Problems with mouse when using startx
 

During my install I erased my widnows partition with fdisk...I'm making sure I get Linux working before I install windows again. I got my partitions correctly done I think. Lilo installed and I got Slackware 9.1 to boot. When I try to run startx I get something along these lines...

(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/mouse
No such device
(EE) Mouse1: Cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Mouse1"
No Core Pointer

Fatal server error:
failed to initialize core devices


What a bummer...figuring out my way around linux with command line is fun but I need to see a desktop! I am using a Microsoft optical mouse connected via USB. Actually it's connected by a PS/2 connector/USB connector piece. The PS/2 connector wont fit the port for some reason. Some links to point me in the right direction and a little advice wouldnt hurt. Thanks alot.

i don't think that connection would make a huge difference. have you run xf86config and set up your mouse? if choosing the right mouse options there doesn't help, then you'll probably have to modify your /etc/XF86Config file. Just find what settings you need in the mouse section. There should be plenty of examples around these forums, if not just turn to google.

It sounds to me like you just need to make a sym link from /dev/whatever to /dev/mouse. The script your using to configure your X setup should have configured this for you, but doing it by hand is more fun. Just type (from a bash prompt) ln -s /dev/psaux /dev/mouse
The /dev/mouse is sym linked to whatever hardware your mouse actually is. This provides a common interface to any program that needs the mouse, be it a usb, serial, or ps/2 mouse it can be accessed through the /dev/mouse link. The above example where I used psaux is for a ps/2 mouse, I dont know which device you link to for a USB mouse.
If your bios supports handeling USB HID's and you enable it, than I belive it will logicaly connect your USB to your psaux. I have done this before and am not quite sure how it works, but it's pretty damn cool.

Excellent replies thanks alot fellas. I've got plenty of new commands and what not to work with now. I picked up a book in Barnes & Nobles today and started reading about fdisk and partitioning drives. It used the words "hacking the system" or something similar to that. The Linux OS is giganticly new for me and it really is a fun thing to explore and troubleshoot. Thanks again.

Ok here's the rundown on the stuff I just tryed. First I ran xf86config. Evertyhing went fine, for mouse selection I just chose 1 Auto, because I did not see anything for USB. I'm thinking about just plugging a PS/2 mouse in and forgetting about this. But I know the USB mouse works because i'm using it with KNOPPIX right now! When KNOPPIX boots I saw this...

USB found, managed by hotplug
starting hotplug

Maybe I need hotplug? I also tryed this -s /dev/psaux/dev/mouse is there supposed to be a command before the -s because it does not work like that. I was looking at /dev/input and saw mouse0 - mouse4 I think. Did not know what to do with any of em. After all was said and done I typed in "startx". I thought it was gonna work because it took half a second longer then normal before I got my error. DARN! I lost windows while partitioning for this install so I MUST GET LINUX WORKING! Thanks for any help.

Link command:
ln -s /dev/psaux /dev/mouse
Also try linking to the files in /dev/input . Look in Knoppix to see what device it's using.