On Thursday 08 March 2007, Les Mikesell wrote: > Tim wrote: > >> I have a feeling the SM mobo would probe the PS/2 ports for a > >> Keyboard/Mouse and if the KVM wasn't selected on that channel when the > >> probe happened, the KVM wouldn't respond properly and the mobo would > >> turn-off the PS/2 ports. Unfortunately I wasn't able to figure-out > >> whether this was a linux kernel, kudzu or BIOS probe though... Anyone > >> here have any thoughts on that one? > > > > I was under the impression that decent PS/2 KVMs would emulate their > > being a mouse and keyboard connected to each device, all the time, > > albeit one that was doing nothing, to avoid those sorts of problems (PCs > > ignoring PS/2 ports or devices if booted up without anything apparently > > connected; > > The KVMs are supposed to do that, but apparently it is more complicated > than it used to be with auto-detection and maybe even initialization of > different device types. Some older ones don't work with mice with scroll > wheels and I've always had trouble getting linux and windows to share > one properly on KVMs that work with a 3-button mouse. > No offense, Les, but these comments need to be accompanied by a YMMV. I work all the time with two linux boxes under this desk, connected to a Belkin PS/2 KVM. It behaves faultlessly. From what I have read, USB KVMs are more problematic, though. > > Windows being unable to cope with you unplugging a PS/2 > > device, replugging it, then you wanting to carry on using it, etc.). > > Normally you can unplug and replug the keyboard/mouse after the boot has > completed and windows will still see it. However since the PS/2 > connectors aren't spec'd for this there is some chance of blowing up the > motherboard when hotplugging. > Agreed. You may get away with it, but I wouldn't let you try it on my machines. :-) > I've also had some trouble getting windows to recognize a USB > keyboard/mouse if it was plugged in for the first time after booting > with no keyboard/mouse connected. I always try to boot with one > attached or plug it in to get the drivers installed before I expect to > need it. After it has been recognized once it will work again, even > after a reboot. I don't think linux shares this problem. > I've never used a usb keyboard, but I've often forgotten to plug in the usb mouse on my laptop. Both windows and linux handle that without a problem. Anne
