attempting use of KVM switch a disaster1

[George E Noon]

    Thanks to those who suggested that the use of a Router, along with 
my cable modem, would make my using my WinXP & Ubuntu Computers less 
bothersome (as opposed to having to repeatedly change the Ethernet cable 
from one to the other and back again, ..... That works great.
    But so far, my purchase and attempted use of Iogear MiniView Micro 
USB Plus, 2-Port KVM with built-in KVM cables and Audio support -- has 
been quite disappointing, and so far pretty much of a failure.
    I was very careful to  read all the documentation twice (there 
wasn't that much, at that -- and it requires no software support), and 
was very thorough to be sure all connections were made correctly. I am 
still not entirely understanding how both the keyboard and mouse are to 
function when, though there are two separate USB ports for them on the 
'user end' of the KVM, on the 'computer end', there is only one USB plug 
(to carry both these input signals) - there is also, [for each of the 
two computers supported], a sound jack for plugging into nte 'front 
speaker' port of each, and of course, the video connector for each.
    When I tried to use the Ubuntu machine with the KZM attached, it 
acted as though it had suddenly been connected to an unsupportable 
monitor -- wanted to reduce my resolution from the 1024X768 I've been 
using quite successfully to 800X600 - and when I clicked that rather 
than quitting, it went to a black terminal screen telling me way too 
much very technical detail - basically saying it couldn't continue..
    When I'd disconnected the KVM and restarted Ubuntu, I was again 
confronted with the black terminal - but this time telling me that I 
must run fsck manually and that apt was no longer installed: that I'd 
have to run apt-get install apt to re-install it.
    Well, I'm back to swapping video, sound, mouse and keyboard 
connections --- drat!!

      Still can not perform 7.04 to 7.10 upgrade via Update Manager: 
still get that fetch bzip error every time.
    I fear my monitor [Samsung SyncMaster 940BW may no longer be 
supported in Gutsy, for when I attempted to use the CD I purchased from 
the LinuxStore.ca, I could find no entry for it....
    Oh,well...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~George