[Novices] KVM switch & linux

[Steve Petersen]

Hi folks,

I have a simple standard USB KVM switch from IOGear.  I use it to switch 
between a Mac laptop and a linux (RedHat 8--I know, old) desktop.  For a 
few months it seemed to work great, but in the last couple months I 
noticed that whenever I switch back to linux, if I used the mouse 
first--even after typing in a xscreensaver password--the whole thing 
would just freeze /dead/, keyboard shutout (no CAPSLOCK light) and 
everything.  There's no option but to hard reboot.  On the other hand if 
I am careful to use the keyboard first, this doesn't happen.  This 
phenomenon has been replicated many times.

Is this something I can fix?  Or an artifact of old RH8's inability to 
handle USB well?  I can't upgrade my computer / OS yet but I hope to 
soon, and I was hoping for a fix in the meantime.  I haven't /yet/ lost 
big unsaved work with such a computer freeze, but I fear I'm bound to 
someday.

Thanks,
Steve