Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 23:28:16 +1100
From: Troy Dack troy@tkdack.com
Subject: Re: Debian X problem
To: Barry Kirsten bjkirsten@bigpond.com
Cc: LUV luv@luv.asn.au

Barry Kirsten wrote:

> I have been trying to get a new install of Debian 3.0 running on a machine
> which formerly had Mdk installed. I have not been able to get X running
> because the USB mouse would not install. I have tried also to configure a
> PS/2 mouse, also without success.
>
> This morning I completely reinstalled the OS and still can't get X running,
> for the same reason. I am concentrating on the PS/2 mouse at the moment,
> because I have Woody running on another machine, from the same CDs, running a
> PS/2 mouse with no problem.
>
> Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this section of XF86Config-4 please?
>
> Identifier "Mouse1"
> Driver "mouse"
> Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
> Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"

This will only work if the mouse is plugged into the ps/2 port *and* you
dont have any other applications trying to use it at the same time (eg: gpm)

> Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

This is probably for a mouse with a scroll wheel, "buttons" 4 and 5 are
generally assigned to scroll up/down. With left mouse button being 1,
right 2 and middle 3 (ie: clicking the wheel)

> Option "Emulate3Buttons" "True"

This is generally only used if you have a 2 button mouse and probably
shouldn't be used in conjunction with the ZAxisMapping option. I means
that when you press left+right mouse buttons you get a middle mouse button.

> EndSection
>
> I'm going beserk I'm not a Linux guru, but I'm not stupid either (some might
> argue that). I can't see any fault with this, which is, after all, a simple
> process. Is there anything else in the works which might impinge on these
> settings? Remember, the machine has just been running another distro
> successfully.

See here for the good oil on mice in Xfree, including examples.

http://www.xfree.org/4.2.1/mouse.html

I noticed in one of your other psts that you are trying to get an MS
Intellimouse USB working as well, try this:

http://www.xfree.org/4.2.1/mouse6.html#27

First try unplugging the mouse then do this:

1. On a console #1do:
tail -f -n 30 /var/log/messages
(or /var/log/syslog)
2. insmod/modprobe the appropriate usb modules on another console (#2)
3. look at console #1 you should see messages indicating what happened
when the usb modules were loaded
4. still looking at console #1 plug in the usb mouse, you should see
some messages indicating that the mouse was detected on the usb.
5. check in /dev/..... for an entry that corresponds to your usb mouse
(the previous step should have shown what it was registered as)
6. if required link /dev/mouse to /dev/......
8. configure /etc/X11/XF86Config to point to /dev/mouse
9. startx and cross your fingers.

Logs for X should end up in /var/log/XFree86.0.log or something similar

HTH
--
Troy Dack
http://linux.tkdack.com http://webportage.sf.net