KVM switch results in 22" Monitor device cannot be started and lowresolution

[Chris]

I have a new 22" HP widescreen monitor which I am very pleased with.

I have no problems when the monitor is connected directly to my pc's
vga port but when I connect it through my kvm switch I get a 'device
cannot be started' for the monitor in the Device Manager. The result
being my monitor cannot output the recommended resolution of 1680x1050
and has a maximum output of 1024x768.

How can I resolve this issue? The other box I am running through the
kvm switch to is running Ubuntu Linux and this doesn't have a problem
running at 1680x1050. I think the reason for this is that I can
manually tell the Ubuntu box which resolution to use where as I think
XP is failing over a plug and play issue?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Chris

 

[Paul]

I have a new 22" HP widescreen monitor which I am very pleased with.

I have no problems when the monitor is connected directly to my pc's
vga port but when I connect it through my kvm switch I get a 'device
cannot be started' for the monitor in the Device Manager. The result
being my monitor cannot output the recommended resolution of 1680x1050
and has a maximum output of 1024x768.

How can I resolve this issue? The other box I am running through the
kvm switch to is running Ubuntu Linux and this doesn't have a problem
running at 1680x1050. I think the reason for this is that I can
manually tell the Ubuntu box which resolution to use where as I think
XP is failing over a plug and play issue?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Chris

Perhaps the KVM isn't passing the DDC serial interface, between the
monitor and the computer ? The DDC is how the computer queries
the monitor for Plug and Play information, such as maximum resolution.

You can try installing a "monitor driver". The one for my monitor
was only a few KB in size. It consists of an ICM file (something
to do with color profile for the monitor). It also adds a registry
entry, defining the maximum resolution for the monitor. That may
enable more resolution settings in Windows for you. A monitor
driver can help, when DDC is busted.

Take a look through the list here. There is more than one 22".

http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Nav?..._client=S-A-R163-1&h_page=hpcom&lang=en&cc=us

A typical description when you download is shown here.

******* Monitor driver release notes *******

Description

This package contains the HP Display Installer program, which automatically
detects the Microsoft Operating System that is running on your computer and
installs the corresponding .INF and .ICM driver files that are used to
configure the 22-inch widescreen HP w2207 LCD Monitor.

The setup information, or .INF file, defines monitor resources used by
Microsoft Operating Systems in order to ensure monitor compatibility with the
graphics card installed in your computer.

The image color matching, or .ICM file, is a color data file that is used in
conjunction with graphics applications to provide consistent color matching
from monitor screen to printer, or from scanner to the monitor screen. The .ICM
file is only activated from within the graphics applications that support this
feature.

NOTE: For the Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition,
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional
x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 32 and 64 Editions, Microsoft
Windows Vista Home Premium 32 and 64 Editions, Microsoft Windows Vista Business
32 and 64 Editions, and Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 32 Edition Operating
Systems, Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certified monitor
drivers are installed.
*******

To check whether DDC is working, try a tool like this. If nothing is displayed,
then DDC probably isn't connected. This tool should be independent of the
monitor driver, and this tool tries to talk to the hardware.

http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/moninfo.shtm

Paul

 

[milleron]

Perhaps the KVM isn't passing the DDC serial interface, between the
monitor and the computer ? The DDC is how the computer queries
the monitor for Plug and Play information, such as maximum resolution.

You can try installing a "monitor driver". The one for my monitor
was only a few KB in size. It consists of an ICM file (something
to do with color profile for the monitor). It also adds a registry
entry, defining the maximum resolution for the monitor. That may
enable more resolution settings in Windows for you. A monitor
driver can help, when DDC is busted.

Take a look through the list here. There is more than one 22".

http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Nav?..._client=S-A-R163-1&h_page=hpcom&lang=en&cc=us

A typical description when you download is shown here.

******* Monitor driver release notes *******

Description

This package contains the HP Display Installer program, which automatically
detects the Microsoft Operating System that is running on your computer and
installs the corresponding .INF and .ICM driver files that are used to
configure the 22-inch widescreen HP w2207 LCD Monitor.

The setup information, or .INF file, defines monitor resources used by
Microsoft Operating Systems in order to ensure monitor compatibility with the
graphics card installed in your computer.

The image color matching, or .ICM file, is a color data file that is used in
conjunction with graphics applications to provide consistent color matching
from monitor screen to printer, or from scanner to the monitor screen. The .ICM
file is only activated from within the graphics applications that support this
feature.

NOTE: For the Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition,
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional
x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 32 and 64 Editions, Microsoft
Windows Vista Home Premium 32 and 64 Editions, Microsoft Windows Vista Business
32 and 64 Editions, and Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 32 Edition Operating
Systems, Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certified monitor
drivers are installed.
*******

To check whether DDC is working, try a tool like this. If nothing is displayed,
then DDC probably isn't connected. This tool should be independent of the
monitor driver, and this tool tries to talk to the hardware.

http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/moninfo.shtm

Paul

Since this is an HP monitor, there's an excellent chance that you can
get the proper dirver. If, perchance, you cannot, then after Windows
has finished launching, open Device Manager and ask it to scan for
hardware changes. Sometimes , like Paul says, the KVM switch will
prevent the OS from obtaining the proper data from the PnP monitor at
boot, ESPECIALLY if the KVM happens to be connecting the monitor to a
different computer when the computer with the problem is booted. Once
Device Manager re-detects the monitor, it usually will be able to get
the correct PnP info, even through the KVM. After it does, it should
list 1680 x 1050 in Display Properties.