Computer help needed!

[RedCarsGoFaster]

I give up. IBU.

I have two laptops for WFH. Different systems. One is an elderly HP, the other is a brand new Microsoft Surface. I like to keep them closed and hook them up to my external screen as it's much bigger.

I have one external screen, one USB mouse and one USB keyboard.

I've bought a KVM switch and hooked it all up. I can only get one sodding laptop to work on the screen.

Help! I'm going nuts! I'm usually tech savvy, but today I'm definitely too tired for this and google has NOT been my friend. AIBU to beg for help?

Is one of them going to sleep because the lid is closed? It might not be getting a signal back from the switch (because it's no longer connected to the screen that returns a signal down the cable) to stay awake in that situation. Can you try changing the setting to make it stay on when closed?

Yes, you need to fiddle with your display settings so the external monitors are your primary displays rather than the laptop screen.

I’m bad at this so can’t help in detail but managed it by fiddling.

I'll check the settings again, but both are set up for working with the lid closed separately, one's just not responding now with this switch.

Which one isn't working? If it's the Surface, are you using a dock? What specific KVM switch are you using? Are both laptops Win10, and if so, which build version?

What is going to the KVM from the laptop?

Do they both work with the monitor if you take the KVM out of the equation?

Because MN loves a diagram (and my desk looks like a snake's wedding so a photo is pointless).

Both laptops are set to do "nothing" when the screen is closed.

Separately they work as normal with the screen.

I normally plug the VGA cable from the HP Windows 7 laptop into the screen, and the HDMI cable from the Surface Windows10 laptop into the screen as well. I've never used the two together in this way - I usually have the Surface on the big screen and the HP on it's laptop screen but I can't keep this up.

Billing I for any IT geniuses out there who can save my neck from permanent aching!

I can’t see how video is getting from the surface to the monitor?

Surface > KVM > Targus dock > Monitor

I think it's all stupidly over complicated.... Not sure I've got any of it right!

What cable are you using to connect the surface to the kvm? Also, please post a link to your specific kvm - there are quite a few rybozen ones I can see.

Thank you! It's a U403?

The connection from Surface to KVM is via "USB 2.0 cable Type A Male to Type B Male". Same for the HP.

Link to KVM:
USB Switch Selector,USB KVM Switcher for 4 PC Sharing 3 USB Devices,One-Button Swapping for Keyboard, Mouse, Scanner, Printer, Computer, With 4 USB Cables

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZK36RBJ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_6FK1R09DVQHQA9XKQ480?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Looks like the Rybozen box is just USB. It won't switch the video, unless said video is over USB, and even then it might not work depending on the details.

Which laptop is displaying and which one is not?

And you can't just connect both laptops to two different inputs on the monitor and use the monitor buttons to switch?

Pp beat me to it. You don’t have a kvm, you have a usb switch (so no video) so you will need a second cable (a video one, so probably hdmi) going from the surface into either the monitor or, possibly, the targus dock.

What model is the monitor?

Balls. Bloody colleague recommended that box. That'll teach me to take his word for it.

Thank you!

The HP isn't displaying on the screen.

So if I have the Surface linked directly via HDMI to the screen and the HP linked via VGA (no HDMI port, too old) I can't seem to switch between them on the screen controls, no. I'll try again though.

Is the old laptop working with the screen?
What I mean is to disconnect the Surface and enable just the HP to work with this switch and the rest of your set up.

Monitor is a HP 24o.

@Fere it used to, before the KVM that's not a KVM was added to the mix.

Would this be what I actually need?

GHT HDMI KVM Switch USB 2 Port 4K, 4K @30Hz, KVM Switch 2 PC 1 Monitor,Hotkey Switch,with 2 USB and 2 HDMI Cables,Support Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MNBM8TJ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_7JCX5DKYRF6M1SSMKGFS?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

It would be the first monitor I’ve seen that won’t let you manually switch between the vga and hdmi inputs.

You should be able to connect the two laptops via usb to the rybozen switcher (and the use that to swap the keyboard and mouse between the two) and then connect the surface via hdmi and the hp via vga to the monitor and switch between the two laptops using the monitor menu.

No idea what the targus dock brings to the party.

@notthemessiah

Right, first job in the morning! Thank you so much. I'll report back...

@RedCarsGoFaster

Would this be what I actually need?

GHT HDMI KVM Switch USB 2 Port 4K, 4K @30Hz, KVM Switch 2 PC 1 Monitor,Hotkey Switch,with 2 USB and 2 HDMI Cables,Support Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
]]

Not if the hp only has vga out and not hdmi