LinuxQuestions.org - How do I enable USB Mouse on laptop?

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How do I enable USB Mouse on laptop?

Greetings all!
I've been running Kubuntu for a week now and so far my experience has been pleasant although not without issue (console displaying blank screen only altho X works fine, some screensavers not working, and other probs). At the moment I'm playing the UnrealTournament demo and loving it, although the touchpad on my laptop isn't really up to the task of what I need!
I have an external USB mouse but Kubuntu doesn't recognise it when I plug it in. What do I have to do to be able to use it?

Thanks!
~Shiv
(P.S. any help with the other problems linked would also be appreciated!)

I've not had any problems using a USB mouse in any Linux distro. Perhaps you should post your xorg.conf

You might want to try plugging in the mouse with the machine off, and then booting.

Linux doesn't support plug&play style usb devices?

My xorg.conf is:

Code:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig

# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder3)  Mon May 15 13:23:42 PDT 2006



# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)

#

# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using

# values from the debconf database.

#

# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.

# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)

#

# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*

# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg

# package.

#

# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated

# again, run the following command:

#  sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg



Section "ServerLayout"

    Identifier    "Default Layout"

    Screen        "Default Screen" 0 0

    InputDevice    "Generic Keyboard"

    InputDevice    "Configured Mouse"

    InputDevice    "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"

    InputDevice    "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"

    InputDevice    "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"

    InputDevice    "Synaptics Touchpad"

EndSection



Section "Files"



        # path to defoma fonts

    FontPath        "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"

    FontPath        "/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"

    FontPath        "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"

    FontPath        "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"

    FontPath        "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"

    FontPath        "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"

    FontPath        "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"

    FontPath        "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"

EndSection



Section "Module"

    Load          "bitmap"

    Load          "ddc"

    Load          "extmod"

    Load          "freetype"

    Load          "glx"

    Load          "int10"

    Load          "type1"

    Load          "vbe"

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier    "Generic Keyboard"

    Driver        "kbd"

    Option        "CoreKeyboard"

    Option        "XkbRules" "xorg"

    Option        "XkbModel" "pc105"

    Option        "XkbLayout" "uk"

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier    "Configured Mouse"

    Driver        "mouse"

    Option        "CorePointer"

    Option        "Device" "/dev/input/mice"

    Option        "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"

    Option        "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

    Option        "Emulate3Buttons" "true"

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"

    Identifier    "Synaptics Touchpad"

    Driver        "synaptics"

    Option        "SendCoreEvents" "true"

    Option        "Device" "/dev/psaux"

    Option        "Protocol" "auto-dev"

    Option        "HorizScrollDelta" "0"

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"



                                                      # /dev/input/event

                                                      # for USB

    Identifier    "stylus"

    Driver        "wacom"

    Option        "Device" "/dev/wacom"          # Change to 

    Option        "Type" "stylus"

    Option        "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"              # Tablet PC ONLY

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"



                                                      # /dev/input/event

                                                      # for USB

    Identifier    "eraser"

    Driver        "wacom"

    Option        "Device" "/dev/wacom"          # Change to 

    Option        "Type" "eraser"

    Option        "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"              # Tablet PC ONLY

EndSection



Section "InputDevice"



                                                      # /dev/input/event

                                                      # for USB

    Identifier    "cursor"

    Driver        "wacom"

    Option        "Device" "/dev/wacom"          # Change to 

    Option        "Type" "cursor"

    Option        "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"              # Tablet PC ONLY

EndSection



Section "Monitor"

    Identifier    "Generic Monitor"

    HorizSync      28.0 - 72.0

    VertRefresh    43.0 - 60.0

    Option        "DPMS"

EndSection



Section "Device"

    Identifier    "NVIDIA Corporation NV41.8 [GeForce Go 6800]"

    Driver        "nvidia"

EndSection



Section "Screen"

    Identifier    "Default Screen"

    Device        "NVIDIA Corporation NV41.8 [GeForce Go 6800]"

    Monitor        "Generic Monitor"

    DefaultDepth    24

    SubSection    "Display"

        Depth      1

        Modes      "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600"

    EndSubSection

    SubSection    "Display"

        Depth      4

        Modes      "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600"

    EndSubSection

    SubSection    "Display"

        Depth      8

        Modes      "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600"

    EndSubSection

    SubSection    "Display"

        Depth      15

        Modes      "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600"

    EndSubSection

    SubSection    "Display"

        Depth      16

        Modes      "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600"

    EndSubSection

    SubSection    "Display"

        Depth      24

        Modes      "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600"

    EndSubSection

EndSection

~Shiv

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiv_379

Linux doesn't support plug&play style usb devices?

Yes, but X doesn't. However, your xorg.conf is configured to read /dev/input/mice, which is the multiplexed input for all mice, so it should be working OK, even if you plug it in after X has started. Have a look in /var/log/Xorg.0.log to see what mouse/mice it's using.

Oh, and is there some reason you have Emulate3Buttons on? You usually want this off for wheel mice.

The thing below is parts of my xorg.conf from /etc/X11. Make a copy of yours before you mess with it;

cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.confWORKS

Then compare this to your xorg.conf. Note that I have two mice listed under "Server Layout". One is USB, and one is my touchpad. The rest is options for each mouse. Note that to start the USB mouse after you have booted just close all the running programs, plug it in and hit Control-Alt-Backspace.

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "X.org Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "USBMouse" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2" ## MOUSE_PROTOCOL
# Settings for newer IMPS/2 mouse (with wheel)
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" ## MOUSE_ZAXISMAPPING
Option "Buttons" "5" ## MOUSE_BUTTONS
Option "SendCoreEvents" ## MOUSE_SENDCOREEVENTS

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "USBMouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" ## MOUSE_WHEEL
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Buttons" "5" ## MOUSE_BUTTONS
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"

EndSection