Can one monitor be used for two computers simultaneously??

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dunny Rummy
  • Start date Start date
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Dunny Rummy

Hello, I have a machine sitting (custom) around (my old PC from whence
I upgraded from inc. case) and would like to get it going as a offline
work horse computer but don't have to funds yet to get a monitor to
upgrade for my main PC (custom built also). Is it possible to use one
monitor to monitor two towers (kinda like A/B switch on old cable/tv
boxes)??

Also my old PC wont go into BIOS post. It worked for a while then
nothing. I've tried to reset the CMOS but still wont even utter a
peep. Are there simple tests I can do at home to determine if either
the CPU or the mobo is blown/ruined?

Thank you!
 
Sure - if you get a kvm switch it's just a case of selecting which machine
you want to be shown on the monitor. Also means you can use the same mouse
/ keyboard.

As for the other machine take all the cards out, disconnect the hard drives
etc, and replace them one by one booting the pc each time. You could try
just taking out the memory first and just using one stick at a time.
 
Dunny Rummy said:
Hello, I have a machine sitting (custom) around (my old PC from whence
I upgraded from inc. case) and would like to get it going as a offline
work horse computer but don't have to funds yet to get a monitor to
upgrade for my main PC (custom built also). Is it possible to use one
monitor to monitor two towers (kinda like A/B switch on old cable/tv
boxes)??

Also my old PC wont go into BIOS post. It worked for a while then
nothing. I've tried to reset the CMOS but still wont even utter a
peep. Are there simple tests I can do at home to determine if either
the CPU or the mobo is blown/ruined?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

An alternative (free!) to a KVM switch would be to use some Remote Desktop
Sharing software, and have the two pc networked together.
Netmeeting is ok for this purpose.

Of course you're in trouble if the pc fails to boot - you'd need to
physically connect a monitor then to diagnose any problems and get it going
again.

Martin.
 
Ok I notice a "burning" smell in the PSU wiring (which I had modded to
support more drives [I have 6] from earlier builds of my PCs) could
this have shorted out either the mobo or CPU or both? I focus on the
CPU and/or MOBO cuz the hard drive, floppy, vidcard (its new!) was
pulled working from upgrades and since there was a burning smell
(wiring) then I suspect a short circuit occurred. I can do ok if one
or the other got blown but if both did then the CPU/MOBO goes to the
junk yard! Although this would give me an excuse to go Intel and try
it (I'm an AMD advent), but it would be a setback for my new WD 250G
hard drive I'm saving for.

Comments please.
 
Martin said:
An alternative (free!) to a KVM switch would be to use some Remote Desktop
Sharing software, and have the two pc networked together.
Netmeeting is ok for this purpose.

Of course you're in trouble if the pc fails to boot - you'd need to
physically connect a monitor then to diagnose any problems and get it going
again.
Click to expand...

This is what I do, if you are using winxp pro or win2k server then you can
just use terminal services. The machine I use this on just has a power cable
and network cable going to it, nothing else. Occasionally I can't get onto
it but that just means I have to plug the keyboard, mouse and monitor into
it. The other great thing is that I can get onto my machine from almost
anywhere in the world just by going to a web page.


Michael Culley
 
Michael Culley([email protected]) showed us the following results:

This is what I do, if you are using winxp pro or win2k server then you can
just use terminal services. The machine I use this on just has a power cable
and network cable going to it, nothing else. Occasionally I can't get onto
it but that just means I have to plug the keyboard, mouse and monitor into
it. The other great thing is that I can get onto my machine from almost
anywhere in the world just by going to a web page.
Click to expand...

Or VNC can be used, it's free and GNU (open source).
Just need to hook up a monitor for the initial configuration.
Then it can be accessed via a web browser or via the VNC client.

[]s
--
Chaos Master® | "I'm going under,
Posting from Brazil! | drowning in you
Win 98 + BB4Win | I'm falling forever,
Slackware Linux | I've got to break through"
---------------------. -- Evanescence, "Going Under"
 
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