Slackware in QEMU - jumping mouse cursor in X when using vmware graphics driver
 

Hi,

I installed Slackware 14.1 inside of a QEMU 2.2.0 virtual machine and when I start an X session, using vmware video card emulation, the mouse cursor is jumping around inside the QEMU window and is out of control.

Everything else seems to work fine, no problems with the keyboard and no mouse issues in the console.

I also tried Salix in QEMU and there is no such issue.

How can I get the mouse working for Slackware inside QEMU with vmware graphics?

I tried to set proto=imps and proto=bare as module option for psmouse, but that changed nothing.


[edit] Oh, I forgot to mention that I have two Slackware installations in QEMU, one 32bit and one 64bit system and the mouse issue is on both.

Hi:

Is there a smart mouse feature in QEMU?
Maybe adjust that.

You might want to give Virtual Box a try.
It's running Arch and Mageia flawlessly for me.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...al-4175500846/

Is there any particular requirement to use vmware graphics? You can use cirrus or plain vesa video graphics. They work good.

Looks like there is no such feature but if there is one, I never used it.
On other systems I'm running in QEMU I either don't use it and there are no mouse issues (like I mentioned it in my first post).

I know Virtualbox but prefer QEMU mainly because I'm already using it for years and have many other distros running on it.

Yes, the reason is that I have other (graphical) issues with Cirrus or VESA (not only when running Slackware).


Please consider my question like this:
What can I do to make the X session on Slackware in QUEMU with VMWare video emulation run without the mentioned mouse issues, like other Distributions do (eg. Salix or Manjaro)?


[edit] One option to solve this issue is to use "-usbdevice mouse" as start option with QEMU,
but I'm still wondering why the other distros mentioned above do not need that option.

It would help if you posted the type of mouse you use. Also the command you are using to start qemu. I have had this problem in the past but I don't remember how I fixed it. It seems it had something to do with screen resolution or size.

Hi AlleyTrotter,

I'm using a Logitech PS/2 mouse over a Belkin LVM switch.
The starting commands für QEMU look like:But as I already mentioned, I also have installations of other Linux distros in QEMU and I'm starting them the same way, on the same machine, with the same QEMU specific hardware configurations, but most of the others don't have that mouse issue.

Try with above. It seems that in the past qemu on slackware sometimes got confused for me with the order of longer command lines. The -monitor and -vga commands may be conflicting.
Also after booting try setting your display to a different resolution. I just can't find my notes on this issue, but you are not alone.

Tried it, but no success - the mouse problem still persists.
Even changing the resolution with xrandr doesn't solve the issue.

Please note the edited part in my last post. I don't think that the problem is a wrong QEMU option or screen resolution, but some wrong/missing configurations in the X server or kernel module options.

If the mouse movement is erratic, it can be fixed by adding a graphics tablet. I use libvirt with virtual machine manager, so I am not starting qemu from the command line. It looks like the option for a tablet is the following:

@fdonkers
Thanks, the option works best for me.
With the option -usbdevice mouse it works, too, but there's an issue in fluxbox: When I move the mouse cursor to the bottom border of an open window, the mouse cursor jumps to the right bottom corner of the screen.
With the option -usbdevice tablet it works properly and also automatic grabbing of the mouse cursor, when moving it over the QEMU window, works.


However, I'm still wondering, why for other desktop distros I tested as guest system I don't need this option.

As it turns out it was a wrong/missing qemu option
I find that using a minimal startup command for qemu and then building from that works best for me. Usually the defaults work fine. Sorry I could not offer more.
By the way when I had the jumping cursor it was when I was trying to use libvirt/virsh. It went away when I switched back to starting qemu from the command line. Virsh just seems to complicate things. My virtualisation needs are probably simpler than most. I just use it to build/compile new software and test current.
Glad you got it fixed
John

If I had to guess (notice I said guess) it might be because there is a library, binary, module or driver that already includes the functionality for the mouse automatically.

It may also be something associated with systemd which controls start and stop services and other types of initializations that occur with system functions.

Sorry to post in an old entry, but I came from google looking for these same answers to same problems, and I would like to contribute.

But I am using virt-manager, so I can't edit command line.

In both guests 14.1 and 14.2 I solved the mouse offset issue by editing file /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/05-qxl.conf and removing these lines:

Thank you!

Thanks for posting a solution.