Talk about a plan backfiring

[Bateluer]

For about the last year, I've been using a 2.4Ghz Celeron and a 2.53Ghz P4 as testbed/S@H crunching systems. Both of these systems were using the same KB/Mouse and Monitor via a Trendnet PS2/VGA KVM switch.

Earlier this month, I decided to replace them with some cheap Dell Inspiron 531s. They're actually fairly nice systems, an X2 3800 and 4000, each with a GB of RAM and 250GB hdds. Far superior to the machines they replaced.

Enter the problem, the old machines each had two PS2 ports, 1 for the KB and 1 for the mouse. The Inspirons don't have any PS2 ports at all, and instead boast 6 USB 2.0 ports each.

Needless to say, I noticed this pretty quickly when I went to hook up the machines the first time. Having no USB adapters of the proper male/female orientation, I ordered some from Monoprice, no big deal.

Fast forward to today, and my KVM switch doesn't work when using the USB to PS2 adapters.

At the moment, each machines is running with its own KB and Mouse, with one machine having the monitor unplugged, rather cumbersome.

So, now I have to buy a new USB KVM switch for these machines. The model I'm likely going to buy is only 20 USD, but still, bah!

 

[Rike]

Measure twice, cut once. Words to live by.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Yea, lots of mobos these days don't have legacy connectors any more.
I pretty much use all USB mouses, but all of my keyboards are either AT or PS2 (except for one, my das 2 keyboard) ....
Then there's the whole parallel port printer that I use.

I see no point in spending money on a new printer because mine is only like 10 years old and it's a laser, my keyboards are all less than 20 years old, they probably have a good 30-50 years of life left in them ...

Eventually I'll be buying lots of usb/ps2 adaptors and a standalone parallel port card .... Arrrrrr

 

[Bateluer]

Ubuntu 7.10 doesn't seem to work on them either, failing to load the installer. Thats a secondary issue, plenty of other distros to choose from.

 

[Exterous]

I personally think that Dell was a bit premature when removing PS2 ports from their computers. Still alot of keyboards that use PS2

Good luck with your new switch!

 

[Bateluer]

Well, to be fair, Dell does ship USB keyboards and mice with the system. They don't design systems for the niche users who need KVM switches.

 

[skyking]

why a monitor and keyboard at all? Can't you cruch headless?

 

[funkymatt]

Originally posted by: skyking
why a monitor and keyboard at all? Can't you cruch headless?

VNC for the win!

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: funkymatt

Originally posted by: skyking
why a monitor and keyboard at all? Can't you cruch headless?

VNC for the win!

S@H isn't the only use for these systems. S@H is what they do when I'm not actively using them for a specific purpose.

Good news is, the text based install for Ubuntu 7.10 seems to be working whereas the GUI install failed very early.

 

[Bateluer]

Spoke too soon on the Ubuntu thing. Gets the same 'Cannot Display Video Mode' error, just takes longer to get it.

 

[skyking]

for serving purposes, a gui is wasted overhead. you really need more than one gui computer? just curious.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

So, now I have to buy a new USB KVM switch for these machines. The model I'm likely going to buy is only 20 USD, but still, bah!

 

[tranceport]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Yea, lots of mobos these days don't have legacy connectors any more.
I pretty much use all USB mouses, but all of my keyboards are either AT or PS2 (except for one, my das 2 keyboard) ....
Then there's the whole parallel port printer that I use.

I see no point in spending money on a new printer because mine is only like 10 years old and it's a laser, my keyboards are all less than 20 years old, they probably have a good 30-50 years of life left in them ...

Eventually I'll be buying lots of usb/ps2 adaptors and a standalone parallel port card .... Arrrrrr

For your printer just pick up an external single port jetdirect and put that sucker on the network!

 

[DaveSimmons]

That's an annoyance I'll have to watch out for when I upgrade my early-2006 gaming PC next year. Hopefully I can find a good motherboard that is not legacy-free.

I have a nice IOGear 4-port ps2 KVM switch and cable set that's been flawless for a couple of years now, hooked up to my work PC, gaming PC, and music server.