Two PCs on one monitor

[(RIP) willstatt]

I want to run my 'backup' PC at work through the same monitor as my everyday one. I've read there's a thing called a Belkin Switch2 that shares monitor/keyboard and mouse, which sounds perfect. anyone else use one, or have another system to achieve this?

 

[Keith Chapman]

Plenty of choice of KVM (keyboard video mouse) switches around, we use Belkin, rextron and blackbox switches ,( to name but a few )in our office. All seem to work OK. The number of ports depends on how many pcs you want to run through one screen.

 

[Slowdown]

What operating system? If its windows XP or better just use the built in remote admin viewer or something like VNC to remote onto the backup PC.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925876

http://www.realvnc.com/

It's free and saves the hassle of additional cables and expense.

You can use a free XTerm on Linux - it's a bit of a pfaff to configure, but millions of UNIX users can't be wrong...

 

[Buttso]

Win2VNC

my favourite is WIN2VNC

which allows you to control 2 pcs but without opening a terminal remote control window.. or windows viewer app

the small app which sits on your taskbar monitors the movement of your mouse

the mouse seamlessly moves between the two PC's as if they were one.
and takes the keyboard commands with it... copy and paste works as well... its class..

http://fredrik.hubbe.net/win2vnc.html

 

[Packer]

Can you not just shove a network card into each one and plug them together with a cable, i.e. old fashioned pier to pier networking? Just map the drive on the old unit into the directory on the new one.

It certainly worked with Win 95 & Win 98.

Alternatively, take the hard drive out of the old one and plug it in as a second hard drive in the new one. Very simple IME, plug in power cable and data cable then set up the bios.

 

[(RIP) willstatt]

some great options to consider there. Thanks for all the helpful advice.

Will