OT Link two pc's to one monitor/keyboard

As per the subject really. Want to share one monitor/ keyboard/mouse between
two pc's. As cheaply as possible.

TIA.

 

A KVM switch.

A stolen KVM switch.

 

Seriously, if one of your PC's can boot sans keyboard, install VNC on
it and remotely drive it from the other machine. This will cost you
nothing.

 

http://www.mc3llc.com/search_result3.asp?txtKeyword=Share&txtName=Share Switches

 

A Belkin "Omniview" is what I use at work for the 3 machines I use
frequently.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatSectionView.process?Section_Id=56

They come in many varieties, but I use a 4 port one (4 machines controlled
by 1 keyboard, mouse and monitor).

 

Seconded - this is exactly what I do.
The machine without accoutrements is configured with VNCserver in the
startup process, so as soon as it's booted I use my good machine with
VNCviewer to control the other machine. Free, easy and useable.

 

Sounds interesting. Will give it a go. Cheers.

 

Or, if using Windows 2000, enable Windows Terminal Services.

 

Which is /so/ much faster than VNC it's just not funny.

 

I'm got one pc with XP home and one with win2000 server. Any good for
terminal services?

 

you'll definitely be able to use terminal services from the XP box
onto the Win2000 Server (which I suspect is the way round you'll want
things), but not sure about the other way around.

XP home is for pikeys.

 

Yup.

Enable TS (it's a service) on the server.
Stick Terminal Services Client on the XP home box.

 

which is quite considerably faster and more secure than VNC. In fact,
VNC's *only* saving grace is that it's cross-platform.

 

Aye. Which is why I suggested it initially.

 

I think you mean XP Caravan.

 

"XP Mobile Home" for the upwardly mobile pikey.

 

These *can* be a bit dodgy with XP/2000, though - occasionally the mouse
will stop working when you switch machines. Suspending and reactivating the
PC sorts it.

As others have said, though, if you're using XP/2000, terminal services is
loads, loads better. The KVM switch thing is only really necessary if
you're forever rebooting and diddling around with BIOS settings on multiple
PCs, or running some lame-ass seventies operating system

 

Quite. I've only used VNC once, and thought it was slow clunky shite.
Pre-W2K, we used to use PC-Duo for remote management of servers, which
is still quite a good product, but now for most things Terminal
Services is the no-brain choice.

 

unless your "sysadmins" are clueless frogs who fear change, and insist
that you use VNC, despite repeated requests to use Terminal Services
instead.

 

Andrewr At Work

Good use are you these days, that wasn't even funny. What happened? All
phunny bones broken in another scaffolding incident?