Well, I am back again. Trying to haunt you guys. I have been experimenting with different kernels to become more used to installing before getting set in my ways. I tried to be clever and update to the next latest stable kernel 2.6.21. Everything seemed to go ok, but on reboot I didn't have a working mouse. Tried to re-install several different options but no dice. I have a logitech cordless desktop deluxe optical keyboard/mouse combination. This was working fine on 2.6.21. Is there something I can do before changing back to 2.6.21? I had a look at logitechs website for info on linux drivers for my keyboard/mouse - but no dice. Seems a bit strange that I only upgraded to little later version and problems. I would like to keep my cordless keyboard/mouse combination if possible. Pehaps someone has heard of some extra drivers one can install?

sounds most like you just haven't configured the kernel correctly... you've really said nothing abot what distro this is, which kernel you're talkign about... vanilla kernel.org release i assume? there are usually big differences between a vanilla kernel and the kernels that distro vendors release, as they will apply their own favoured patches and such, so it's often not a drop in replacement. And generally kernel compilation is hard... there's always somethign you'll miss for a long while...

Thanks acid kewpie, I originally downloaded the 2.6.17.13 from the slackware cd 2 with the help of SlackDaemon. I guess the advantage of using that kernel was not having to answer a thousand and one questions that one doesn't really understand completely yet. When I downloaded the 2.6.21 I followed a link from linux archives http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/ I then set about trying to find info on how to install it. Acid juices had straight forward installation info on the link below
http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/...Slackware_10_1

I chose to download an already configured kernel via a link to Patricks config (config-2.6.10.)

which I of course updated to 2.6.21. Obviously there was something missing in that file that made it hard to install my cordless mouse. The keyboard works fine - it's just the mouse that is causing a problem. I am prepared to go through the process of configuring the kernel - just could need some more guidence. Have you a better suggestion regarding where to download my kernel. I try to keep to the stable ones. Once I get into the routine of doing the upgrade, patches and such like - I can go onto the more usual side of computers. I find linux fascinating -just need to learn a bit more.