Using a KVM Switch

[bobdydd]

Hi All

I have a Belkin 2 port KVM switch and I have 2 machines each running
XP that I switch between.

I would like to be able to run vista on the 2nd machine, but keep the
1st machine running XP
and be able to change between the 2 of them.

Is this possible?

Bob

 

[Mike Brannigan]

Hi All

I have a Belkin 2 port KVM switch and I have 2 machines each running
XP that I switch between.

I would like to be able to run vista on the 2nd machine, but keep the
1st machine running XP
and be able to change between the 2 of them.

Is this possible?

Bob

Yes , it is just the same as what you do now,but one of the machines being
Vista.
I have a pair of Belkin OmniView 4 Port KVMs chained together with a mixture
of operating systems running on the 8 machines all without issue.

 

[Frankster]

Hi All

I have a Belkin 2 port KVM switch and I have 2 machines each running
XP that I switch between.

I would like to be able to run vista on the 2nd machine, but keep the
1st machine running XP
and be able to change between the 2 of them.

Is this possible?

Bob

Yep.

-Frank

 

[Mark Rae]

Is this possible?

Absolutely! I use a Belkin 4-way switch with USB and sound support which is
currently driving:

1) main development machine set to triple-boot between WinXPPro 32-bit,
WinXPPro 64-bit and Vista Business 64-bit

2) home recording studio machine set to dual-boot between WinXPPro 32-bit
and Vista Ultimate 32-bit

3) scratch PC for trashing and rebuilding as requirements dicate

4) Mac Mini set dual-boot between MacOSX and Ubuntu 6.10

None of the OS has the slightest problem with the Belkin switch - it really
is a superb piece of kit... All of the machines (including the Mac Mini
running either OS) participate fully in my home workgroup...

The main development machine will be trashed and rebuilt just with Vista
Business 64-bit just as soon as Microsoft release the final version of this:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6a-10b7-4c05-b81c-5863284503cf&displaylang=en.
At that point, any further requirements for WinXPPro (e.g. for support of
legacy development projects) will be relegated to Virtual PC...

 

[bobdydd]

Brilliant! Thank Frankster and evryone else who replied so promptly

Bob

 

[ray]

Hi All

I have a Belkin 2 port KVM switch and I have 2 machines each running
XP that I switch between.

I would like to be able to run vista on the 2nd machine, but keep the
1st machine running XP
and be able to change between the 2 of them.

Is this possible?

Bob

Sure. Why not? A KVM switch is not dependent on the OSs involved. I use
one Linux to Linux; Linux to MS; etc.

 

[Dustin Harper]

Yes, there are no problems at all with that setup. I have a KVM with one
machine my Vista and the other a Windows Server 2003.

 

[Mr. I.M. Puss]

Hi All

I have a Belkin 2 port KVM switch and I have 2 machines each running
XP that I switch between.

I would like to be able to run vista on the 2nd machine, but keep the
1st machine running XP
and be able to change between the 2 of them.

Is this possible?

I would check the licensing agreements, first... (sarcasm)

 

[Frankster]

I would check the licensing agreements, first... (sarcasm)

It'd prolly be within the EULA if you were blind in one eye! </sarcasm>

-Frank

 

[BSchnur]

Shouldn't be a problem, I use different KVM's and haven't had problems
switching between Vista and other OS. Heck, in my server room, I've an
8-port with Vista Ultimate RC1 64 bit, Vista Business 32 bit, Windows
XP, Windows 2K, NetWare 4.2 and NetWare 6.5 -- no problems switching.

 

[Eric]

The only problem that might arise is that both machines must use the same
hardware standard (both digital video signals or both analog). But if you
just upgrade the OS, then you don't change the hardware and it works for
sure.
Eric

 

[Steve Urbach]

Shouldn't be a problem, I use different KVM's and haven't had problems
switching between Vista and other OS. Heck, in my server room, I've an
8-port with Vista Ultimate RC1 64 bit, Vista Business 32 bit, Windows
XP, Windows 2K, NetWare 4.2 and NetWare 6.5 -- no problems switching.

the original customer preview version of Vista had a problem with
switching off the Monitor (Vista on alternate KVM port), That was
fixed (was new Device discovery every time monitor powered back on) in
later releases.
Steve U

 

[BSchnur]

OK -- that makes sense -- I've seen similar problems on some Novell
servers at least with some KVM's. I picked up a sweet 8 port
MasterView with all the cables for under $80 (thanks eBAY) and it works
just fine (makes that work area a LOT neater too).

 

[Lou]

I can't get a KVM Switch to work with Vista at all.

Any time I switch away from the Vista machine to the XP machine, and
try to switch back, the display is dead. There is no display at all.
Even if I unplug the monitor from the KVM switch and directly into the
Vista machine... nothing. Dead dead dead. At this point, the only
thing I've been able to do is hit the power button to shut down the
Vista machine, and then hit it again to restart it. The display comes
back, but obviously that isn't acceptable.

Does anyone have any ideas for what the problem is here, and what the
solution might be? This is pretty serious. The moment the KVM
switches the display over, Vista seems to think the display is gone,
and nothing will bring it back. I've even turned off all the sleep and
power-management functions for turning off the display, but none of that
has helped.

Help?

I'm using a KVM switch between Windows 98, XP and Vista.

The Vista computer has no PS2 connections for a mouse or keyboard, only USB.
The KVM cables are PS2. I bought a USB to PS2 cable splitter and that is
how I connect. No problems switching between computers.

There is one problem. I cannot use the KVM switch to go to safe mode or
BIOS setup on the Vista system. I must attach a USB keyboard and mouse for
these function. Using KVM USB cables may correct this situation but since
those functions are rarely used I haven't and probably will not purchase new
cables.

Lou

 

[Bruce W]

Is your KVM's mouse & keyboard, PS2 or USB?

When you switch and the display is dead, can you tell from keyboard lights
or responsiveness to key combinations, whether the keyboard and mouse are
active?

Is there a physical switch on the KVM device, itself, or do you just use
some keyboard combination, like a fast double-press of the scroll key, or
the like?

If, with the display dead, you use Windows to restart the computer, is the
display functional when the PC reboots?