Detect optical USB Mouse - Knoppix HD
 

I have installed Knoppix onto my HD and am having great results except that I didn't do the install with a USB mouse attached, and now when I attach one it doesn't react! Can anyone tell me what file I modify to cause it to recognize a USB mouse? When I load the OS off of the CD instead there is no problem, so I know it's capable I just need to know what to manipulate.

When you say "When I load the OS off of the CD", are you booting from an original Knoppix cd? Because if it's customized, the CD doesn't create these files newly at every boot, it just uses the files created when installing knoppix onto the disk, and possibly then, you installed the settingsnot for a USB mouse.

The file is /etc/X11/xorg.conf or /etc/X11/XF86Config(-4)

Open it with a text editor and look at the mouse section. The protocol should be ps/2 or IMPS/2(If you have a wheelmouse) and the device should be if its USB.

Woops - broke X That way!
 

I tried modifying XF86Config-4 with my own entry for the mouse and on the reboot X wouldn't load! I could log in as roon and use Nano to change it back, and that worked and now I'm back in after the reboot.

But...I'm a tool sorry guys! LILO lists 3 kernels I can boot into and when I tried a different one it worked! But here's the thing: the mouse won't work on either of the first two kernels, but does on the third. However, on the third kernel...the sounds doesn't work!!! Any trouble shooting tips for that kind of a fix?

The message I get when it tries to make a sound is

Sound server informational message:
Error while initializing the sound driver:
device /dev/dsp can't be opened (No such device)
The sound server will continue, using the null output device.

It sounds like the first two kernels don't have USB support compiled in and the third is missing the module for the sound card. probably easier to add the sound module. Good news is that Knoppix should include a nice Debian tool called Modconf, which you can use to reinsert the sound module.

Ok
 

I'll give it a try! If all else fails I can redo the HD install with the USB mouse connected this time! Maybe then the setup would include USB for all kernels?

Had to reinstall
 

Well, after blowing entirely too much time trying to fix the install, update the kernel, etc I finally have up and ran the Knoppix install CD with the USB mouse connected during the install. It worked! the first kernel now has sound and a mouse! But I have to reconfigure everything. *Sigh.* Good learning for others interested in Knoppix I suppose!

That is true. I'm glad you got a working system after all. Shame it took so much work, though. Its all good, in the end i guess.