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Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

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  Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection? rhkramer@gmail.com - 2019-01-03 01:50 +0100
    Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB  connection? Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> - 2019-01-03 02:00 +0100
      Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB  connection? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2019-01-03 04:40 +0100
        Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection? rhkramer@gmail.com - 2019-01-03 15:20 +0100
      Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB  connection? Michael Stone <mstone@debian.org> - 2019-01-03 05:20 +0100
        Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB  connection? Reco <recoverym4n@enotuniq.net> - 2019-01-03 08:30 +0100
          Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection? rhkramer@gmail.com - 2019-01-03 15:30 +0100
      Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB  connection? Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2019-01-03 21:20 +0100
    Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB  connection? David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2019-01-03 07:20 +0100

#203839 — Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

Background: I currently have two computers connected to my keyboard, mouse, 
and display via a KVM switch -- the KVM switch uses PS/2 connections for the 
mouse and keyboard.

One of the connected computers (running Jessie) uses a PS/2 to USB cable 
adapter to a USB port to interface to the KVM switch.

The other computer (running Wheezy) uses the PS/2 cables from the KVM to 
connect to the computer.

I soon want to set up a 3rd computer to install stretch, and, eventually, take 
the Wheezy computer out of service, but, in the meantime, I want to have 3 
computers connected to my keyboard, mouse, and display and will need to buy a 
4 way KVM switch.

The less expensive KVM switches nowadays use USB connections for the mouse and 
keyboard (and then to the computers).

The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy machine (which 
has USB ports) to use a USB port instead of the PS/2 ports to connect the 
mouse and keyboard (via the KVM switch) -- is it as simple as shutting the 
computer down, changing the cables, and rebooting, or is it more involved.

If it is more complicated, what would I have to do?

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#203840 — Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

rhkramer@gmail.com wrote: 
> 
> The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy machine (which 
> has USB ports) to use a USB port instead of the PS/2 ports to connect the 
> mouse and keyboard (via the KVM switch) -- is it as simple as shutting the 
> computer down, changing the cables, and rebooting, or is it more involved.

You shouldn't need to shut down the machine, actually. X11 has
had hot input switching since about that time period.

> If it is more complicated, what would I have to do?

Worst case scenario: edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf; find the stanza
about a ps2mouse and switch it to a usbmouse.

There shouldn't be any difficulty with the keyboard at all.

-dsr-

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#203845 — Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

On Wed 02 Jan 2019 at 19:54:30 (-0500), Dan Ritter wrote:
> rhkramer@gmail.com wrote: 
> > 
> > The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy machine (which 
> > has USB ports) to use a USB port instead of the PS/2 ports to connect the 
> > mouse and keyboard (via the KVM switch) -- is it as simple as shutting the 
> > computer down, changing the cables, and rebooting, or is it more involved.
> 
> You shouldn't need to shut down the machine, actually. X11 has
> had hot input switching since about that time period.
> 
> > If it is more complicated, what would I have to do?
> 
> Worst case scenario: edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf; find the stanza
> about a ps2mouse and switch it to a usbmouse.
> 
> There shouldn't be any difficulty with the keyboard at all.

I just plugged a USB keyboard into my ancient Pentium III which uses
a PS/2 keyboard and mouse. I can happily type commands into a VC
with alternate letters typed on each keyboard. X not running.
Same thing holds for mice. (It's running stretch as of before
Christmas because wheezy was unable to mount some of my more
recently formatted filesystems.)

Cheers,
David.

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#203865

David, 

Thanks -- I never thought they might both work at the same time -- that will 
probably be a help in the transition from the old kvm to the new!

On Wednesday, January 02, 2019 10:38:51 PM David Wright wrote:
> I just plugged a USB keyboard into my ancient Pentium III which uses
> a PS/2 keyboard and mouse. I can happily type commands into a VC
> with alternate letters typed on each keyboard. X not running.
> Same thing holds for mice. (It's running stretch as of before
> Christmas because wheezy was unable to mount some of my more
> recently formatted filesystems.)

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#203848 — Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

On Wed, Jan 02, 2019 at 07:54:30PM -0500, Dan Ritter wrote:
>rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy machine (which
>> has USB ports) to use a USB port instead of the PS/2 ports to connect the
>> mouse and keyboard (via the KVM switch) -- is it as simple as shutting the
>> computer down, changing the cables, and rebooting, or is it more involved.
>
>You shouldn't need to shut down the machine, actually. X11 has
>had hot input switching since about that time period.

Old machines would sometimes freeze if you yanked the PS/2 keyboard. 
They also sometimes wouldn't boot properly without a keyboard, though 
there might be a bios setting to change that. As long as the USB ports 
are working, linux should work just fine with a USB keyboard & mouse.

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#203852 — Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

	Hi.

On Wed, Jan 02, 2019 at 11:14:06PM -0500, Michael Stone wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 02, 2019 at 07:54:30PM -0500, Dan Ritter wrote:
> > rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
> > > 
> > > The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy machine (which
> > > has USB ports) to use a USB port instead of the PS/2 ports to connect the
> > > mouse and keyboard (via the KVM switch) -- is it as simple as shutting the
> > > computer down, changing the cables, and rebooting, or is it more involved.
> > 
> > You shouldn't need to shut down the machine, actually. X11 has
> > had hot input switching since about that time period.
> 
> Old machines would sometimes freeze if you yanked the PS/2 keyboard.

And you can fry PS/2 port permanently by hotplugging.
Did it twice personally.

Reco

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#203867

Thanks to all who replied!

On Thursday, January 03, 2019 02:19:37 AM Reco wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 02, 2019 at 11:14:06PM -0500, Michael Stone wrote:
> > On Wed, Jan 02, 2019 at 07:54:30PM -0500, Dan Ritter wrote:
> > > rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
> > > > The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy

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#203902 — Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

Le 03/01/2019 à 01:54, Dan Ritter a écrit :
> rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy machine (which
>> has USB ports) to use a USB port instead of the PS/2 ports to connect the
>> mouse and keyboard (via the KVM switch) -- is it as simple as shutting the
>> computer down, changing the cables, and rebooting, or is it more involved.

It should work as before if you use a Debian stock kernel and the 
default initramfs and left all configuration automatic.

A notable difference is that the PS/2 keyboard driver is built into the 
kernel image while the USB and HID drivers are built as modules, so if 
you use a minimal initramfs, the USB keyboard may not be available when 
the system drops to the initramfs shell.

> You shouldn't need to shut down the machine, actually. X11 has
> had hot input switching since about that time period.

But the PS/2 interface does not support hot plugging. Electrically and 
logically.

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#203851 — Re: Switching from PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection to (one) USB connection?

On 1/2/19 4:47 PM, rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
> Background: I currently have two computers connected to my keyboard, mouse,
> and display via a KVM switch -- the KVM switch uses PS/2 connections for the
> mouse and keyboard.
> 
> One of the connected computers (running Jessie) uses a PS/2 to USB cable
> adapter to a USB port to interface to the KVM switch.
> 
> The other computer (running Wheezy) uses the PS/2 cables from the KVM to
> connect to the computer.
> 
> I soon want to set up a 3rd computer to install stretch, and, eventually, take
> the Wheezy computer out of service, but, in the meantime, I want to have 3
> computers connected to my keyboard, mouse, and display and will need to buy a
> 4 way KVM switch.
> 
> The less expensive KVM switches nowadays use USB connections for the mouse and
> keyboard (and then to the computers).
> 
> The Question:  Will it be straightforward to convert the Wheezy machine (which
> has USB ports) to use a USB port instead of the PS/2 ports to connect the
> mouse and keyboard (via the KVM switch) -- is it as simple as shutting the
> computer down, changing the cables, and rebooting, or is it more involved.
> 
> If it is more complicated, what would I have to do?

I tried several KVM switches before settling on an IOGEAR GCS78.  Back 
then, PS/2 keyboards, PS/2 mice, and VGA monitors dominated desktops and 
servers.  I needed a USB to PS/2 adapter for my laptop.  Since then, 
newer machines have required various adapters.  I use IOGEAR GUC100KM 
and GUC10KM USB to PS/2 adapters, Intel DVI-I to VGA adapters included 
with desktop motherboards and StarTech DVIVGAMFBK adapters, StarTech 
DP2VGA2 adapters, and Apple Thunderbolt to VGA adapters.  The Intel 
desktops and Apple MacBook seem to work, but the old Dell Inspiron E1505 
laptop has issues requiring me to log in via the laptop, cold reset the 
USB to PS/2 adapter, and then connect to the KVM, and the PS/2 ports on 
the new Dell PowerEdge T30 are incompatible, requiring me to use a USB 
to PS/2 adapter.

So, but be prepared to buy extra, do a lot of testing, and return stuff 
that doesn't work.

David

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