Help, KVM ate my keyboard!

February 20, 2009 12:08 PM

When my Server 2003 desktop auto locks, the keyboard becomes unresponsive while the mouse continues to work. Anyone had a similar experience? No indicators in any of the logs. Running Dell 2950 and Avocent AMX KVM.

The easiest way to recover is to initiate and console RDP connection from another machine, upon which the keyboard regains consciousness.

posted by masher to computers & internet (2 comments total)

I've had a similar problem with Server 2k3 on an HP ML350 with a Cybex KVM, except I lose both keyboard and mouse. The KVM is connected via PS/2-type mouse and keyboard connectors - haven't tried a USB one. Remote (VNC) access and a directly-connected USB mouse both work, although making a VNC connection doesn't seem to bring back the local keyboard the way RDP does for you.

I don't have a fix, nor have I looked into it that deeply - I've just been using VNC as a workaround. I didn't notice that the problem was being caused by the screen locking, though - for that I would probably just disable the screen saver, as I often do with KVM-connected boxes.
posted by pocams at 1:02 PM on February 20

Thanks for the details and suggestion, unfortunately I need the desktop to continue auto locking.
posted by masher at 1:36 PM on February 20