IOGear KVM + Apple aluminum keyboard + Bootcamp + Win7 - SOLVED

Question

I've read many posts from people who had the same problem I encountered: the Apple aluminum keyboard does not work with the IOGear KVM on a Mac under bootcamp. Everything works perfectly on all other PCs, and everything works perfectly on the mac with bootcamp/win7 using any keyboard other than the apple aluminum keyboard.
The symptoms are that the mac/bootcamp/win7/ combination simply does not seem to recognize the apple aluminum keyboard: the caps lock light does not work and typing seems to do nothing -- although the keyboard still works to toggle the KVM between systems. With some hardware combinations, the keyboard may be temporarlily recognized after a cold start, but the problem always returns with switching between systems. I first noticed this behavior with Win7 and the bootcamp upgrades (in my case, 3.2). In my case the problem occurs with a wired aluminum keyboard, but I think a wireless keyboard would exactly the same.
I have found what I believe is the root cause and the solution.
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The cause
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The cause is a failure to properly detect the type of machine attached to a KVM port: by default, the KVM auto-detects which kind of machine is attached to each port and auto-switches that port to PC mode, Sun mode, or Mac mode. Usually this works fine, but something in the latest OSX/bootcamp/win7 drivers causes the Mac to appear to the KVM as a PC, so the KVM attempts to present the apple keyboard as if it were a PC keyboard.
I'm guessing that this whole issue might be associated with the new ability for bootcamp to let you switch the behavior of the top row of function keys between apple behavior and PC behavior -- which obviously introduces an emulation layer -- but I could be wrong. If there is anybody who has this same problem without bootcamp installed then it could be a more generic driver issue. Fortunately that doesn't matter, because the solution is the same in either case.
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The Solution
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All these IOGear autoswitching KVMs share the same logic, so this method should work for all. The manual for one of the simpler models of IOGear KVM is available at www.iogear.com/support/manual/GCS634U.pdf
The first thing to know is that the manual is incorrect in its description of how to use the numeric keypad to enter hot-key-mode (HKM): the manual says to hold down the "clear" key for 2 seconds, then add the "-" key for one second, then release the minus key and the clear key in quick succession. Unfortunately, this technique rarely works: one second is much too long to hold down the minus key. Instead, hold down the "clear" key for a few seconds, then just tap the "minus" key as quickly as you can, and then release the "clear key." You will see the LED flash on the capslock key, and you are now in HKM mode and can change settings on the KVM. To fix your problem you simply need to execute (HKM) (F2) on the proper port as described below.
First switch your KVM so it shows the screen of the Mac where you are having keyboard recognition problems: the correct port will now be "active" on the KVM. Put the KVM into hotkey mode and press F2 -- this will override the default autodetect setting for this port, and will set it directly to Macintosh mode. Your keyboard will immediately be recogized (and the capslock light will work!). The KVM will remember this until you change it or reset it to its factory configuration.
If you need to troubleshoot you can use another hotkey combination to print out the current settings of the KVM: open a text editor and position the cursor inside it for typing, then execute (HKM)(F4) -- the KVM will "type" its current settings. Here are mine on a 2-port KVM immediately after setting my Mac Mini port
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
hotkey:
(num lock)+(-) and (ctrl),(ctrl)
os setting:
port1 pc
port2 mac
kb:
port1 english
port2 english
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
It took me two whole days to research and test and resolve this problem, and I've read many other posts from people who couldn't find a solution & went out and bought new keyboards or different types of KVMs. I hope this posting can help somebody else avoid that difficulty.
Good luck!
-- Craig

Answer 1

I've read many posts from people who had the same problem I encountered: t
Perhaps then you should respond to those posts instead of posting a one-off solution here that they may not see...