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
    2010-08-31T15:30:17+00:00

    This thread has some good information in it as I am experiencing similar issues since moving from RC.

    I have an ATEN MasterView CS-1744 KVM hooked to my Nvidia GF 8500 GT . I went through drivers/firmwares/BIOS updates, but the issue remains. Upon returning the KVM to the Win 7 machine, one monitor gets 'lost'. The quickest 'fix' for this issue when it occurs is to hit 'Win+P' (Windows Key + P) to bring up the projector menu. Selecting 'Extend' (it is already selected for me) and hitting 'Enter' miraculously brings my second monitor back.

    EDIT: This is definitely driver related for me. I was having other issues with Windows 7 x64, so I formatted and installed Win7 x32. I noticed right away that this issue was gone, then during the windows update process, it came back. I tried a myriad of solutions, and one solved it. Rolling back my video card drivers. This removed the NVIDIA Control Panel and now both of my monitors are there when I use my KVM

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-20T16:41:15+00:00

    Hi, I have a MSI CR610 AMD AthalonII M320 2.1GHz with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 running the semi-operating system Windows 7. I use a generic KVM that does pass EDID data. I am suffering from the same issue as many in that when I am operating in dual montor mode, on switching the KVM to my other lap top running Vista, XP or Linux, Windows 7 forgets that it had a monitor 2 attached and sends everything to monitor one, the laptop's screen. As ablove, no probs with Vista, XP or Linux. I have down loaded latest drivers but still no joy. I also tried the AMD/ATI suggestion above but no joy. I thought I'd add myslef to the long list of users who have had their user experience marred by Windows 7.

    Something I have also noticed, once, is that the laptop screen can fail to be recognised after sleep or hibernation having been used  in dual mode with KVM. It happened to me once, fortunately with monitor 2 attached. If I had wander off with the laptop I suspect that I could have been stuck, screenless.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-08-12T17:07:10+00:00

    I have a 4 port Airlink 101 slim KVM that I attach my home system, a win2k work laptop, and another linux box to.  I wasn't having an issue until I newly installed Windows 7 on my home system. Now, every time I switch to my work laptop or the linux box it resizes my windows to 800x600. I'm pretty sure it's the active EDID scanning (as my KVM is at least 3 years old) that was introduced in Win7.

    I don't see why I should have to upgrade hardware to fix a new "feature" that windows 7 introduced that isn't helping me (or apparently most users that don't switch to different monitors without rebooting). It sounds like this is definitely something that needs to have an option to turn off.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-08-12T10:05:34+00:00

    My issue is with windows 7 x6 a kvm and two 2 monitors.

    When switching back from a single PC via the kvm, my 2nd screen turns off and I have to open nvida control panel and redetect my 2nd screen so i can use it again.

    This KVM worked without issue on windows 7 x32 but I've just upgraded the OS not any hardware at all. All drivers are at thier latest versions.

    :(

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  5. Anonymous
    2010-08-10T14:35:45+00:00

    Ok since my last post, I've had no re-occurrence of the resolution setting changing when switching to another PC on my NOVA VIEW KNV104. This is a fairly old KVM, so I don't think this problem is as high-tech as I have been thinking. I am also starting to believe that while Windows 7 does switch the resolution (at least in my case), Windows 7 isn't the CAUSE. (Other Win 7 PCs keep the resolution when I've tested them). I do remember have the ATI Control Center on my PC back when I had my old monitor but uninstalling it and using JUST the drivers on my new monitor. So whenever I switched away from my new monitor the resolution would go back to my OLD monitors native 1400 x 1050. I think this was an artefact from the Ati CC. Putting the latest version of ATI CC seems to have fixed my problem. Of course there could have been a sneaky Windows update....

    I am not sure how many people this will help, but anyone with an ATI card, it must be worth a shot. You can try and uninstall ATI CC if you have it and reinstall the latest version, and if you don't have it, install it. See if that affects your resolution switching problem - one thing's for sure it's better than anything MS have come up with! Buy a new KVM -great advice...NOT!

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