Mouse won't work through KVM switch?

[Napier]

I just got a KVM (keyboard-video-mouse) switch to operate 3 different PCs from one keyboard, one mouse, and one monitor. But one of the two PCs malfunctions when using the mouse through the switch. Why? How do I fix it?

The PCs are (2) Windows 2000 and (1) DOS PC. Every piece of equipment is brand new. The troublesome PC (a Dell Precision w/ Windows) and mouse work together if they are not connected through the switch, as does a different borrowed mouse. Both mice work fine with or without the switch on the other two computers - it's just the combination of the Dell PC and either mouse through the switch.

The malfunction is wild fluttering movement of the mouse pointer, but always along the top edge of the screen, whenever the mouse is moved.

The switch is supposedly a "hardware only" product that is compatible with all software. One expert said I have to have that PC selected on the switch when it boots, but doing this did not change things.

[ultrafilter]

Some mice aren't compatible with a KVM switch. It sucks, but there's nothing you can do.

[gotpasswords]

I vaguely recall that some KVMs are better able to handle mice than others.

I just dug out the instructions for a Linksys KVM we've got here and it only says that it works with "virtually all" PS2 mice. Sounds like your mouse is non-virtual. :p

[RadioWave]

Check the KVM instructions. Most of the time they'll tell you to remove any drivers that you may have specially installed for the mouse. In other words, just use the standard Windows PS/2 mouse driver.

[ftg]

Does the odd mouse use a serial to PS/2 adapter? My Belkin KVM manual says not to use those.

[Nanoda]

Some mice/drivers/mobos don't like having the mouse disconnected/reconnected after being set up. Try having the mouse connected to the problem machine only, then pulling it out and putting it back. If it does the same thing, that's the problem, and your KVM has nothing to do with it.

[Napier]

The drivers are all stock from the computer makers. Everything's new and just out of the box.

There are no adapters, serial or otherwise.

I've only disconnected and reconnected the mice when the PCs are off.

Studying the KVM further, I learned it has special keycodes you can type to make it switch PCs without pressing its button - and that means it is not just a switch, it's also processing information. So now I don't trust it.

Also, now one of the Windows PCs won't boot when it's connected through the switch to a monitor - or at least nothing appears on the screen when I turn it on - but it still works fine when directly plugged together.

Maybe the next question is, where can I buy monitors and keyboards small enough to put three on a desktop?