Re: Trouble with KVM switch and RHL

["Andrew Smith" <rhml k1k2 com>]

I've got 2 ATEN KVM switches - a CS-138A (8) and a CS-14 (4+cables)
The CS-14 connects to the CS-138A to give me 11 possible connections.

Never had any problems with them - but I've only used
6.2, 7.0 & 7.1 (no 7.2)

I've done both text and GUI installs and had the KVM switched
to the same computer or different computers during installs

My CS-138A was a replacement for an earlier model that had a
known fault (ATEN knew about it but it took 6 months for me
to find out and then get a replacement - the shift/ctrl keys
sometimes stuck on and I had to keep hitting them to release
them) but I've never had any other problems - though ALL mice
are PS/2 only

My first guess would be that the Keyboard and Mouse "present"
emulation on the KVM is suspect - though from what I understand
that should be pretty simple?

Seems weird that you have to go through such a rigmarole to get
it to work after install.

Anyone ever blown a monitor with their KVMs?
My 17" LG 74m died recently and I suspect it was caused by the
regular switching between the 8 always on computers I have
connected to the switches.
The monitor sometimes sounded and looked "unhappy" when I switched
computers :-) (frequency change clicks and screen sync lost for
almost a second)
I replaced it with an 15" Acer FP563 LCD since I got a really good
local price ($750 Aus = under $400 US) and I suspect that monitor
switching is less damaging to an LCD than it is to a CRT (and the
LCD has a 3 year on-site warranty)

-Cheers
-Andrew

> I had the same problem (ATEN KVM). I found there is actually a patch in
> later kernels that fixes this. What you need to do is connect mouse 
> direct to install (or do text install) after initial boot immediately
> upgrade the kernel, shutdown, connect mouse through KVM and boot your
> new kernel and all will be well (at least it was for me).
> 
> I've not yet tested if the latest enigma errata kernel has this patch,
> but it most probably has. The patch in question was in the rawhide
> kernel source rpms for some time as linux-2.4.9-rodent.patch.
> 
> Perhaps one of the redhat folks reading this list can confirm if that
> patch is in the latest updates kernel (maybe not as a seperate patch if
> the change was folded into the official kernel tarball).
> 
> Success. Willem Riede.
> ----------------------
> On Monday 28 January 2002 10:35 am, you wrote:
>> Yes,  I have the same symptoms with a belkin KVM switch.  The
>> solutionI have found is a 3 Switch to a virtual console and then
>> switch back to X.
>>
>> Hope it helps.
>>
>> Charles
>>
>> > Hi all,
>> >
>> > I am running 3 computers at home with a IOgear 4 port p/s2 KVM
>> > switch and I am trying to install RHL on one of the computers.  The
>> > problem is that the mouse doesn't work right on the setup.  RH
>> > recognizes the mouse, but it moves around very erratic, to the point
>> > of being unusable.  If I plug the mouse directly into the computer,
>> > it works great, but through the KVM device, it messes up.  I have
>> > tried this on RH 7.1 and 7.2.  The KVM works great on everything
>> > else, even running windows on the computer in question.
>> >
>> > Does anyone have any experience with this or have any
>> > suggestions?????
>> >
>> Thanks in advance
>> >
>> > > Adam N.