Hi everyone.

I am setting up an old computer as a debian box in order to screw around with and learn on. I was running everything under kernel 2.4, so I decided to try an in place upgrade. I changed my apt sources and updated. I set up my bootloader to be able to boot both 2.4 and 2.6 (luckily)

When I reboot into the 2.6 kernel, the following happens:

1. X doesn't start because it can't find my (PS/2) mouse. There is no /dev/mouse file, but the mouse is fine.

2. I went to follow the solution posted here: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=305242
but my ethernet controller isn't working either.

Really, those are the only two things I need to work in order to sort everything else out. I know that the aforementioned thread outlined a solution, but if I had posted at the end it may have just been disregarded...

Any ideas? Anyone.... please. 2.4 is fine, but this is all about learning.

Thanks,

Chris

According to the really helpful document someone drafted I tried completely reconfiguring my xserver:
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
Didn't work... anything else would be appreciated.

Second amendment: I found the answer to the mouse problem. It was being loaded as /dev/psaux and so all I had to do was simlink it to /dev/mouse:
# ln -s /dev/psaux /dev/mouse

How can I make this happen on every boot?

And any ideas on the ethernet controller?

Thanks again

IAre you using the same partitions, hence same /etc directory
for both kernels?
I think there are differences that may make them incompatible.

Like 2.6 now, I believe uses 'udev' filesystem, virtual like proc, to create
stuff in /dev as needed, not having a default for all devices.

If you want to learn, maybe try slackware on there.
Useful not to get stuck in 1 distribution too much.

thanks billy.

I will look into the different systems, which actually makes perfect sense. As for running slack... its what I run here, on my laptop. I simply use an old beater as a means of testing out different distros and packages, as well as playing with configs etc.

You should us /dev/input/mice instead. It gives you all mice that you have installed on your machine as one. Super on laptops to combine USB-mouse with built in mouse.

You also need to load some modules with /etc/modules

Edit and add psmouse and ide-cd. You might need som more here. Just try and see.

Module ide-scsi should not be used any longer if you want to burn cd's. You should us ide-cd instead.

Check that you got right kernel modules installed, and add to modules if not loaded and needed.

I use packages udev, hotplug, dbus-1 and hal to support easy (automatic) hardware handling.
And hal-device-manager gives good overview of hardvare. A must have.

Also uses discover, but I don't know if it's realy needed.

Hope this helps.