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Mouse under XFree86 - KDE 3

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User eikke
Incident Number 40560
Date 2002/11/16 13:55
Status Incident closed
Paid No

Product 8.2
Architecture x86_32
Scope XFree 86

Products owned
Community Support question - to convert into a paid question, click here

Lines in bold below have not yet been seen by the customer - those in blue are from the customer

Username : Date : Action : Comments [ close all ]    
 
eikke : 16/11/02 01:55 PM : Incident created
-   I installed Mandrake 8.2 multiple times now, but when I start my PC (as a normel user or as root), and I choose "startx" (without "" of course) KDE starts (I get the loading screen) but once I see the desktop, I can't move my mouse (a PS2 one). My desktop is running (the ':' of my clock in the taskbar blinks), and I can use keyshortcuts like Alt-F2 ('Run...'-dialog).
I searched the internet some time now (Google, Google newsgroups, some forums, the Mandrake site,...) and I found out that lots of other users have this problem, but when I tried out the given solutions, none of them seems to work.
I also installed SuSe 6.4 on the same PC, and there I got mouse-support, but that one is a bit too old...

Sorry for my English and thanks for any reply,

Nicolas

 
jimdunn_6089 : 16/11/02 02:38 PM : Reply received
-   Hello

First of all, try opening a terminalwindow or going to a console by
pressing ALT-f1 and logging in as root

Type the following command

mousedrake

which will start a graphical utility where you can try different mouse
types

If that doesn't work:

In your file

/etc/X11/XF86Config-4

Find the section for your graphics card
There should be a line like this:

# Option "sw_cursor"

You should uncomment the line (remove the #), so it looks like this:

Option "sw_cursor"

and save the amended file.
If the line doesn't exist, try adding it to your graphic device section

Then when you reboot, or restart your X server - hopefully your problem
may be cured

Hope that helps...
If it solves your problem, please don't forget to close the incident :)

 
Linux-phased : 16/11/02 02:43 PM : Reply received
-   Did you try choosing standard mouse with the mouse configurator?

Do this, since it is pretty hard to reconfigure the mouse without a mouse:-)

At lilo bootsacreen press ESC, then enter:

linux 3

now you are in runlevel 3, login as root and then run this command:

mousedrake


see if you get the mouse going by choosing standard ps/2 mouse if not let me see
the out put of:

cat /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 | grep Protocol

and

cat /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 | grep Device


plus

lsmod | grep mouse

 
eikke : 16/11/02 03:41 PM : More info provided
-   In fact, I was able to solve this myself now ;) I started Mandrake, and pressed I so I entered the Interctive setup. When the soft asked my whether or not to load GPM, I chose N(o), and my mouse worked uner X. Now I'm figuring out how not to load GPM automatically when booting.

Thanks for the quick help anyway,

Nicolas

 
jimdunn_6089 : 16/11/02 04:03 PM : Reply received
-   Open Mandrake Control Centre (drakconf)

System-Services

Find gpm in the list, and uncheck start at boot

 
eikke : 16/11/02 06:45 PM : More info provided
-   Found out about that. I did so, but next time I booted Kuzu loaded and told me he couldn't find a mouse on the PS2 port anymore. I was so stupid to tell him to delete the mouse configuration. Mouse didn't work anymore. I rebooted, but Kudzu didn't come to tell me he found new hardware. I'll keep on trying ;) (sorry, this is my first Linux experience... but I quite like it (altough I put too much of my time in it ;)))

Thanks, Nicolas

 
jimdunn_6089 : 17/11/02 01:45 AM : Reply received
-   Ok, well you'll probably have to recreate the mouse configuration with
mousedrake again.

You should have taken the option in kudzu to ignore the change and not
ask again (but I guess you realise that now...)

For controlling which levels gpm runs in you could type the following in
a terminal, as root:

ksysv

which will start a graphical editor which allows you to edit the services
and programs started and stopped for various runlevels - you would need
to stop gpm for runlevel 5 (and remove the entry which starts it for that
level) if you wanted gpm killed when x runs. Similarly, you might wish to
have it started for runlevel 3, which is console level.

Don't be tempted to play around with the other services in here -
changing these values without a compelling reason, and a clear
understanding of the implications can cause unpredictable system behaviour

good luck

Jim
:-)

 
eikke : 17/11/02 10:06 AM : More info provided
-   Hey, thanks a lot! I can't complain about the Mandrake support in here :-)
I reformatted my harddrive, and reinstalled Mandrake. During install ("expert" mode), I chose not to start the GPM service at boottime. Mouse didn't work. I had to go to sleep, so now I can work further ;) Going to try the "services" tip and configuring mousedrake.

Thanks for all help,

Nicolas

 
eikke : 17/11/02 10:24 AM : More info provided
-   ksysv: command not found...

I found out you can change services in LinuxConf (at boot in Interactive mode).

 
eikke : 17/11/02 10:34 AM : More info provided
-   HardDrake can't find my mouse either when I run it (it's not in the list on the left).

 
Linux-phased : 17/11/02 10:40 AM : Reply received
-   Tzzz guess I was a little late here:-)

Just a note ksysv must be run as root, then you won't get the message cmmand
not found

 
jimdunn_6089 : 17/11/02 10:40 AM : Reply received
-   Hi

ksysv is in the kdeadmin package, I guess you don't have it installed.

As root, in a terminal window, type this command:

urpmi kdeadmin

which will install the software (may ask for CDs)

If you can't install from CD for any reason, you can get the package here:

http://public.ftp.planetmirror.com/pub/mandrake/8.2/i586/Mandrake/RPMS/kdeadmin-2.2.2-12mdk.i586.rpm

good luck

Jim
:-)

 
eikke : 17/11/02 10:49 AM : More info provided
-   Little remark: I chose to run gpm when running level 3, but at boot it shows me somethign like this:
gpm: oops() called from..... /dev/psaux: no such device or adress

 
eikke : 17/11/02 10:58 AM : More info provided
-   I was able to install the admin tools, but when I login now (as root), and I do 'ksysv' on the prompt, I get first a copyright notice, and than:

Aborting. $DISPLAY not set.
ERROR: KUniqueApplication: Pipe closed unexpected

Any help? Maybe I should start this tool under X, but when I start X, I cannot use Alt-F2 (to open the 'Run...'-dialog like in SuSe 6.4)

Thanks

 
Linux-phased : 17/11/02 11:05 AM : Reply received
-   Yep ksysv can only be started in X environment.

 
eikke : 17/11/02 11:09 AM : More info provided
-   So I can't use it at the moment (cant start it because no mouse... ;))

 
Linux-phased : 17/11/02 11:33 AM : Reply received
-   Yep but you can do everything from the shell, you said mouse works if you
switch off gpm, then just go into runlevel 3 and stop gpm with command:

service gpm stop

then go into X and see if mouse works.

If it does not press CRTL Alt Backspace then you are back in shell, now you can
start gpm:

service gpm start

and so on, just make sure you logged in as root. You can also call mousedrake in
shell and change the behaviour of the runlevels. You don't need any tools, for
example to automatically shutoff a service to be started at a runlevel all you need
to do is to rename a service in the appropriate runlevel in /etc/rc.d/....

for example /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S15gpm
makes the gpm service to be started at boottime in runlevel 5 if you don't want to
start that service in runlevel 5 you just rename it to K15gpm that menas don't start
it.
S...--> start
K...--> stop

 
jimdunn_6089 : 17/11/02 12:02 PM : Reply received
-   So have you tried mousedrake again ?

You don't have to pick your exact mouse, just the type ps/2.

Incidentally, ALT-F2 should work in KDE to open a run dialog.

Maybe the whole gpm thing was a blind alley - after all, you only got it
to work once, and then it wouldn't work after you rebooted.

I have heard of gpm conflicting with X, but most people run gpm in X with
no problems, and I can't see any reason why you should be different -
after all it is just a ps/2 mouse when all's said and done.

Now i just did an experiment:

I killed gpm and mouse still worked in X, but not console - then I ran
mousedrake in text console - it configured mouse ok, and mouse worked in
console - but it did this by starting gpm when I configured.

This is a strange problem.

Can you just try running mousedrake in the text console, and if that gets
the mouse working in console then startx - see if it works in X.

I don't suppose you have another mouse you can try :-)


Jim
:-)

 
eikke : 17/11/02 01:09 PM : More info provided
-   1. No the mouse doesn't works under X anymore now I re-installed MD, even if I don't load gpm at boot.
2. Mousedrake: doesn't helps, I just choose Standard PS2 Mouse
3. I don't have to try another mouse, because it works under Win95 and Bootmagic on the same PC.
4. "I have heard of gpm conflicting with X, but most people run gpm in X with
no problems, and I can't see any reason why you should be different -
after all it is just a ps/2 mouse when all's said and done." <-If you search the newsgroups at Google, you'll see that I'm not the only one at all with this problem, all under MD8.2. I'll try 9 once I have a fast internet connection.

5. As far as I saw/read/experienced, the main problem should be somewhere in /dev/mouse and /dev/psaux (like what GPM comes to oops me)

I'll try to do the service start-stop trick now.

Thanks, Nicolas

 
eikke : 17/11/02 01:15 PM : More info provided
-   service gpm stop <-fails
I even can't do a startx anymore (no reaction, have to do CTRL-C)

Going to reinstall it once again :(

 
Linux-phased : 17/11/02 01:21 PM : Reply received
-   Okay I bet you have a logitech oem mouse, look at the bottom of the mouse,
right?

 
eikke : 17/11/02 01:55 PM : More info provided
-   Right

 
jimdunn_6089 : 17/11/02 02:15 PM : Reply received
-   Ok, sorry, I led myself up a dead end with this one :-(

I'll let linux-phased finish it of with you

Good luck, and sorry if I caused you any problems here...

Jim

 
eikke : 17/11/02 02:18 PM : More info provided
-   No, I'd love to thanks you a lot because of the support you guys give in here. This is just great, even if you were not able to get everything working. I hope Linux-phased will be, but thanks anyway!!!

Thanks,

Nicolas

 
Linux-phased : 17/11/02 02:23 PM : Reply received
-   Okay I knew that because that logitech oem is the only ps/2 mouse that does not
work on 8.2 nor 9.0:-)

I have to see if I find the howto on the net again to be able to use that mouse. It
requires recompiling the kernel and some other neat stuff.

There has been a long article about that logitech oem out on the internet this
mouse really sucks because it was stripped down and uses the cheapest
components, that is why this mouse really gives trouble.

 
eikke : 17/11/02 02:40 PM : More info provided
-   Make shure: I did a search on Google, and the reported problems I found are concerning a wheelmouse. Mine is not, it has no scrollwheel. On this PC I have a Compaq OEM Logitech Wheelmouse. Should I change it for some time? I could use a HP OEM Logitech Optical Wheelmouse, but that's my dad's so if I have to use that one, it'll only be for - one day ;))

Thanks

 
eikke : 17/11/02 04:24 PM : More info provided
-   What I don't understand is why the mouse works during the setup.....

 
eikke : 17/11/02 05:02 PM : More info provided
-   Maybe some usefull information: my mouse is a Logitech M-S34, normally OEM because there's only a logo at the back.

Thanks

PS Also searching on Google, nothing found, except for scrollmouses

 
Linux-phased : 17/11/02 06:04 PM : Reply received
-   Okay do this check the file /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 you should have a
section(you can check out that file with vi e.g. "vi /etc/X11/XF86Config-4" , to
quit, just press esc and then type ":q" without quotes:

Section "InputDevice"

Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

now check if it says /dev/mouse or /dev/psaux

then move into dev directory --> cd /dev

and run the commands:

ls -l psaux

and

ls -l mouse

show me the output and tell me what is defined in XF86Config-4.

 
eikke : 17/11/02 07:36 PM : More info provided
-   Now:
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "Emulate3Buttons"
Option "Emulate3Timeout" "50"

ls output:
mouse -> psaux
psaux -> misc/psaux

I also took a look at XF86Config-4 and the symbolic links in /dev, but I think it's right like that? I only have "PS/2", not "IMPS/2" because IMPS/2 is for a scrollmouse...

Thanks,
Nicolas

 
Linux-phased : 17/11/02 08:06 PM : Reply received
-   Strange, that you get the message:

gpm: oops() called from..... /dev/psaux: no such device or adress

because as you found out with them ls commands, the devices are there.

And you still get an error when you run command as root:

service gpm restart

?

Can you run that command and then run command:

less /var/log/messages

and show me the messages , must be logged in as root

 
eikke : 18/11/02 04:39 PM : More info provided
-   service gpm restart:
Shutting down console mouse services: [FAILED]
Starting console mouse services: gpm: oops() invoked from gpm.c(976)
/dev/psaux: No such device or address [OK]

In messages: (last 5 lines)
localhost -- root[1408]: ROOT LOGIN ON vc/1
localhost gpm: gpm shutdow failed
localhost gpm: [1500]: oops() invoked from gpm.c(976)
localhost gpm: /dev/psaux: No such device or address [OK]
localhost gpm: gpm startup succeeded

That last line is a bit strange, not?

If I try cat /dev/psaux:
cat: /dev/psaux: No such device or address

Thanks, Nicolas

 
Linux-phased : 18/11/02 05:38 PM : Reply received
-   Ok seems like that is the problem, if you do a cat /dev/psaux or cat
/dev/misc/psaux then you should get strange chars when you move the mouse
but it says the device is not present.

Okay try this, do a cat /dev/mouse does it aalso say no device?

If you also get an error remove the psaux link and create the device with this
command again, first move into /dev directory and then run command:

mknod psaux c 10 1

now try to start gpm again

 
eikke : 18/11/02 06:00 PM : More info provided
-   cat /dev/mouse: No such device or address.

How should I delete that link? I think it's something with ls or ln, but dunno what params... I wouldn't like to screw up everything again, and the last time I read a Linux book is already some time ago :(

THX!

 
eikke : 18/11/02 07:10 PM : More info provided
-   Stupid me. It's just rm... :( sorry

 
eikke : 18/11/02 07:17 PM : More info provided
-   Still no such device or address.

 
Linux-phased : 18/11/02 07:52 PM : Reply received
-   I wonder why that old suse manages to get that mouse to work. If you cannot
even get anything from cat /dev/mouse or psaux.

Lets try something different here, install an older kernel use the softwaremanager
to install a 2.2.20 kernel after a reboot you should be able to choose that kernel
and checkout if you can configure the mosue to work.

 
eikke : 18/11/02 09:44 PM : More info provided
-   If you mean rpmdrake: I get a GTK error (and can't start it in X... <-No mouse :-s)

I'm tryiong now to boot from my bootdisk, because normally I use Powerquest Bootmagic, which also uses the mouse, so maybe there's a problem over there. When I use the bootdisk, I don't need to start Bootmagic.)

Thanks

 
eikke : 18/11/02 09:56 PM : More info provided
-   No solution by omitting Bootdisk.

 
Linux-phased : 18/11/02 10:02 PM : Reply received
-   Ah sorry I forgot you cannot use softwaremanager then just use the commandline,
as root type:

urpmi kernel-linus2.4

or urpmi kernel-linus2.2

actually I thought about this again and just thought back to the install, the mouse
worked at install time, right?
Becasue that would mean it's pretty sure that it is a kernel issue since the installer
uses a different kernel

 
eikke : 18/11/02 10:14 PM : More info provided
-   Yes it worked at install time.
Maybe you could check http://groups.google.be/groups?hl=nl&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&[email protected]&rnum=7&prev=/groups?q="/dev/psaux: No such device or address"[email protected]&rnum=7
once? It's a thread about other users who have the same problem, and some possible solutions.

urpmi kernel-linus2.2 or kernel-linux2.2: no package named ...

 
Linux-phased : 18/11/02 10:48 PM : Reply received
-   Ah sorry you have 8.2 linus2.2 is only available now on 9.0 but there is also a
kernel 2.2 provided with the 8.2. I'm not sure though how that one is called but I
can look it up since I have all older versions.


I checked out the link you gave me, but here is what I think: all they provide are
thoughts no real solutions

But if it runs at install time, than we should get it to run all the time, just need to
checkout what is different to the installed system.

You could also try Mandrake 9.0 if you want and if you have a fast internet
connection, but if not I'll try to find out what kernel and what configuration is used
for the 8.2 install system.

 
eikke : 19/11/02 03:30 PM : More info provided
-   I've got a 56.6KBps modem, so downloading approximately 600 MB is little too much...

 
eikke : 19/11/02 09:55 PM : More info provided
-   OK here's the trick. I booted once again in interactive mode, and I told Linux not to start HardDrake (GPM wasn't even in the list anymore). I started GPM (service gpm start) and I had a console mouse!!! I did a startx and my mouse also worked under X.
Now I had to reboot (Linux crashed... but ok, it's a P166 :)) and I forgot to get into interactive mode. Once I logged in again my mouse was gone again. Kudzu had automatically removed it (because I didn't do an interactive setup). So now I couldn't get my mouse back anymore. Going to reinstall Linux once again, reboot, get into linuxconf during interactive setup, don't start HardDrake, GPM and Kudzu as a service, and look what it gives. Maybe I'll have to start mousedrake too.

Thanks, Nicolas

 
Linux-phased-2 : 19/11/02 11:30 PM : Reply received
-   Alright sounds like you are getting there, we will see.



P.S. My name has changed now, my regular account Linux-phased was transfered
since I'm an official Mandrake support dude now. I will use this new account
Linux-phased-2 to answer free questions, so don't wonder why my name changed.

 
eikke : 20/11/02 01:36 PM : More info provided
-   No prob. I already saw you weren't in the top 10 anymore.
I asked a friend to download Mandrake 9 for me. Maybe that'll solve it. I'd have to upgrade anyway, even if I first install 8.2. And if the installation of 9 gives me no probs, it'll be lots easier ;)

Thanks for the support! Should I close this case now?

 
eikke : 20/11/02 05:49 PM : Incident closed
-   Nice cooperation, altough the problem isn't solved, but it shouldn't be anypore ;).
Way to go!



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