I have a microsoft serial mouse 2.0a.... I am running mandrake 10 on a dual boot with win xp....the mouse is only dead in linux.My ps/2 port is dead and I am loaded up on usb items so serial is my only choice.

youll need to edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. there will be a section, maybe widway through the file, which refers to InputDevice for your Mouse. two options that are of importance are 'Device' and 'Protocol'
device should be '/dev/ttyS0' for the first serial port. try that out. if it doesnt work youll need to change the protocol, whats it set to now?

I am an extreme new bie so can we back up and go step by step?

there should be a file on your computer called xorg.conf. the file is in the /etc/X11/ folder, so the full path to the file is /etc/X11/xorg.conf. this is the configuration file for the X server (the software that makes your GUI). it holds configuration settings for keyboards, mice, monitors, video cards, resolutions, etc etc.

the file is divided up into many sections, and there is one called [InputDevice] for your 'Mouse'. there will be a line in this section that will look something like: Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
or something similar. change this line so its: Option "Device" "/dev/ttyS0"
note it is an uppercase 's', not a number five.

startup mandrake, after its finished booting press CTRL + ALT + BACKSPACE to kill the GUI (X-server). enter the 'su' command then type your root password. then use vi to edit the file and make the changes stated previously. run this command to do this: vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf
after the changes are made, save the file, and restart the computer with the 'reboot' command or something similar.

look up somewhere for a brief intro tutorial to vi. good luck

Thanks.... but how do I get to it without a mouse ?

i never said you had to do anything with the mouse.. the task layed out above is done completely with the keyboard.

sorry about that ..... but when I hit " ctrl-alt- backspace " the whole system dies and I have to reboot .

when you press this key sequence the computer freezes? it should just go to the text console without any GUI... unless mandrake handles this differently which would be odd.

any mandrake users following this to comment?

linux rocks...................except for this mouse problem I had this has been easy as pie ...I am now on the web with linux running and now problems..... I found out about the "shift +numlock" trick that turns your keypad in to mouse control... I got into system config and set up the mouse and now it works fine .... I never did find why when I hit " ctrl-alt-backspace "the system locks up .... but my intial problem is fixed ,.....thanks all !

what did you do to the mouse config? so others could know the solution if they are searching, thanks.

first off I pressed "shift-numlock" and then used the keys 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9 to move the cursor .... 5 is default left click .../ is also left click ...* is center button.....- is right click.when you finish with your repair and go back to the desktop don't forget to press"shift-numlock" again to turn the number pad mouse control back off.
I went to system config and then hardware and then to the mouse symbol.it asked which brand of mouse{ gave alist} and then what type of mouse{button wise , and also gave a list} and what type of end it has { usb , serial,ps/2} it then gave a list of ports and I chose "ttyso/com 1" and hit enter and the mouse was working .anyone with questions can email me at bikerdad1969@yahoo.com

Properly set up, Mandrake will kill the GUI with Ctrl-Alt-BkSpc but the keyboard nust be properly set up.

Perhaps the Question asker can tell us: Does Ctrl-Alt-F1 take you to a text login? (Ctrl-Alt-F7 will take you back to the GUI)

Those key combos do absolutley nothing.....I set my sysytem up from a standard installation {mandrake 10.1}.

Check your locale and keyboard settings in KDE Control Centre and in "Configure my Computer". If they are not the same this could happen - at least it happened to me.

I solved this problem, with my PS/2 mouse, by configuring it during the installation, ie. don't just accept the default.

It doesn't take long to re-install, and is perhaps more straightforward for a us newbies.