Mouse problems with KVM switch

Mattias Björk mattias.bjork at sydnet.net
Thu Aug 19 14:29:41 PDT 2004


Hello,

hoe-waa at hawaii.rr.com wrote:
> From: thrawn <mattias.bjork at sydnet.net>
> Date: Thursday, August 19, 2004 6:18 am
> 
> 
>>Hi,
>>
>>I have just brought this KVM switch:
>>http://www.level1.com/products3.php?sklop=20&id=590430
>>
>>But Im having major problems with getting the mouse to work under 
>>FreeBSD. Even the keyboard does not work sometimes. This KVM switch 
>>has 
>>support for hotkey and also supports emulation on both mouse and 
>>keyboard.
>>When I boot up my system and see the BIOS on the computer the 
>>keyboard 
>>works just fine. Then when it continues to boot and comes to the 
>>loader, 
>>it still works. And the it starts to load the kernel. But then when 
>>i 
>>get to the login prompt the keyboard does not work.
>>
>>And sometimes even thought I stay with the computer the hole boot 
>>process I can't even use the keyboard. So I have to use ssh to 
>>login to 
>>the computer and make it reboot to regain the keyboard. I have also 
>>tried to change the cables but I get the same results. And It works 
>>with 
>>no problems under Windows XP Pro.
>>
>>The system that im using is FreeBSD 5.2.1-p9, at least on this system.
>>
>>I  have also two other computers that Im running FreeBSD-stable on. 
>>On 
>>one of my FreeBSD-stable machines I have hade a working mouse under 
>>X 
>>Windows System (Xorg latest from ports).
>>
>>But then I rebooted the system and when I started xdm, it found the 
>>mouse but when I move it around It didn't move like it should. It 
>>took 
>>some seconds before it moved and it did not move like it should, 
>>jumps 
>>several ramdom cm/inches on the screen (Perhaps in the direction 
>>that I 
>>move the mouse im not sure). Its on usable in other words.
>>
>>I have also tryied to use moused under FreeBSD but I get the same 
>>fault/problem. I also have a problem if I do not have this machine 
>>selected when I boot. Then when I switch to it when the boot of the 
>>FreeBSD system has complete, The screen on the monitor just blinks.
>>
>>Still the keyboard works because I can press two times Left Ctrl 
>>and 
>>then 1 to 4 to change the computer Im controlling. This I can not 
>>do 
>>with the FreeBSD 5.2.1-p9 system I can only see the screen but have 
>>to 
>>change the computer im controlling by pressing the button on the 
>>switch box.
>>
>>I have tried to remove the cables and put them back again. But that 
>>does 
>>not help, the only solution I can see is to reboot the system and 
>>let it 
>>boot with it selected. I have also booted up with the mouse 
>>directly 
>>connected to the computer. Then when the system boot was completed 
>>I 
>>moved the mouse around to see that it did work. After that I 
>>plugged 
>>back the cable from the switch in to the computers mouse port. And 
>>the 
>>plugged the mouse back in the switch box, that did not work either.
>>
>>I have also added flags to both psm0 and atkbd in my kernel config:
>>
>># atkbdc0 controls both the keyboard and the PS/2 mouse
>>device          atkbdc0 at isa? port IO_KBD
>>device          atkbd0  at atkbdc? irq 1 flags 0x0
>>device          psm0    at atkbdc? irq 12 flags 0x0
>>
>>I have also tried with the flags set to 0x100 on both atkbd0 and 
>>psm0, 
>>but that doesn't seem to make any diffrance. I have done this on my 
>>FreeBSD 5.2.1-p9 box as well. I have also changed it in:
>>
>>/boot/device.hints
>>
>>But I don't get it working correctly either by that.
>>
>>Does anybody have a clue or have hade any similar problems and/or 
>>who 
>>could shine some light on this problem?
>>
>>Mvh Mattias Björk
> 
> 
> 
> Aloha Mattias
> 
> This all sounds familiar. I too had a lot of trouble
> with a KVM switch. Actually, I tried two with the same
> problem you are alluding to.

Does your KVM support hotkey? I have another KVM switch erlier that did 
work better but It didn't have support for hotkey. But It did not work 
perfectly but atleast the mouse worked mutch better if you compare to this.

> I came to the conclusion that the mouse will not work
> through the KVM switch using FBSD, or at least I never
> got it to.

Im afraid that I can only agree. I have googled some also and there are 
quite a few posts that have the same topic. Some some years old. Not to 
blame FreeBSD but it seems that its a common problem. Or perhaps the KVM 
that I have been using are Crap or something in that direction.

> I have two computers that are both running 5.2.1

I have two with FreeBSD-Stable and one with 5.2.1-p9.

> I have connected a mouse directly to each computer.
> I still had to shutdown both computers and connect 
> the cables for the monitor and keyboard from each to
> the KVM. I also connected and old mouse to the output
> of the KVM.

I know that is a solution, don't need the mouse for the most of the time 
on the servers. But my Workstation Its requierd. Then again its kind of 
dumb to have a KVM if you still have to use the mouse directly connected 
to the computer.

> With all this connected, I then powered up both computers. All seems to work fine with the inconvenience
> of having to use 2 meese. I seldom have to go into one
> fo the computers, so I can live with it.

As I still can return the KVM im thinking that I should do it. But not 
until I have gotten more mail about this issue. Im not convinced yet, so 
  I can wait a week or so.

> This is probably not the answer you were looking for
> but you were also looking for others who had problems.

Well its because I wanted to know if other have hade the same issues. 
What is the brand and model of your KVM?

> Best of Luck
> Robert
> 
> 

Thanks for your reply.

Mvh Mattias Björk


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