Sorry for the long post. My questions are numbered toward the end.
I am having a problem using a Belkin Switch2 USB DVI-D KVM switch with a Powerbook G4 and an Apple Cinema HD Display. That's the old 23" clear plastic model. The Powerbook shuts down before completing the boot process whenever the KVM switch is attached. The switch "works well" with a G5, Mac Book Air and a MacBook Pro, it is only with a early model 17" PB G4 which I have this problem. All machines are running 10.5.5.
If the KVM is connected to the Powerbook at power up regardless of whether the KVM is set to have the display connected to the PB or not, the PB begins the boot process but then performs a shutdown while one still has the grey Apple screen. It's as if one is holding down the mechanical power button on the PB.
If one attaches the KVM after the PB has booted, there are two variants. If the KVM selection is for the display to be connected, then both screens flash blue as if one is doing a "Detect Displays" and the machine shuts down while both displays are still blue. If you attach the KVM while in the display is not selected to be connected to the PB then you see a quick splash of the Shutdown confirmation screen which you can't seem to cancel and the PB shuts down immediately.
I was originally thinking that the KVM was perhaps indicating that the Shutdown touch area on the display was being depressed. However, when the display is attached directly to the PB, the displays Shutdown button does not cause the PB to Shutdown. I believe this behavior has changed somewhere along the line with successive versions of OSX. For this specific Powerbook neither the brightness button nor the shutdown button on the display do anything when it is attached. On my other Macs, the displays brightness button usually causes the display preference pane to become visible.
(1) Any suggestions other than returning the switch? Is there anything I should try resetting on the PB? I've contacted Belkin and their phone support was of the offshore type and totally worthless other than to suggest I return the device. I wasn't sure they had ever seen a Mac since they were reading me a PC script.
(2) Since the Mac is responding as if the Power button or cntl-eject are being depressed is there any terminal command that will disable?
Lastly, I quoted "works well" with my other Macs because the Belkin switch isn't doing what one would obviously hope for a switch to do. That is when one disables the keyboard, mouse, and video for a particularly computer it is not the same as if you physically removed the cables. The reason I say this is that when you use the KVM to disassociate a keyboard from any of my Macs, the Mac which theoretically should no longer have a keyboard associated with it invokes the Keyboard Setup Assistant. Thus it is detecting something, it just doesn't know what it is. I really would like my KVM to essentially be equivalent to removing and attaching the cables. It would seem that would be a basic requirement for a switch.
(3) Any recommendations as to an alternative KVM switch?
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