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Thread ID: 30358 2003-02-17 05:12:00 PS/2 Mouse problems under red hat linux 8.0 dodocaptain (944) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
121912 2003-02-17 05:12:00 When I start red hat linux 8.0 with my ps2 mouse plugged it, it reports no errors, but when I get to the x windows system, it crashes & leaves me at the command prompt. I tried a different ps2 mouse, and it still didn't work. I had a old serial mouse, so I tried that and it worked!

Does anyone know how to get the ps2 mouse working? I used to have mandrake 6.0, and that worked perfectly.

I have an hp pavilion 4422 with it's original mouse.
dodocaptain (944)
121913 2003-02-17 05:20:00 It's probably using the wrong default mouse type. Try checking in "linuxconfig" or whatever the command line setup utility is these days. There is a commandline test routine for mice. Try "apropos mouse". Boot in single user command line mode (boot: linux 1) --- it's a bit hard to fix a mouse in a GUI without a working mouse. ;_| Graham L (2)
121914 2003-02-18 06:11:00 Thank's Graham,
I've tried this, but It dosn't make any difference. Maybe the new versions of linux don't like my hp pavilions ps2 bus?
dodocaptain (944)
121915 2003-02-18 06:56:00 Assuming RH8 hasn't changed c.f. RH7.3, I would use "setup" at shell as root and choose configuration for the mouse. Alternatively "mouseconfig" gets you to the same place I think. Have you tried choosing a generic PS/2 mouse? JohnD (509)
121916 2003-02-19 06:31:00 Thanks John,
I've tried this but it still dosn't work. The log reports this:

Cannot open device /dev/mouse
Device or resource busy

Does anyone know what this means ?:|
dodocaptain (944)
121917 2003-02-20 00:53:00 Aha: I know that. /dev/mouse is the alias for whatever mouse you are using (or not using, in your case ;-)). The system has "seized" it because it will handle all access to it. The config script will want to change that alias. The system won't let it.

The form of the error message suggest that there might be a lock file ... which will be in /var/lock (or /var/locks?) left over. That would stop anything from using the mouse device. If there is a lock file (you can tell from the names what they lock) shoot it.

If that doesn't cure things, try "rm /dev/mouse". That should let you set up a new one.
Graham L (2)
121918 2003-02-20 02:26:00 I had a peek at google, with "ps/2 mouse mandrake". Have a look at the second link (www.experts-exchange.com). (I could easily mistype that link, so if it doesn't work, go google ;-)). Graham L (2)
121919 2003-02-20 06:49:00 Thanks Graham,
I've tried looking for a lock file under the directory /var/lock/subsys but no lock files with the word 'mouse' exist anywhere.

I've also tried removing the /dev/mouse file like you suggested, but when I setup a new mouse, it didn't make any difference. :_|

I checked out the link you gave me, but this can't really help me. I used to have that problem when I ran Mandrake 9.0 though.

Could it be a problem with the xfree server? When the system is loading & gets to the GUI, the mointer keeps clicking between video modes.

Do you know any other possible fixes?
dodocaptain (944)
121920 2003-02-20 21:36:00 How experienced are you with Linux?

Rather than playing around with the dev/mouse symlink try to work directly with the hardware interface.
PS/2 mouses usually interface with dev/psaux
Do a directory listing of /dev and look for that file if it exists then that's what is probably being used.

I'm assuming your using Xfree86 v4+ as your XServer?

If you are edit using vim or something similar the XF86Config-4 file in /etc/X11
(I'm a Debian user, that's where it lives for me... for RH I'm not sure.)

In the InputDevice section that is being used as the default mouse driver set the device name to from dev/mouse to dev/psaux
Ensue the protocol is set to "IMPS/2" or "auto"

Comment out any other mouse devices setup within the config file.

Good luck....
paintbuoy (3087)
121921 2003-02-21 04:07:00 When you do "ls -l /dev/mouse" it should show it as an alias "---> /dev/psaux" after the setup .

Did the test routine find it? (Or did you find the test routine? :D)

It's probably best to stick to the system default name of /dev/mouse, because other software needs it as well as X-Window .

It seems strange . That detection at boot time is probably critical . Does dmesg show it as being found at boot time? That Mandrake thread referred to kudzu as "part" of the problem . My only box with RH late enough to have kudzu on it now doesn't run kudzu . :D I don't like the system doing things like that If I want changes, I make them . .
Graham L (2)
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