PC connected via VGA to a 24" Westinghouse LCD monitor. The link for Carrol in the forum above is:
http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/89953-kvm-switch-windows-7-changing-screen-resolution.html
This downloads version 1.03. There is also a version 1.06 available from the publisher but for some reason I had better results with version 1.03 so I'm sticking to it. After you load this program the first time, select the resolution you want (in my case 1920x1200 32bit 60Hz) and click 'Change screen resolution and restore with every logon', the program sets this resolution again at every logon via a shortcut in your Startup folder. It seems that the fact that the resolution is set via this program makes it the default resolution for Win7, so now when I use the KVM to flip from Vista to Win7 and viceversa there is no window resizing and/or icon reorganizing and the resolution stays at 1920x1200. I still hear the plug & play sounds but that's all.
I also tried to boot the Win7 PC with the KVM set to the Vista PC. This results in the correct resolution when I flip to the Win7 PC after the reboot has finished, however, my gadgets end up piled on top of each other at the top left of the screen. Also, I have to run Carroll one more time after this before I get the desired behavior when flipping back and forth with the KVM. There is no problem if I reboot the PC that the KVM is set to.
Since Win7 also fails to complete all startup chores on occassion (another bug that you can read about in many threads), I placed an extra shortcut to Carroll on the Startup folder.
Hope this helps someone,
However, I still expect Microsoft to come up with an official fix. In the mean time I'll get by with this workaround.
I haven't read all threads, so I'm not sure if anybody else mentioned it.
But this issue is not only limited in combination with a kvm switch. Cause it's also happening when simply 2 monitors connected to a system directly.
