KVM switch problem

Killerkebab · 1 Sep 2008 at 13:37

I wasn't sure where to put this, but here goes:

I have two computers, on a WinXP job with a E6600, the other a Win98 with a P3 600Mhz. The idea is on one machine I have the usual games, and on the older one I have older games such as Z and Cannon Fodder and whatever DOS games I can find again (quite a few

). I have a TFT with DVI and VGA inputs so both computers have a monitor and I hit a button to switch - so far so good.

I only have one KB and Mouse, so I bought a Belkin KVM switch (USB). I managed to set it up and get it working. I was in gaming bliss for a while. I went on holiday and left the computers as they were - on my return... drama.

The XP computer is fine, it is the Win98 one that isn't working. When I hit the button on the KVM switch to switch from my main computer to the W98 one, the keyboard/mouse works for a whole 2 or 3 seconds and then the switch puts me back to the other computer. I tried turning the WXP computer off, but all that means is the W98 computer has KB/M for 3 seconds - then switches off... a few seconds later they come back to life for 3 seconds, then switch off, and so on.

I don't understand what could go wrong such that the switch works for a few seconds and then stops

IAmATeaf · 1 Sep 2008 at 16:26

It's reverting back as it's not seeing a signal on the keyboard from the Win98 PC, connect the mouse/keyboard directly to the Win98 PC and see if it works?

Killerkebab · 1 Sep 2008 at 18:18

IAmATeaf said:
It's reverting back as it's not seeing a signal on the keyboard from the Win98 PC, connect the mouse/keyboard directly to the Win98 PC and see if it works?

Keyboard and mouse work if plugged in directly. I don't understand, the switch used to work fine, and now whenever I hit the switch the KB/M work on the W98 PC for about 2 seconds and then it reverts

Rroff · 1 Sep 2008 at 18:24

My brothers belkin KVM does this on occasion - but usually powering down and rebooting everything fixes it. But its one of the reasons I bought an aten KVM instead.

IAmATeaf · 1 Sep 2008 at 21:31

It's not going into auto-scan mode is it? If it has this feature then it flicks between the screens every few seconds till you hit a key, on my KVM it the space bar but you'd need to look in the manual for the switch to see if it has this feature and how to stop it.

Killerkebab · 4 Sep 2008 at 17:32

Here's a bit of a WTF moment: I swapped the USB leads around - so WinXP pc was on port 2 and Win98 PC on port 1 and lo and behold...

IT WORKS FINE!

I don't know what conclusion to come to here, but I'm glad it finally works.