Question Keyboard/Mouse via KVM switch stop working after idle

[viciousduck]

[Note: Moderator edit to break up solid paragraph of text.]

As the title says, I've been running into issues with my Keyboard/Mouse failing to work with my PC after I let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

It doesn't always happen, but when it does, a complete restart is required. I try plugged the keyboard and mouse directly into the PC (bypassing the KVM switch) but they still do not respond. Even if I add a second mouse, completely seperate from the Logitch Keyboard and Mouse, it ALSO will not respond or be recognized.

The keyboard is still functioning as videos play and what not, so I know the computer itself hasn't frozen. If the 2nd mouse is plugged in since the computer has been turned on, it NEVER runs into the issue of not being recognized and works.

This at least allows me to properly restart the computer, which always results in all devices working fine, until my next idle. I have a personal computer, and a work laptop going at the same time and quite frequently swap between the two, making the KVM switch (that only has 1 keyboard and 1 mouse plugged into it) crucial to my setup.

I have only started having this issue since my latest reinstall of Windows 4 days ago. I never had this issue prior to then, and before and after were both on Windows 11, and both had the Logitech App installed. I have seen other forums and discussions and I have set EVERY USB device not to shut off on idle, everything in power settings says don't shut off USB, and even everything under HID in device manager was also set to never allow the PC to switch off, yet I still have this issue and have no idea why.

All updates have been run. All drivers are installed. I beseech you for your help. This is my first time posting, so please let me know if I failed to mention anything that could be relevant or is expected of a post of this nature.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7800x3d
CPU cooler: Thermal Assassin II
Motherboard: Asrock Livemixr
Ram: 4x16 Corsair DDR5 @ 3600
SSD/HDD: 1x 2TB NVMe (boot drive), 2x4 TB NVMe
GPU: Nvidia 4070 Super
PSU: idk offhand, 1 year old.
Chassis: Fractal Design North
OS: Windows 11
Monitor: Alienware DF34 OLED

Keyboard: Logitech TKL G915 Lightspeed Wireless
Mice: Logitech G502 Lightspeed Wireless
Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed Wireless (secondary)

 

[Ralston18]

Look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or even informational events being captured or logged just before or at the time the keyboard and/or mouse stop working.

 

[viciousduck]

Look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or even informational events being captured or logged just before or at the time the keyboard and/or mouse stop working.

Sorry, forgot to mention I've done this too. All that shows up is my improper windows shutdown when I have to hard reboot if I didn't have that 2nd mouse connected. Also, adding exact model of peripherals to OP now

 

[Ralston18]

What is the requirement for having two mice?

Typically a KVM is for being able to use one keyboard and one mouse with either one of two ( or sometimes more) computers.

I am also wondering about the use of wireless mice.

If you disable able all power savers, screen savers, etc. on the PC and on the laptop for testing purposes does the problem stop?

 

[viciousduck]

Having the 2nd mouse connected is purely to avoid the situation where the computer loses track of my Keyboard/Mouse connected to the KVM switch. If the 2nd mouse is connected PRIOR to this disconnection event happening, I can still use it and restart my computer properly. If I don't have it connected and try to connect it after this disconnection event has happened, no peripherals will work/be recognized. So this is something that goes beyond the switch, and across (potentially all) the USB ports.

Due to my monitor being an OLED, I have it set to shut off at 5 minutes to minimize risks of burn-in. My KVM switch is of course NOT plugged into the monitors USB ports, they are directly into the motherboard. The other odd part is this doesnt ALWAYS happen. But it is occurring at least once a day, usually 2-3 times. I currently have only 1 device connected via USB to the monitor (Wireless headset via a Game Dac). Interestingly that is a device that has been giving me issues of late as well (and thus prompted the Windows Reinstall). I will try rerouting that directly to the PC. Disabling the monitor turning off completely is a bit of a sore spot I would hope to avoid (even if only for testing purposes), though could be accommodated if we exhaust other routes.

 

[Ralston18]

Sketch out a simple diagram all of your devices and the connections between them.

Ports, plugs, cables, genders for everything: computer, laptop, monitor, KVM, Game Dac, etc.. Include power connections and related power strips, surge protectors. etc..

Any physical loops? Device A connected to Device B connected to Device C connected to Device A again?

I would not expect any problems with temporarily disabling the monitor.

Key is to discover the root cause(s).

= = = =

Also do some additional reading and research regarding burn-in.

For example:

https://www.pcworld.com/article/261...-burn-in-testing-shows-promising-results.html

There are other similar links on the subject.

 

[viciousduck]

After not running into the issue for several days, I ran into it today. It had nothing to do with an inactive state. I flipped the KVM switch back and forth realizing I had to do something on the other machine, and it seemed to just get hung up. Again, plugging other devices into the computer at this point did nothing. It even made a sound like it detected a new device connected, but I could not move the mouse on the screen, though the computer was still running just fine. It just stops taking input from any keyboard or mouse, regardless of direct wire, wireless, or un-plugging and replugging. The KVM switch is connected diretly to the motherboard in the back of the computer, no inbetweens.

 

[Ralston18]

Good time to look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or even informational events that were being captured, went away again for those "several days" and have now reappeared.

Also check in Device Manager for any warning symbols. Check the Device Properties Event tab for any entries that just started up again or changed in some manner.

 

[Calab]

[Note: Moderator edit to break up solid paragraph of text.]

As the title says, I've been running into issues with my Keyboard/Mouse failing to work with my PC after I let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Just throwing out a few questions/ideas...

Does it happen regardless of which computer you are switched to?

When the issue happens, can you switch the KVM to the other computer? Are the devices still not working then?

Is it possible that the KVM is failing, or it's power supply?

Make a USB Live install for Linux and boot from that and let it sit. Does the same issue occur?

When you reinstalled Windows, had you disconnected/reconnected or moved any of the hardware?

When having the issue, can you toggle the Caps Lock or Num Lock lights on the keyboard?

Is the second mouse, plugged into the KVM as well, or directly to the PC?

 

[viciousduck]

It occured to me this time I intentionally avoided installing the extra Alienware software for my monitor, and thought perhaps that was having negative effects using the USB ports on the monitor, so I bypassed them and plugged my gamedac for my wireless headset directly into the PC. Issues still occured, but I was watching more closely this time. Computer was not idle. Several minutes passed between me using the KVM. Noticed the events this time in event viewer (1 other note, the devices have no issues whatsoever working on the other computer.)

Warning - Smart Guard
Game process ID 17832 terminated abnormally after 8825 s. Exit Code: 0xc0000409

Error - Service Control Manager
The SmartGuard Service service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s).

Warning - Kernel-PnP
The driver \Driver\vhf failed to load for the device USB\VID_046D&PID_C539\a&8d1c4a1&0&1.

Warning - Kernel-PNP
The driver \Driver\vhf failed to load for the device USB\VID_046D&PID_C547\a&8d1c4a1&0&2.


Edit 1: It seems that smart guard is related to a game software perhaps? Now that I had something specific to look for, I could see "Warning - Kernel-PNP" events for the USB devices ALWAYS follow the issue with smart guard.

Edit 2: This game/program wasn't a fresh install when I reinstalled windows. I remove everything related to it and reinstalled to see if that changes things.

 

[viciousduck]

After a bit more monitoring I've noticed

Warning - Smart Guard
Game process ID 17832 terminated abnormally after 8825 s. Exit Code: 0xc0000409

Always occurs when closing the game.

Error - Service Control Manager
The SmartGuard Service service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s).

SOMETIMES occurs, and my usb input devices only run into their issue after I use the KVM switch. For example, I saw this error pop up around 8pm last night. 12 hours later, I used the KVM switch, and as expected then got the 2 kernel warnings saying driver failed to load.

Not sure why this is happening, but I guess I will research that service more.

 

[dwd999]

Does the KVM have its own power supply? The one I use does and I don't have any problems.

 

[viciousduck]

The KVM does not have its own power supply. At this point it seems the KVM switch is not the issue at all, but rather any USB input device. An error caused by a service terminating incorrectly seems to cause any USB input device connected to computer at that point to not be recognized (this is why I'm noticing it with the KVM switch, because that counts as reconnecting them once I try to switch back over).


I completely reinstalled Win11 Pro last night again and have not connected anything extra/unessential. I completed All windows updates and driver installs before connecting extras like my headset. The issue still persists. I also noticed "EAC" from Epic Games was also giving me issues. For some reason, my computer seems to be struggling with these monitoring softwares.