Computer with no monitor, keyboard or mouse?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Martin
  • Start date Start date
M

Martin

Is it possible to run a computer (with Windows 2K or XP) without
having a monitor, keyboard or mouse attached?

I would like to have this unit start up when its powered on and
automatically run a remote control program (VNC or pcAnywhere). I
would then use the computer via remote access across the network.

I've never tried running a computer without a monitor; on a few
occasions when I've had a bad connection on a keyboard or mouse, the
computer refused to even boot up. Is there some way around this?

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
Is it possible to run a computer (with Windows 2K or XP) without
having a monitor, keyboard or mouse attached?

I would like to have this unit start up when its powered on and
automatically run a remote control program (VNC or pcAnywhere). I
would then use the computer via remote access across the network.

I've never tried running a computer without a monitor; on a few
occasions when I've had a bad connection on a keyboard or mouse, the
computer refused to even boot up. Is there some way around this?
Click to expand...

I remember theres a thing in bios stop on all errors or no errors etc.
Try setting that if you have it .
 
Martin said:
Is it possible to run a computer (with Windows 2K or XP) without
having a monitor, keyboard or mouse attached?

I would like to have this unit start up when its powered on and
automatically run a remote control program (VNC or pcAnywhere). I
would then use the computer via remote access across the network.

I've never tried running a computer without a monitor; on a few
occasions when I've had a bad connection on a keyboard or mouse, the
computer refused to even boot up. Is there some way around this?

Thanks for any suggestions.
Click to expand...

If your BIOS won't allow you to turn of the fail-on-POST-error feature and
the machine is situated nearby other machines, consider a KVM switch to
share the keyboard, video and mouse between 2 (or more) machines. Even if
focus is not on the machine being booted, the KVM switch would look at all
times to be a live keyboard, video and mouse combination, depending on the
model you install.
 
The KVM switch would do the trick but I'd prefer not to have to use
it. In this situation, the computer will be physically isolated and
will be located in a relatively small enclosure - which is why I want
to use it via remote control.

I was thinking it might be possible to construct some kind of
loop-back plugs that could be attached to the video, keyboard and
mouse ports that would fool the computer into thinking that there were
devices attached. Is this possible?
 
Martin said:
Is it possible to run a computer (with Windows 2K or XP) without
having a monitor, keyboard or mouse attached?
Click to expand...

You mean a video card, not a monitor, right?

Why? You can get barely/poorly-functioning keyboard and mice
essentially for free. And an old 1MB video card costs, what, 5 bucks?
 
No, I mean without a monitor. The computer that I want to set up this
way has a video connector on it - I just don't want to plug a monitor
in to it.
 
Is it possible to run a computer (with Windows 2K or XP) without
having a monitor, keyboard or mouse attached?

I would like to have this unit start up when its powered on and
automatically run a remote control program (VNC or pcAnywhere). I
would then use the computer via remote access across the network.

I've never tried running a computer without a monitor; on a few
occasions when I've had a bad connection on a keyboard or mouse, the
computer refused to even boot up. Is there some way around this?

Thanks for any suggestions.
Click to expand...

Servers farms do this all the time, (e-mail address removed) has the right answer,
disable the stop on all errors setting in the BIOS.
 
Martin said:
No, I mean without a monitor. The computer that I want to set up this
way has a video connector on it - I just don't want to plug a monitor
in to it.
Click to expand...

Bios's don't care whether a monitor is attached, so that's no
problem.

Bios's typically don't care whether you have a mouse or not.

The key is finding a BIOS that doesn't care that no keyboard is
attached.

Now...will Windows provide mouse functionality to VNC if it doesn't
detect a mouse on the system.... or a keyboard. That's the
question...and I don't know the answer. But this should focus your
investigation.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I'm experimenting with all this using an IBM Netvista (Win XP). I set
it up to auto-logon and put VNC Server in the start-up folder. I
disconnected the monitor (left the KB and mouse connected) and it
booted up just fine. I was able to use the unit remotely via VNC. (I
never realized that a computer doesn't care whether there's a monitor
attached or not).

I then changed a setting in the BIOS to allow it to run without the KB
and mouse. When it started up, there was an unusually long delay with
no disc activity but it did finally start up ok and I was able to
connect thru VNC again.

I haven't yet purchased the computer that I want to set up this way. I
just e-mailed the manufacturer and asked them about their BIOS's
attitude about needing a keyboard and/or a mouse.

Thanks again for the comments.
 
Bios's don't care whether a monitor is attached, so that's no
problem.

Bios's typically don't care whether you have a mouse or not.

The key is finding a BIOS that doesn't care that no keyboard is
attached.

Now...will Windows provide mouse functionality to VNC if it doesn't
detect a mouse on the system.... or a keyboard. That's the
question...and I don't know the answer. But this should focus your
investigation.
--
Click to expand...


I have a couple boxes running Win98SE with no monitor, mouse, or
keyboard, and they work fine using PCAnywhere.


Dave
 
Greetings...

Servers farms do this all the time, (e-mail address removed) has the right answer,
disable the stop on all errors setting in the BIOS.
Click to expand...

That gets you through post - and some bios's call it Halt on errors most default to
'ignore all except keyboard' - set it to none.

Second step is to tell windows not to bug you about not having a mouse installed. That
too is easy enough. Just don't install any mouse driver.

Once you have all this in place, boot the machine with the monitor attached to make sure
it will boot up without any warnings, then you can pull the plug on the monitor and set
the box somewhere - Instant server farm..

I do this on my home network too... A couple of older boxes that I know will never
bring any money if I tried to sell them, basically acting as remote CD and HD's sharing
printers, fax machines etc... It's all networked together with a switch and so far as my
main machine is concerned, they are all just folders on my desktop...

Win VNC is a neat program to use if you need to actually make any changes or modifications
to those machines. It's basically remote control administration, so you don't have to
plug in any monitors, mice or keyboards to those other boxes. You drive them from your
main machine as if you were on them directly... A hell of a lot cheaper than KVM boxes
and cables!!

ll
Kanda'

<>SPAM-KILLER<>- If you really want to contact me, then -
kandaje<at>bresnan<dot>net

You figure it out...
 
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