The computer and electronics super geek thread

[nhyone]

The basic problem I see a LOT of people run into is that they are so used to an ancient OS that they want the new one to be the old one with better behind the scenes mechanics. That isn't the case with 7. It's just simply not XP. Modding the crap out of your system to make it resemble/run XP ends up making the whole point for upgrading moot.

Tell me about it.

I was first shocked Windows 7 did not offer the classic menu anymore. But soon, I realized I seldom access it anyway. I put my often-used programs in two places: pinning it to the start bar (most frequent) or start menu (not so frequent).

I also set Windows 7 to use single-click. It's quite intuitive to me when to double-click, but since I spend 90% of the time in a web browser, double-click has become quite alien to me.

[soul.assassin]

Ok, I will try reseating the ram, this computer has had issues with that in the past.

Have you used Memtest86? If not, I'd suggest you get it from their site, then burn the ISO to CD, before inserting it in the drive and let it boot (the DVD drive must be the first to boot and can be set from the BIOS).

[azrael]

Tell me about it.

I was first shocked Windows 7 did not offer the classic menu anymore. But soon, I realized I seldom access it anyway. I put my often-used programs in two places: pinning it to the start bar (most frequent) or start menu (not so frequent).

I also set Windows 7 to use single-click. It's quite intuitive to me when to double-click, but since I spend 90% of the time in a web browser, double-click has become quite alien to me.

Wait till Windows 8 comes...

[David Hingtgen]

IT'S NOT THE INK CARTRIDGE. Seriously, if you suggest that, I will ban you.

Now that that's out of the way--I've got an odd printing issue. Not sure if it's Win7 or IE9. But my HP832C (old but awesome) sometimes gets an odd quirk since I "upgraded" from XP---random letters missing. Especially from pop-up browser windows for reservation confirmations etc. The word spacing is also screwed up. It's like it's trying to print the text letter by letter, instead of "dot by dot". So instead of:

"Reservation confirmation for the So-and-So Hotel" it'll print:

"eser ationconfirm ationfo th So-a So otel"

The whole page is like that. The missing letters often follow a pattern--like all V's are gone, the 3rd letter of every word, something.

AND IT'S NOT THE INK CATRIDGE. Because right after that it'll print 5 pages perfectly fine. But when it does strike, it's damned annoying, because I probably asked it for multiple copies of the reservation.

I think I did see it happen once with Excel, but I can't be sure.

I do have the "official" HP 64-bit signed driver etc, and there is no alternative driver AFAIK. I'm guessing it's a weird setting that the default one isn't quite right---I've tried disabling "advanced printing features", tried spooling vs direct print, etc.

[azrael]

IT'S NOT THE INK CARTRIDGE. Seriously, if you suggest that, I will ban you.

Now that that's out of the way--I've got an odd printing issue. Not sure if it's Win7 or IE9. But my HP832C (old but awesome) sometimes gets an odd quirk since I "upgraded" from XP---random letters missing. Especially from pop-up browser windows for reservation confirmations etc. The word spacing is also screwed up. It's like it's trying to print the text letter by letter, instead of "dot by dot". So instead of:

"Reservation confirmation for the So-and-So Hotel" it'll print:

"eser ationconfirm ationfo th So-a So otel"

The whole page is like that. The missing letters often follow a pattern--like all V's are gone, the 3rd letter of every word, something.

AND IT'S NOT THE INK CATRIDGE. Because right after that it'll print 5 pages perfectly fine. But when it does strike, it's damned annoying, because I probably asked it for multiple copies of the reservation.

I think I did see it happen once with Excel, but I can't be sure.

I do have the "official" HP 64-bit signed driver etc, and there is no alternative driver AFAIK. I'm guessing it's a weird setting that the default one isn't quite right---I've tried disabling "advanced printing features", tried spooling vs direct print, etc.

It's the ink cartridge.

If you haven't installed the 64-bit drivers from HP, try those. The other option is to do a driver update through Windows Update. I know Microsoft offers drivers through this method. I had to install my printer using this method since HP didn't offer drivers directly at the time. Also, are connecting through USB or with the older parallel port?

[David Hingtgen]

USB. Now, when I switched from parallel to USB on XP back when, everything printed "last page to first page" (opposite of what it was set to--so I just set it to print last first, so it'd print correctly--very minor issue, easily fixed).

As for drivers---it is the 64-bit driver, and it is the latest (and only) version according to Windows/MS. It's a driver that Win7 ships with---it is for my exact printer, it is not a generic one.

[azrael]

USB. Now, when I switched from parallel to USB on XP back when, everything printed "last page to first page" (opposite of what it was set to--so I just set it to print last first, so it'd print correctly--very minor issue, easily fixed).

As for drivers---it is the 64-bit driver, and it is the latest (and only) version according to Windows/MS. It's a driver that Win7 ships with---it is for my exact printer, it is not a generic one.

Have you tried reinstalling the printer, i.e. remove the printer from "Device and Printers", unplug the printer, then plug it back in?

[mikeszekely]

IT'S NOT THE INK CARTRIDGE. Seriously, if you suggest that, I will ban you.

Now that that's out of the way--I've got an odd printing issue. Not sure if it's Win7 or IE9. But my HP832C (old but awesome) sometimes gets an odd quirk since I "upgraded" from XP---random letters missing. Especially from pop-up browser windows for reservation confirmations etc. The word spacing is also screwed up. It's like it's trying to print the text letter by letter, instead of "dot by dot". So instead of:

"Reservation confirmation for the So-and-So Hotel" it'll print:

"eser ationconfirm ationfo th So-a So otel"

The whole page is like that. The missing letters often follow a pattern--like all V's are gone, the 3rd letter of every word, something.

AND IT'S NOT THE INK CATRIDGE. Because right after that it'll print 5 pages perfectly fine. But when it does strike, it's damned annoying, because I probably asked it for multiple copies of the reservation.

I think I did see it happen once with Excel, but I can't be sure.

I do have the "official" HP 64-bit signed driver etc, and there is no alternative driver AFAIK. I'm guessing it's a weird setting that the default one isn't quite right---I've tried disabling "advanced printing features", tried spooling vs direct print, etc.

Microsoft released some updates for Windows. I might be a little odd in that I don't allow autoupdating for Windows; Windows Update can only inform me that updates are available, and then I actually click over to the Knowledge Base article to see what the update is for before I allow it. I noticed that two of them related to IE, and one of those related to issues rendering fonts. It's not likely, but I wonder if your issue relates to the issue being patched?

Well, if your issues aren't consistent (that is, not always the same letter or not always the same spots on a page), the problem is almost certainly software. If you're using the driver supplied by Windows Update, have you checked HP's website for an updated driver? The Windows Update drivers aren't always the best (it once suggested that I "update" my Nvidia drivers to an older version).

[David Hingtgen]

HP offers nothing for Vista/7, they only say to use the one from Windows. I've re-installed the printer a couple times, will try again though. I'll let the PC cold-boot a few times with no printer attached, and see if that makes a difference.

[Oihan]

HP offers nothing for Vista/7, they only say to use the one from Windows. I've re-installed the printer a couple times, will try again though. I'll let the PC cold-boot a few times with no printer attached, and see if that makes a difference.

I would try the HP Universal Printer drivers if you haven't already. If you're using PCL6, try using PCL5 drivers if they're available. Furthermore, if you don't already, when you go to uninstall the printer be sure to delete the drivers upon uninstalling. One other thing...if you aren't already doing so, you may need to install the software/drivers first before you plug the printer into the machine.

Edited July 1, 2011 by Oihan

[David Hingtgen]

I wanted to try something like that, but couldn't find a *HP* Universal driver---only an uber-generic universal driver, which is so low-end it's like "text only".

Also, no matter how hard I try to uninstall the driver, when I reinstall---Win7 always finds the old one, and asks if I want to over-write it. Where is Win7 hiding the file itself, so I can kill it?

[azrael]

I wanted to try something like that, but couldn't find a *HP* Universal driver---only an uber-generic universal driver, which is so low-end it's like "text only".

Also, no matter how hard I try to uninstall the driver, when I reinstall---Win7 always finds the old one, and asks if I want to over-write it. Where is Win7 hiding the file itself, so I can kill it?

Those are the system drivers provided with Windows 7. I won't go deleting that one as it may be a "universal" driver of its own. If you are using the one provided by Windows 7 and if there isn't a new driver out there from HP nor from Windows Update, then you're kinda SOL.

[BeyondTheGrave]

I think my modem is bad. Should I go back to my isp and get another modem or just buy a new one?

Reasons I think its bad:

Random disconnects.

During install service tech went through 3-4 before he found a good one.

[azrael]

I think my modem is bad. Should I go back to my isp and get another modem or just buy a new one?

Reasons I think its bad:

Random disconnects.

During install service tech went through 3-4 before he found a good one.

Are you leasing the modem from your ISP? If yes and still wish to lease the modem, then call your ISP for a replacement. If you don't want to lease the modem anymore and want to use your own, then discontinue the lease and have them remove that charge by your next billing cycle.

[Chewie]

You can get a good DSL/Cable modem for $70-$100. $130-$170 if you want a router built in.

Be wary of getting a replacement though, I've gotten a lot of stories from customers recently about their units not being new in box but something, similar to what you said, the install guy had to dig around for or like mine:

My Comcast installer had to leave to go back to the main office when I ordered a new HD DVR receiver and a new modem that supported DOCSIS 3. He spent the better part of an hour trying to get the receiver to talk to the office because they were all locked or broken. The modem he brought back with him was tore up. It looked like someone ran it through a dryer with a bunch of rocks and nails. They wanted to charge me $150 for a "brand new" modem if I didn't like the one they gave me.

I ended up buying one from work and telling them to stuff it.

Edited July 5, 2011 by Chewie

[BeyondTheGrave]

Not sure about the leasing the modem. It may be included in the price. Only problem I have is that the home phone goes through the modem . I'll try getting a new one from time warner. If not any recommendations for a modem?

[shiroikaze]

A cable modem? From a recent thread on Slickdeals, the Motorola SB6120 (among other models) seems favorable.

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3066343

Edited July 5, 2011 by shiroikaze

[Chewie]

That's actually one of the ones I was talking about, shiroikaze.

BeyondTheGrave, the biggest issue you're going to run into if you try to buy your own is finding that kind modem/gateway that's wireless N and DOCSIS 3 compliant. Those things are still in the stoneage when it comes to both hardware and firmware.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Does it matter im using a seperate router?

[Chewie]

Nah. You could get one with a router built in, but if you already have one that works well, there's no reason to replace it.

[BeyondTheGrave]

I just bought one. The linksys e3200 I believe.

[anime52k8]

Ok, My laptop has been doing something strange lately. it's keeps shutting down for no obvious reason. It started maybe a month or two ago and initially, it the screen would go black, if I was listening to something the speakers would be stuck making a tone and the fan would be running full blast then after a few seconds it would shut off then immediately restart on it's own and give me the "windows has recovered from an unexpected shutdown" screen where it asks if I'd like to launch windows in safe mode.

Now, it just clicks off. it's as if I unplugged the thing except that it's still plugged in and the battery is still charged and in place. when I turn it back on it gives me the same option to start in safe mode but the check for solutions thing doesn't pop up and there's no record of a crash in the reliability history.

Does this sound like a hardware thing or software related? I'm hoping it's something that can be fixed, preferably cheaply and easily.

[azrael]

Ok, My laptop has been doing something strange lately. it's keeps shutting down for no obvious reason. It started maybe a month or two ago and initially, it the screen would go black, if I was listening to something the speakers would be stuck making a tone and the fan would be running full blast then after a few seconds it would shut off then immediately restart on it's own and give me the "windows has recovered from an unexpected shutdown" screen where it asks if I'd like to launch windows in safe mode.

Now, it just clicks off. it's as if I unplugged the thing except that it's still plugged in and the battery is still charged and in place. when I turn it back on it gives me the same option to start in safe mode but the check for solutions thing doesn't pop up and there's no record of a crash in the reliability history.

Does this sound like a hardware thing or software related? I'm hoping it's something that can be fixed, preferably cheaply and easily.

Sounds like hardware. You may have a faulty temp monitor or a bad component on the motherboard or a faulty CPU (unlikely but not beyond impossible). If you're still under warranty, I'd suggest you call the manufacturer for a possible replacement. If you're out of warranty, you could try disassembling the computer and reapplying some thermal paste on applicable components and see if that corrects the issue.

[mikeszekely]

It's been awhile since I owned a Mac, and I'd been thinking about getting one. It's hard to explain exactly why... in addition to a pair of laptops and a computer I use as a media box in the bedroom, my my computer space is an L with my main computer (a Windows 7 tower) on a 27" monitor and a second Ubuntu computer on a 22". I want a Mac in the space as well, and a Mac mini should fit in and share the 27"er without too much fuss.

As I previously mentioned, the Windows tower is my main machine, and I use it for media, games, internet, the works. The Mac would be used for light media and mostly web browsing (as I wasn't very pleased to spend 9 hours cleaning a virus of the main computer awhile back). I do have a bunch of older Mac software from my previous Mac on CDs and DVDs.

Since this isn't going to be my main computer, I'm not looking to spend a lot. I've basically got two options.

Option 1: the newly refreshed Mac mini. The big pros here is that this one sports a larger hard drive and faster processor, as Apple bumped it to a 500GB hard drive and a new 2.3GHz dual-core Sandy Bridge Core i5. It also has a lower retail price at $599. I was shocked to see that it's still only sporting 2GB of RAM, though, and went back to integrated Intel graphics (HD 3000). They also eliminated the optical drive. I have a Memorex USB DVD burner, but I definitely would have preferred to have a drive in the unit.

Option 2: try to find the older model. I'm trading down to a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo and a 320GB hard drive, sure. But what I'm getting back is the integrated dual-layer DVD burner and a GeForce 320m. Same 2GB of RAM. The main deterrents would be that they'll be harder to find and probably more expensive. Apple's retail was $699, and Best Buy currently lists them at $664.05.

If you guys were in my shoes, what would you do?

[azrael]

Since this isn't going to be my main computer, I'm not looking to spend a lot. I've basically got two options.

Well, the new Mac Minis are using Sandy Bridge with their Core i5s, so despite losing dedicated graphics, it's not that bad of a graphics loss. I won't plan on gaming but if it's just for web, I won't see it as that much of a lost.

If I were you, I'd probably hunt for the previous model. Since most places will probably be trying to get rid of their stock they're probably gonna reduce the price, I'd snatch one up if I could find it. Assuming you'll find it for cheap. If I could find a previous model below the current Mac Mini's price of $599, I'd probably grab it.

Like here: http://www.macmall.com/p/Apple-Mac-Mini/product~dpno~8160087~pdp.gbihacg

[mikeszekely]

Well, the new Mac Minis are using Sandy Bridge with their Core i5s, so despite losing dedicated graphics, it's not that bad of a graphics loss. I won't plan on gaming but if it's just for web, I won't see it as that much of a lost.

If I were you, I'd probably hunt for the previous model. Since most places will probably be trying to get rid of their stock they're probably gonna reduce the price, I'd snatch one up if I could find it. Assuming you'll find it for cheap. If I could find a previous model below the current Mac Mini's price of $599, I'd probably grab it.

Like here: http://www.macmall.com/p/Apple-Mac-Mini/product~dpno~8160087~pdp.gbihacg

Thanks for the input, Az. I am seriously on the fence on this one.

One thing I forgot to mention, though, is that I'm pretty much stuck buying it from Best Buy. It's a financing thing. I was really hoping that Best Buy would actually sell off their old display unit, since it'd likely be reduced for being open box and then stacked with a coupon for another 10% off of any open box item. And since they don't have it hooked up to anything, it's not as beat up as some of their other displays.

On the other hand, though, I might get more use out of the extra processing power than the optical drive, since I do have a USB one. And the mini's hard drive is a pain to swap out.

Either way, I'll have to Newegg some extra RAM for it.

[mikeszekely]

Best Buy is now running the Core 2 Duo minis for $559.99, and the new i5 minis for $569.99. Reading up on them, it sounds like upgrading the hard drive in the mini is a huge pain, and I think I'll probably need raw processing power more than graphics. I do really wish they'd kept the optical drive, but since I have a slim USB one laying around, I figure I'm better off with the newer model.

They don't have any at my local Best Buy yet, but they have some on order, and one of the employees also requested one be transferred to my store from one that does. Whichever arrives first, either way, I'm buying the i5 model.

Thanks again, Az.

[azrael]

Best Buy is now running the Core 2 Duo minis for $559.99, and the new i5 minis for $569.99. Reading up on them, it sounds like upgrading the hard drive in the mini is a huge pain, and I think I'll probably need raw processing power more than graphics. ...

They don't have any at my local Best Buy yet, but they have some on order, and one of the employees also requested one be transferred to my store from one that does. Whichever arrives first, either way, I'm buying the i5 model.

$569.99 for the new model is not a bad price for a local store pickup. You could drop another hard drive because it has the room in there but you'd need a special connector which you'll probably never find, unless you're in one their production plants...

... I do really wish they'd kept the optical drive, but since I have a slim USB one laying around, I figure I'm better off with the newer model....

Apple is trying to push its cloud services and downloads over physical media. The irony is, ISPs are pushing data caps and some are starting to scale back home internet service in favor of 4G wireless. And with tiered data speeds, I'm not sure Apple's mostly-download idea is gonna stick, especially with limited data caps and speeds. That's one of my gripes with how they are distributing OS X Lion this week. 3.76GB is a long download for most home users.

[CoryHolmes]

So with the (finally!) posting of TORs sysreqs, I've found that my 4 year-old HP "media" computer doesn't have the graphical horsepower to play it. I have a 350w power supply and need an nVIDEA 7800 or better to play it. I currently have a *ptui!* 7250 that came with the box. Can anyone suggest a replacement card that'll fit the bill and existing PS?

And if not, how difficult is it to bump up to a bigger power supply? Just pop the old one out, pop the new one in, plug in all those fiddly electronic cables and away I go?

[mikeszekely]

You could drop another hard drive because it has the room in there but you'd need a special connector which you'll probably never find, unless you're in one their production plants...

I actually did find a site selling Mac parts. Assuming the cable is the same as the one in the previous gen, it's around $30. I'm honestly not sure how much storage I really need on a Mac. I recall there being an app to let Mac OS read/write to NTFS partitions, and I've got a 1TB desktop and 500GB portable external hard drives. I just figured that, since you have to remove the cooling fan and wifi/bluetooth antennas to get at the mini's hard drive (not to mention a couple of Torx screwdrivers that I'm pretty sure I have but would have to look for), I figured I'm better off with more storage than less.

Apple is trying to push its cloud services and downloads over physical media. The irony is, ISPs are pushing data caps and some are starting to scale back home internet service in favor of 4G wireless. And with tiered data speeds, I'm not sure Apple's mostly-download idea is gonna stick, especially with limited data caps and speeds. That's one of my gripes with how they are distributing OS X Lion this week. 3.76GB is a long download for most home users.

It's all about their business models. Apple's pushing everything into the cloud because if you buy a copy of Parallels from Amazon, Apple doesn't get beans. But if their new Mac App Store runs like the one on iOS, Apple's getting a cut if you buy Parallels in the App Store.

As for ISPs, the data caps are pretty arbitrary. Was 250GB a lot in 2006? Is it still a lot today when Netflix accounts for something like 40% of all internet traffic? And then there's the whole cloud that everyone else seems to be pushing toward. Why does Comcast think that me watching a ton of movies on Netflix would be a problem for their network, but watching a ton of movies On Demand wouldn't, when they use the same cable? And Comcast might be concerned that me downloading another game on Steam might degrade the performance of their network on Sunday evening when they're broadcasting the big game, but what does it matter if I left my computer on to finish downloading my game at 3:00 in the morning? As near as I can tell, they're less concerned with actual network bottlenecks and more with streaming video killing their TV business.

So with the (finally!) posting of TORs sysreqs, I've found that my 4 year-old HP "media" computer doesn't have the graphical horsepower to play it. I have a 350w power supply and need an nVIDEA 7800 or better to play it. I currently have a *ptui!* 7250 that came with the box. Can anyone suggest a replacement card that'll fit the bill and existing PS?

And if not, how difficult is it to bump up to a bigger power supply? Just pop the old one out, pop the new one in, plug in all those fiddly electronic cables and away I go?

I wouldn't recommend any graphics card update without upgrading the power supply. Upgrading the power supply is fairly easy, as long as your computer uses the ATX standard (I had a Sony years ago that didn't, and it was a colossal pain). The main cables will be to your optical drive(s), to your hard drive(s), to the motherboard, and a second smaller one to the motherboard (that's for the CPU). I'd recommend at least 500w, and my brand of choice is Antec.

As far as graphics cards go, a lot of them will require connections direct from the power supply, and many of them will take up two spots (in addition to being really long). You'll want PCIe x16 if your computer supports it. Maybe an Nvidia GTS 450 or 550 will be enough, assuming it fits (and you want to stick with Nvidia).

[CoryHolmes]

but what does it matter if I left my computer on to finish downloading my game at 3:00 in the morning?

... leave your computer...? *boggles*

I wouldn't recommend any graphics card update without upgrading the power supply. Upgrading the power supply is fairly easy, as long as your computer uses the ATX standard (I had a Sony years ago that didn't, and it was a colossal pain). The main cables will be to your optical drive(s), to your hard drive(s), to the motherboard, and a second smaller one to the motherboard (that's for the CPU). I'd recommend at least 500w, and my brand of choice is Antec.

As far as graphics cards go, a lot of them will require connections direct from the power supply, and many of them will take up two spots (in addition to being really long). You'll want PCIe x16 if your computer supports it. Maybe an Nvidia GTS 450 or 550 will be enough, assuming it fits (and you want to stick with Nvidia).

I'd like a 500w as well, but I don't think my case can physically support it. The 500w is about 2 inches larger in depth than the 350w I've got in there and there's this block of parts in the way. I think the 400w will fit, based on the dimensions on the box.

[mikeszekely]

... leave your computer...? *boggles*

On days I don't work, I turn the computer on when I wake up and turn it off before I go to bed. On days I do work, I turn it on when I get home and turn it off when I go to bed. But, from time to time, I'm working on completing a particularly large download, and on those days, I leave the computer on overnight. Does that seem weird?

I'd like a 500w as well, but I don't think my case can physically support it. The 500w is about 2 inches larger in depth than the 350w I've got in there and there's this block of parts in the way. I think the 400w will fit, based on the dimensions on the box.

Do you have dimensions for what you have? Or a link to the model? How about links to the PSU's you've been looking at? A quick look at Newegg shows less than a half and inch difference between a 400w Cooler Master and a 550w Antec.

[mikeszekely]

I need something that will let me share a (wireless) mouse and keyboard with two computers... but I don't need it to share a monitor.

I have my Windows box hooked up to the DVI input on my monitor, and it has a line to my Logitech surround sound speakers. I hooked a Mac mini up to the same monitor, but with HDMI, and it's audio comes out fine (if a little tinny) over the monitor's built-in speakers.

I use a Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard and a Logitech Performance Mouse MX on a single unifying receiver. In an effort not to clutter my desk, I want to share them between the Windows computer and the Mac. So far, what I've done is pop the receiver out of one computer and plug it into the other whenever I want to switch between them (then hit a button on the monitor). I tried using an old KVM I had lying around, but the results were less than great. I could move and type on the Windows computer, but I couldn't get it to switch control to the Mac. Could it be because the KVM doesn't detect a video signal? Can anyone suggest a better switch?

[azrael]

I need something that will let me share a (wireless) mouse and keyboard with two computers... but I don't need it to share a monitor.

...

I use a Logitech Wireless Illuminated Keyboard and a Logitech Performance Mouse MX on a single unifying receiver. In an effort not to clutter my desk, I want to share them between the Windows computer and the Mac. So far, what I've done is pop the receiver out of one computer and plug it into the other whenever I want to switch between them (then hit a button on the monitor). I tried using an old KVM I had lying around, but the results were less than great. I could move and type on the Windows computer, but I couldn't get it to switch control to the Mac. Could it be because the KVM doesn't detect a video signal? Can anyone suggest a better switch?

Have you considered a KVM with USB? The KVM may not like wireless input devices or the Mac doesn't like KVMs. My experience with KVMs is somewhat limited to Belkins so I can't recommend other brands.

[mikeszekely]

Have you considered a KVM with USB? The KVM may not like wireless input devices or the Mac doesn't like KVMs. My experience with KVMs is somewhat limited to Belkins so I can't recommend other brands.

I assume you mean with wired USB, since the KVM I have is a USB model. The manual says that it works with Macs, and if I plug it into just the Mac, the Mac is picking up the signal. The problem might be, as you suggest, that the KVM isn't getting along with the wireless nature of my keyboard and mouse, specifically the keyboard. None of the hotkey combos seem to be working. I had an old wired Microsoft keyboard, but I can't seem to locate it. The only other keyboards I could dig up (that weren't in use by one of my other computers) was another Logitech wireless keyboard, a Microsoft wireless keyboard, and a very old PS/2 Vaio keyboard.

The KVM I have is an IOGear that's supposed to switch by either double tapping Scroll Lock or double tapping Ctrl. I'd be open to trying a Belkin; we used to use a Belkin one at work with a wired button remote that toggled between the computers. That one was for PS/2 mice and keyboards, but if they have a USB equivalent, and if I knew for certain it'd work without being connected to any monitors or any display outputs from either computer, that'd work better than using separate mice and keyboards and would be less hassle than manually disconnecting and reconnecting the receiver.