Seek advice re KVMing

[Tom_ZeCat]

Score. I took my first step toward setting up a system in which I have one Kubuntu desktop and another Windows 7 desktop. I found an HP Pavillion a6238x at a thrift store for $22. It was a Windows Vista PC that they did not know the password to. No biggie. I wiped it and slapped Windows 7 on it. I did find out that its DVD burner doesn't work, but since it's a desktop, it can be replaced. The memory and hard drive are all fine. It's got 2 GB of RAM, expandable to 4. This will work fine either for my Kubuntu or my Windows desktop.

I'm therefore in need of another desktop. I'll the same keyboard, mouse, and monitor and KVM between the two. This PC should be one of those undersized ones so that I don't use up too much room under my desk. Does anyone remember the name for those mini-desktops? I also used to have a go-to guy for buying no-OS PCs online. It's been years and I forget the name of it. If anyone has any recommendations where to buy a slightly older mini-sized desktop, please let me know. In the meantime, I'm searching pawn shops (and thrift stores without holding my breath -- this was an unusual find).

I've installed hard drives before. Is it any harder to install a DVD drive?

Next question. I've seen these wireless thumb drives at the store. Seems like that might be a great way to share storage space with two KVMking PCs. In a previous setup, I KVMed between Ubuntu and Windows XP. It was a great way to work because one operating system didn't use up the resources of the other. I could be burning a DVD on the Windows PC while working on my writing, surfing the web, etc. on the Ubuntu one and there was no performance hit at all. Plus, I'm looking forward to getting back to using a desktop with a large monitor and a full-sized keyboard. When I KVMed between two PCs before, I had to keep pulling out a thumb drive and putting it into the other PC's USB port. It would be cool if both PCs simply saw the same thumb drive and I could save at will. However, I would want to be really certain that my data is secure. Don't want the nosy neighbors (and they're really, really nosy here) to be able to pull up my thumb drive on their PCs. Do these wireless thumb drives simply set up with the wifi password protected by WEP?

[otisklt]

Mini-towers or thin clients. Not sure of a good place to suggest.

DVD drive replacement is pretty much the same as hard drives, often easier as there is less often a cage.

There is a few ways to KVM and or remote control with shared space (the thumb drive if you like)...

If the hardware KVM has available USB ports you might be able to share the device there but it would toggle with the active host. Not sure if there is a KVM that has a hot port that is always active to both hosts, and if there is I would guess its not the cheap ones.

I have used in the past a software KVM called synergy, but it seems it no longer free... but I think it had the ability to map shared storage with the KVM control session. Not sure if there is a cross platform alternative currently.

x2go is a remote control type app using ssh that can map shared storage with a session that works really well.

If you go the route of a wifi/storage usb device, dont use WEP its too easily cracked. It will probably want to use WPA2 by default as its pretty commonplace now. Not entirely sure on the options as I have not used one yet.

[Tom_ZeCat]

Mini-towers or thin clients. Not sure of a good place to suggest.

DVD drive replacement is pretty much the same as hard drives, often easier as there is less often a cage.

There is a few ways to KVM and or remote control with shared space (the thumb drive if you like)...

If the hardware KVM has available USB ports you might be able to share the device there but it would toggle with the active host. Not sure if there is a KVM that has a hot port that is always active to both hosts, and if there is I would guess its not the cheap ones.

I have used in the past a software KVM called synergy, but it seems it no longer free... but I think it had the ability to map shared storage with the KVM control session. Not sure if there is a cross platform alternative currently.

x2go is a remote control type app using ssh that can map shared storage with a session that works really well.

If you go the route of a wifi/storage usb device, dont use WEP its too easily cracked. It will probably want to use WPA2 by default as its pretty commonplace now. Not entirely sure on the options as I have not used one yet.

Thanks for the advice. Good news. I've acquired another desktop pretty cheap. This one is a Lenovo ThinkCenter with a 250 gig hard drive, 4 gigs of RAM, and a DVD drive. It came with Windows 7, which I wiped and replaced with Kubuntu 15.04. I have Windows 7 on the HP that I acquired. I realized I had an old Belkin usb-based KVM still in the packaging that I bought dirt cheap when I worked in an office supply place. It's working, but it has shown a few issues. It works great when I first start, but after I've been working for a while, I can't KVM back to the other PC. I think this has to do with it not seeing a PC when it goes into power save. I'm testing that tonight. I shut off all the power save stuff in both PCs. So far that's done the trick. I'm able to move back and forth at will.

A minor issue with the HP Win 7 machine is when I KVM to it the mouse doesn't work at first. You hear that Windows tone BOO-BEEP and a few seconds later the mouse works again. Not great, but I can probably live with that. Another issue is I've swapped the Ctrl and Caps lock key in both Kubuntu and in Windows 7. When I jump from Kubuntu to Windows 7 and back, suddenly Ctrl and Caps lock are no longer swapped even though in the settings it shows that they are. The workaround has been to go into the settings again and uncheck Swap Ctrl and Caps lock and then re-check it. However, it will suck to have to keep doing that if I don't find a way to make it stop.

[Tom_ZeCat]

An update: This KVM switch is driving me nuts. It's a Belkin Flip which I probably bought in about 2010 or 2011 and kept in the packaging unused. It works great when you first turn on the 2 computers. However, after time, it gets so that you can't switch between the PCs. I've shut off the power saver modes on both PCs to no avail. Sometimes when I'm trying to get it to work, I'll reboot the Kubuntu PC and it will boot up in screwed up resolution -- the generic low res. I'm wondering if this is just a case of having a lousy KVM and I need to shop for a better one. If anyone knows of a quality one, let me know. I never had this much trouble with the previous KVM that I used. However, I can't use that one because it's PS/2-based. The Lenovo ThinkCenter doesn't have PS/2 ports, only USB ones.

[otisklt]

usb KVM's seem to have this issue or at least I have seen this delay of association with switching as well.
Maybe there is some more costly or current ones that are better? I want to say the one I am thinking of is about the same age 2010ish, maybe a Trendnet.

The most recent one I put my hands on was a IOGear dual monitor KVM which works really good, but its not the cheapest option: http://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-2-Port-...728259-7266511
Had it for almost a year and not to suggest you need 2 montitor capability but for reference that I have good results with it, no delays with switching... and no resolution changing.
Might just be you need one a little more current

[vinnywright]

have a look at this http://synergy-project.org/?ab5&utm_....google.com%2F

but you will need a second monitor .

VINNY

[otisklt]

Synergy is great but no longer free if that matters.

[Tom_ZeCat]

usb KVM's seem to have this issue or at least I have seen this delay of association with switching as well.
Maybe there is some more costly or current ones that are better? I want to say the one I am thinking of is about the same age 2010ish, maybe a Trendnet.

The most recent one I put my hands on was a IOGear dual monitor KVM which works really good, but its not the cheapest option: http://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-2-Port-...728259-7266511
Had it for almost a year and not to suggest you need 2 montitor capability but for reference that I have good results with it, no delays with switching... and no resolution changing.
Might just be you need one a little more current

Thanks for the recommendation. I've bookmarked that link in case I decide to buy it. My first attempt at replacing the Belkin garbage is with this other switch, also by IOGear:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

It's a lot more affordable than your suggestion and it got way better reviews than the Belkin. If it sucks and drives me nuts, I'll return it and just bite the bullet and pay the $177 for the switch your recommend. The irony would be that I will have paid more for the KVM switch than the two desktop computers put together. On a stroke of luck, I picked up this HP Desktop for $22 at a thrift shop. Not a typo. I was in the right place at the right time. The Lenovo I found at a Pawn Shop for $130 and I talked them down to $100. It would still be worth the $177 KVM if it's the only one that can do the job without awful bugginess. But we'll see if the cheaper IOGear works out first.

Thanx to everyone for all the help.

[otisklt]

I was not intending for that dual montior KVM I referenced to be a suggestion for you to purchase really...
More of a brand reference I suppose. If that $20 one is not quite good enough then just aim for a better model, no need to aim as high as the one I listed. Pretty sure there is a middle ground model.
I am happy with I/O gear I got.

You are getting some great finds there at the pawn shops. I might get inspired to go look.

[Tom_ZeCat]

I have an update once again. The good news: The Iogear KVM that I bought from Amazon is working MUCH better than the Belkin garbage. There's no comparison. I can jump over and work, jump back and continue working. What an upgrade. The bad news: I'm still experiencing that bug with swapping the Ctrl and Caps Lock key. When I jump from Kubuntu to Windows 7, all is well. The Ctrl and Caps lock are swapped in Win 7 per the registry edit I did. However, when I jump back to Kubuntu, it works as the default with Ctrl in the bottom row and Caps Lock next to the letter A. I go into this:

System Settings ==> Input Devices ==> Keyboard == > Advanced ==> Ctrl key position

And this is still checked:

Swap Ctrl and Caps Lock

I have to uncheck it, hit Apply, recheck it and hit Apply and all is good again. It seems to be a Kubuntu bug. I wonder if 14.04 has this bug. If it doesn't, that would be reason enough to revert to the older version. Uhg. I do like much that's been done in 15.04. I'm going to make a separate post about reporting a bug.