Whats causing this???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peter F
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Peter F

Hi All,

I wonder if anyone could help....

We have had a call regarding some problems with KVM switches:

This is a synopsis of the problems encountered so far with the new Avocent
Cybex SwitchView SC140's.

Initially we hooked up the KVM in two separate areas consisting of:

1 x machine (XP Pro)
1 x Machine (Windows NT4)

Cables:
1 x 26 pin to VGA/PS2
1 x 26 pin to VGA/USB
1 x VGA to VGA

Adapter:
1 x VGA to DVI

Peripherals:
1 x USB Keyboard
1 x USB Mouse

After installing the equipment in the correct manner (power to the KVM
supplied by the two base units) we found that the Keyboard (KB) and Mouse
worked fine on XP but on NT4 only the KB worked correctly with no clicking
actions available on the mouse (we could still move the cursor around the
screen). These symptoms were present on the second installation as well.

Next we tried the configuration with the KVM powered by its own power
adaptor but with the same results.

The next step we took was to take out the USB KB and mice and replace
them with PS2 KB's and Mice but with the same fault.

After reporting the fault the Technicians/Engineers were present to fault
find, signed on as the local administrator the engineers attempted to alter
the configuration but with no joy.

Our next step was to install the KVM onto a stand alone laptop with Windows
NT4, similar symptoms were present for this setup. The KB worked, at first,
in this setup with the Mouse producing the same error, after re-booting the
laptop the KB and Mouse attached to the KVM controller did not work at all.
At this point we stopped the trial. Tests were made with the KVM powered by
its own power source and off of the laptop.

If you can help in any way that would be great.
 
Peter F said:
Hi All,

I wonder if anyone could help....

We have had a call regarding some problems with KVM switches:

This is a synopsis of the problems encountered so far with the new Avocent
Cybex SwitchView SC140's.

Initially we hooked up the KVM in two separate areas consisting of:

1 x machine (XP Pro)
1 x Machine (Windows NT4)

Cables:
1 x 26 pin to VGA/PS2
1 x 26 pin to VGA/USB
1 x VGA to VGA

Adapter:
1 x VGA to DVI

Peripherals:
1 x USB Keyboard
1 x USB Mouse

After installing the equipment in the correct manner (power to the KVM
supplied by the two base units) we found that the Keyboard (KB) and Mouse
worked fine on XP but on NT4 only the KB worked correctly with no clicking
actions available on the mouse (we could still move the cursor around the
screen). These symptoms were present on the second installation as well.

Next we tried the configuration with the KVM powered by its own power
adaptor but with the same results.

The next step we took was to take out the USB KB and mice and replace
them with PS2 KB's and Mice but with the same fault.

After reporting the fault the Technicians/Engineers were present to fault
find, signed on as the local administrator the engineers attempted to alter
the configuration but with no joy.

Our next step was to install the KVM onto a stand alone laptop with Windows
NT4, similar symptoms were present for this setup. The KB worked, at first,
in this setup with the Mouse producing the same error, after re-booting the
laptop the KB and Mouse attached to the KVM controller did not work at all.
At this point we stopped the trial. Tests were made with the KVM powered by
its own power source and off of the laptop.

If you can help in any way that would be great.
Click to expand...



I had a similar problem once and just used a separate mouse for each
machine...
and used the KVM for monitor and KB only...
 
Hi Philo,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. That is the solution at the moment but
the KVM switches cost a lot of money and we are replacing 75 of them. For the
mouse not to work is not an option and must be sorted out.

Once again thanks very much. If you have any idea what could be causing this
or could point me in the general direction then that would be great.

Regards.
 
Peter said:
Hi All,

I wonder if anyone could help....

We have had a call regarding some problems with KVM switches:

This is a synopsis of the problems encountered so far with the new Avocent
Cybex SwitchView SC140's.

Initially we hooked up the KVM in two separate areas consisting of:

1 x machine (XP Pro)
1 x Machine (Windows NT4)

Cables:
1 x 26 pin to VGA/PS2
1 x 26 pin to VGA/USB
1 x VGA to VGA

Adapter:
1 x VGA to DVI

Peripherals:
1 x USB Keyboard
1 x USB Mouse

After installing the equipment in the correct manner (power to the KVM
supplied by the two base units) we found that the Keyboard (KB) and Mouse
worked fine on XP but on NT4 only the KB worked correctly with no clicking
actions available on the mouse (we could still move the cursor around the
screen). These symptoms were present on the second installation as well.

Next we tried the configuration with the KVM powered by its own power
adaptor but with the same results.

The next step we took was to take out the USB KB and mice and replace
them with PS2 KB's and Mice but with the same fault.

After reporting the fault the Technicians/Engineers were present to fault
find, signed on as the local administrator the engineers attempted to alter
the configuration but with no joy.

Our next step was to install the KVM onto a stand alone laptop with Windows
NT4, similar symptoms were present for this setup. The KB worked, at first,
in this setup with the Mouse producing the same error, after re-booting the
laptop the KB and Mouse attached to the KVM controller did not work at all.
At this point we stopped the trial. Tests were made with the KVM powered by
its own power source and off of the laptop.

If you can help in any way that would be great.
Click to expand...


WinNT does not, and cannot be made, to support USB.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
Peter F said:
Hi Philo,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. That is the solution at the moment but
the KVM switches cost a lot of money and we are replacing 75 of them. For the
mouse not to work is not an option and must be sorted out.

Once again thanks very much. If you have any idea what could be causing this
or could point me in the general direction then that would be great.

Regards.
Click to expand...


Argh!

I'll say that's not an option for 75 machines.

The first KVM I ever used was non-electronic,
it contained actual mechanical switches.

Though I'm sure they would work in your situation,
the drawback was some "ghosting" of the image.
 
Hi Bruce,

Thanks very much for your reply. Is there anywhere that i can get further
information on your comment? I would need to elaborate on why NT does not
support USB?

Regards.
 
Peter said:
Hi Bruce,

Thanks very much for your reply. Is there anywhere that i can get further
information on your comment? I would need to elaborate on why NT does not
support USB?

Regards.
Click to expand...


After all, Windows NT was released years before the USB interface was
developed and standardized. Anyone in your IT department would be able
to tell you this, unless they're so new to the career that they've never
seen WinNT.

Microsoft decided, and announced, roughly a decade ago,that there
would *not* be any USB support built into WinNT, regardless of service
pack. There is no Microsoft-approved/supported patch to add USB support
to WinNT.

Windows NT 4.0 Does Not Support Universal Serial Bus
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q196/6/61.ASP




--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
Peter

USB support was not available on NT4 and before.



That's correct NT4 has never had USB support,
though at one time 3rd party USB was avail..but extremely expensive!

Anyway, I believe the OP mentioned that he also tried to use a ps/2 mouse
but with negative results.

Of course it was not clear to me if the mouse worked properly when hooked
directly...
maybe it's not even a KVM problem???
 
Hi Philo,

Thanks for taking the time to comment...

I am still trying to understand the whole thing as i have not yet visited
site. Is there a physical USB connector on the NT4 machine or does it not
exist? As for the 3rd party USB do you have any further details of this or a
web link so that i can explore the possibility.

I also dont understand why the same problem occurred when they plugged a PS2
mouse but still got the problem? Does that indicate anything different with
NT4?

The way around this problem at the moment is that they are using a stand
alone mouse connected to the NT4 box. This seems to work ok.

Any comments on the above would be greatly received.

Regards.
 
Hi Bruce,

Thanks very much for your input, it is very much appreciated.

Then problem i am failing to understand is why did this also fail with the
PS2 connectors in the same way as the USB? Perhaps this suggests that it is
not a problem with the KVM but something else.

Regards.
 
Hi Bruce,

Just a quick question, when we mention that USB is not supported under NT4
are we saying that there is NOT a USB Physical port present on the NT4
machine?

Regards.
 
Peter F said:
Hi Philo,

Thanks for taking the time to comment...

I am still trying to understand the whole thing as i have not yet visited
site. Is there a physical USB connector on the NT4 machine or does it not
exist? As for the 3rd party USB do you have any further details of this or a
web link so that i can explore the possibility.

I also dont understand why the same problem occurred when they plugged a PS2
mouse but still got the problem? Does that indicate anything different with
NT4?

The way around this problem at the moment is that they are using a stand
alone mouse connected to the NT4 box. This seems to work ok.

Any comments on the above would be greatly received.

Regards.
Click to expand...

A machine running NT4 could very well have a motherboard that is USB
capable.

As far as NT4 USB support, I never kept the link as the machines could be
upgraded to Win2000
for less money, plus it not only required software, it required hardware
changes...
It was definitely not worth it.

One other thing, is if you can find KVM switches with serial ports, a serial
mouse will probably work.

However, you never mentioned if the PS/2 mouse works when connected
directly...
the problem may not be with the KVM switch
 
Peter said:
Hi Bruce,

Thanks very much for your input, it is very much appreciated.

Then problem i am failing to understand is why did this also fail with the
PS2 connectors in the same way as the USB?
Click to expand...


Was the system powered down when you made the PS/2 connection? If not,
there's a very small chance that the motherboard was damaged. Also if
not, has the computer been rebooted after making the PS/2 connection so
that it could be detected by the OS?





--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
Peter said:
Hi Bruce,

Just a quick question, when we mention that USB is not supported under NT4
are we saying that there is NOT a USB Physical port present on the NT4
machine?
Click to expand...


No, the presence of one or more physical USB ports would be irrelevant.
If present, WinNT still could not use them, as the OS had no built-in
device drivers for USB. Some 3rd party manufacturers, like Iomega, did
provide proprietary WinNT USB with some of their devices, but most
didn't bother, as WinNT was well into the "legacy" phase when USB became
widely accepted.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
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