Help me fix my broken IOGEAR KVM Switch in OS X / XP.

May 13, 2006 9:01 AM

Help me fix my broken IOGEAR KVM Switch in OS X / XP.

I have a MiniView™ Micro USB PLUS KVM Switch that lets me switch my second monitor, mac keyboard and Wacom tablet between my Mac and PC. To toggle between them, you hold numeric clear for two seconds add numeric minus for one second, then release them both. Caps Lock flashes, and you hit 1 or 2 (Mac or PC), and Enter. Presto.

This worked perfectly until last week, when my roomate called me, claiming he was working in Photoshop CS2 in OS X, hit a keyboard shortcut (he can't remember which one), and the switch changed to the PC.

Now the clear key doesn't work. In OS X and XP. I've tried multiple keyboards. Is it possible that he hit some combination of keys that disabled the functionality of my clear key? I can't see how this is possible, but I really can't explain it any other way. There is no software or drivers for me to reinstall. The switch itself is still working in some fashion because if I turn off one of the boxes it will detect and switch everything over to whichever one is on.

Any help would be appreciated because I have a broken collarbone and climbing under my desk to rewire shit left-handed is killing me.

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

Did you try any of the procedures listed in the manual?
Look here: http://www.iogear.com/support/manual/GCS632U.pdf
posted by tresbizzare at 9:29 AM on May 13, 2006

This is probably not the answer that you want to hear, but I've had all sorts of trouble with low-end KVM switches. Every so often, the switch hotkeys would fail to work unless I shut down both computers. Sometimes, the sacrifice of a chicken would be required.

The solution for me was to get a KVM switch with an actual toggle on the switch itself. I'm using this gigantic Belkin desktop USB KVM switch, and it's worked very well for the last year or so.
posted by me & my monkey at 11:38 AM on May 13, 2006