Re: [Thinkpad] T30 / KVM problems (

Nice to hear others are having similar problems. I am using the OmniView SE-4 Port and I have tried all kinds of things to get my PS/2 Microsoft Natural Keyboard and my Microsoft USB Intellimouse Optical Mouse to work through the KVM switch to my Thinkpad T30.
 
Tried and failed:
   force a PS/2 Y cable into S video jack that looks like PS/2 port (kidding, well sort of)
   sit the T30 in the docking station occupied by my A22p (kind of works, but not really)
   connect KVM cables via two tiny individual PS/2 to USB connectors (mouse works)
   connect KVM cables via IOGear GUC10KM 2 PS/2 to 1 USB connector (kbd works)

   buy the PS/2 KVM switch recommended in Michael Stack's post (nope)
   buy an all USB KVM switch
      ** this last might have worked, but there was no USB keyboard I liked,
      and converting PS/2 keyboard to USB is the crux of this whole problem
 
Problems appear to arise when converting PS/2 to USB, especially the keyboard cable. I have settled on using a Targus USB port replicator to plug in the PS/2 mouse and keyboard cables from the KVM into the USB port on my laptop.
 
Problem: when I startup, the OS gives a "stuck keyboard key" warning. So I need to plug the replicator in after startup. Switching back and forth between computers seems OK once everything is up and running. Not an ideal solution, but now I can stop obsessing about this issue and get back to work ;-)
 
Thanks for the tips guys.
 
Arvind

Larry McQueary <larry@mcqueary.org> wrote:
Hi all, thanks for the dialogue -- I have the newer (?) OmniView SoHo
2-port PS/2 switch (the vertical unit) and once I switch away from the
T30 and switch back, I never regain mouse control UNLESS I unplug and
replug the PS/2 mouse connector. Fortunately I have a small PS/2
extension that hangs outside the casing of the switch, so I can do this
in a matter of 2 seconds. However, it's still a hassle. I believe from
reading all your comments that this is a T30-specific issue, regardless
of whether IBM says they support KVM switches or not.

(also, in addition to the switching issues, the T30 will hang during
POST if it's rebooted while the KVM is switched to the OTHER unit - as
was noted by Mike in his original post - until you unplug/replug and it
sees the PS/2 mouse)

I would love to hear about it if someone comes up with a solution or a
recommendation of a switch that actually works without major lag or
unplug/replug.

Thanks,
Larry McQueary
larry@mcqueary.org

BJ Klingenberg wrote:

>
>
>Interesting, Thanks. I have an IOGear 2 port switch and am having
>difficulties switching between a T30 and T20.. T20 works great, T30 has
>issues.... I'll try the T30 outside of the dock to see if that helps, but i
>suspect i'll have to get a different switch. Sorry for the poor response
>from IBM support, not sure I can do much about it, but I'm still sorry.
>
>Regards,
>BJ
>________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>
>bj klingenberg  storage software strategy and technology  ibm systems
>group  408.256.9743  ibm tieline 276.9743  bklingen@us.ibm.com
>
>
>|---------+---------------------------->
>| | Michael Stack |
>| | |
>| | |
>| | 07/15/2003 11:34 |
>| | AM |
>|---------+---------------------------->
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
> | |
> | To: BJ Klingenberg/San Jose/IBM@IBMUS, larry@mcqueary.org, arvindsuthar@yahoo.com |
> | cc: thinkpad@stderr.org |
> | Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] T30 / KVM problems ( |
> >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
>
>
>
>
>At 11:04 AM 7/15/2003 -0700, BJ Klingenberg wrote:
>
>
>
>>Did you ever get your T30/KVM issue resolved? I'm having the same problem
>>with my port replicator... Thanks.
>>
>>Regards,
>>BJ
>>
>>
>
>Here's what I reported on June 12:
>-----------------------
>I'm pleased to report that my KVM switch problem has been solved - by
>replacing the switch. I finally found someone at Belkin who would tell me
>that my OmniCube is no longer marketed due to this problem, at least in
>part. I replaced it with a Belkin OmniView E Series switch (F1DB104P) and
>all is well.
>-----------------------
>
>I may have been too quick to respond. While everything mostly works, if I
>switch away while running Drive Image, the T30 "beeps" at me until I switch
>
>back, at which time I find there is no mouse cursor. (Beeping resumes if I
>
>again switch away.) Annoying, but not disastrous unless I some day need
>the mouse while making the image. When running WinXP Pro, everything
>works, although booting the T30 while switched away may still have problems
>
>- I've been using it rather than doing such experiments.
>
>Belkin admitted that there was a problem with the OmniCube. The OmniView
>is a bit slow in getting the cursor active after a switch but it works
>quite well.
>
>I will also say that IBM support was no help whatsoever in this case. The
>only response I could get was that they don't support KVM switches. When I
>
>asked if others had reported the problem, no information was available
>(apparently). When I asked if my problem would be recorded in case others
>called, I got an ambiguous answer. All this was entirely different from my
>
>previous experience with IBM support.
>
>My conclusion is that:
>1) The OmniCube has problems and should be replaced, and
>2) There are still problems with the T30 even with the replacement KVM,
>although not so serious
>
>There seems to be no difference whether using cables directly connected, a
>port replicator, or a dock - I tried all three before I replaced the KVM.
>
>Mike
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Michael Stack e-mail: mstack@niu.edu
> ear-mail: 1.815.753.9447
>Computer Science Department fax: 1.815.753.0342
>Northern Illinois University ftp: mstack.cs.niu.edu
>DeKalb, IL 60115 url: http://mstack.cs.niu.edu/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

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Received on Fri Jul 18 14:01:40 2003