Greetings,

It's been a while since I asked a question here (shows how much one can learn from reading previous posts) but I have one that should be fairly simple to fix. I recently did a netinst of Sarge and all seemed to go well. Deb is installed just fine. My problem comes when I try to startx.

What happens is I type startx and press <enter>. The screen blanks for a couple of seconds then goes back to CLI. The error from the log indicates that when startx gets to one (I'm not sure how to tell which, yet) of the "mouse" sections it can't load (pick a driver, I've tried them all) because the device does not exist. The drivers I am trying to use are located in /etc/input and they include mice, mouse0, mouse1, mouse2, and mouse3. The protocol I'm attempting to load is IMPS/2. The two sections are Configured Mouse and Generic Mouse. I have made identical changes to both sections, including trying PS/2 for the protocol.

Could someone please help me out here? I've been wrestling with this since Sunday afternoon (happy Father's Day, huh?) and it's starting to make me a bit testy.

Thanx.

Could you give details of the mouse and post the /var/log/XFree86.0.log

Do you (by any chance) have a usb mouse?

Okay, I'm posting the following files in this order:
XFree86.0.log
XF86conf
***** contents of XFree86.0.log ****************

This is a pre-release version of XFree86, and is not supported in any
way. Bugs may be reported to XFree86@XFree86.Org and patches submitted
to fixes@XFree86.Org. Before reporting bugs in pre-release versions,
please check the latest version in the XFree86 CVS repository
(http://www.XFree86.Org/cvs).

XFree86 Version 4.3.0.1 (Debian 4.3.0.dfsg.1-4 20040529113443 root@cyberhq.internal.cyberhqz.com)
Release Date: 15 August 2003
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.6
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.6-rc3-bk9 i686 [ELF]
Build Date: 29 May 2004
Before reporting problems, check http://www.XFree86.Org/
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
OS Kernel: Linux version 2.6.3-1-386 (herbert@gondolin) (gcc version 3.3.2 (Debian)) #2 Tue Feb 24 20:20:23 EST 2004
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Wed Jun 23 08:13:52 2004
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"

<snip>

(II) RADEON(0): [drm] created "radeon" driver at busid "PCI:1:0:0"
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] added 8192 byte SAREA at 0xf0892000
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] mapped SAREA 0xf0892000 to 0x4426b000
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] framebuffer handle = 0xe4000000
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] added 1 reserved context for kernel
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] Mode 0x1f000201 [AGP 0x1039/0x0650; Card 0x1002/0x4966]
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] 8192 kB allocated with handle 0x00000001
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] ring handle = 0xe0000000
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] Ring mapped at 0x4426d000
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] ring read ptr handle = 0xe0101000
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] Ring read ptr mapped at 0x4436e000
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] vertex/indirect buffers handle = 0xe0102000
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] Vertex/indirect buffers mapped at 0x4436f000
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] GART texture map handle = 0xe0302000
(II) RADEON(0): [agp] GART Texture map mapped at 0x4456f000
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] register handle = 0xed000000
(II) RADEON(0): [dri] Visual configs initialized
(II) RADEON(0): CP in BM mode
(II) RADEON(0): Using 8 MB GART aperture
(II) RADEON(0): Using 1 MB for the ring buffer
(II) RADEON(0): Using 2 MB for vertex/indirect buffers
(II) RADEON(0): Using 5 MB for GART textures
(II) RADEON(0): Memory manager initialized to (0,0) (1280,8191)
(II) RADEON(0): Reserved area from (0,1024) to (1280,1026)
(II) RADEON(0): Largest offscreen area available: 1280 x 7165
(II) RADEON(0): Will use back buffer at offset 0x1400000
(II) RADEON(0): Will use depth buffer at offset 0x1900000
(II) RADEON(0): Will use 34816 kb for textures at offset 0x1e00000
(II) RADEON(0): Using XFree86 Acceleration Architecture (XAA)
Screen to screen bit blits
Solid filled rectangles
8x8 mono pattern filled rectangles
Indirect CPU to Screen color expansion
Solid Lines
Scanline Image Writes
Offscreen Pixmaps
Setting up tile and stipple cache:
32 128x128 slots
32 256x256 slots
16 512x512 slots
(II) RADEON(0): Acceleration enabled
(==) RADEON(0): Backing store disabled
(==) RADEON(0): Silken mouse enabled
(II) RADEON(0): Using hardware cursor (scanline 1026)
(II) RADEON(0): Largest offscreen area available: 1280 x 7161
(**) Option "dpms"
(**) RADEON(0): DPMS enabled
(II) RADEON(0): X context handle = 0x00000004
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] installed DRM signal handler
(II) RADEON(0): [DRI] installation complete
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] Added 32 65536 byte vertex/indirect buffers
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] Mapped 32 vertex/indirect buffers
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] dma control initialized, using IRQ 16
(II) RADEON(0): [drm] Initialized kernel GART heap manager, 5111808
(II) RADEON(0): Direct rendering enabled
(==) RandR enabled
(II) Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
(II) Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
(II) Initializing built-in extension XTEST
(II) Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
(II) Initializing built-in extension LBX
(II) Initializing built-in extension XC-APPGROUP
(II) Initializing built-in extension SECURITY
(II) Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
(II) Initializing built-in extension XFree86-Bigfont
(II) Initializing built-in extension RENDER
(II) Initializing built-in extension RANDR
(II) Keyboard "Generic Keyboard" handled by legacy driver
(**) Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
(**) Configured Mouse: Protocol: "IMPS/2"
(**) Option "CorePointer"
(**) Configured Mouse: Core Pointer
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/input/mice
No such device.
(EE) Configured Mouse: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Configured Mouse"
(II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
(**) Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
(**) Generic Mouse: Protocol: "IMPS/2"
(**) Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
(**) Generic Mouse: always reports core events
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/input/mice
No such device.
(EE) Generic Mouse: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Generic Mouse"
(II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
(WW) No core pointer registered
No core pointer

Fatal server error:
failed to initialize core devices

When reporting a problem related to a server crash, please send
the full server output, not just the last messages.
This can be found in the log file "/var/log/XFree86.0.log".
Please report problems to submit@bugs.debian.org.

(II) RADEON(0): Wrote: rd=12, fd=101, pd=3

***** contents of XF86conf *********************
# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 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 XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
# cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
# md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 > /var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection
Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse0"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse1"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse2"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse3"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse0"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse1"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse2"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse3"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Radeon 9200"
Driver "ati"
# BusID "PCI:0:1:0"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "IBM"
HorizSync 30-70
VertRefresh 50-160
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Radeon 9200"
Monitor "IBM"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "Generic Mouse"
EndSection
Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

this worked for me....
just remove the comments from the sections defining the mouse...and reboot....see what happens..

The first obvious thing is that it is trying to open a serial mouse. This is unusual unless you are using a serial mouse. Can you tell us what kind of mouse and what it is connected to. e.g. ps/2, usb or serial.

I have pulled the failings of mice loading (see below) and it really doesn't matter which mouse it is trying to load (yes, I do need to pull the serial mouse stuff), they all are failing.


(**) Configured Mouse: Protocol: "IMPS/2"
(**) Option "CorePointer"
(**) Configured Mouse: Core Pointer
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/input/mice
No such device.
(EE) Configured Mouse: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Configured Mouse"
(II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
(**) Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
(**) Generic Mouse: Protocol: "IMPS/2"
(**) Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
(**) Generic Mouse: always reports core events
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/input/mice
No such device.
(EE) Generic Mouse: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Generic Mouse"
(II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
(WW) No core pointer registered
No core pointer

Fatal server error:
failed to initialize core devices

Still need to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I have a USB mouse going into a PS/2 adapter, so it is effectively (and with every other OS) a PS/2 mouse. Help?

Danke, utanya.

I will attempt your solution when I return home.

Hi,

I was doing an install yesterday that put the base system on after which I did apt-get install x-window-system-core and this produced a very similar result to you. Every time I tried to run the XF86config routine, having told it I wanted IMPS/2 it would throw me out after startx and complain about mouse problems - "Unable to find /dev/input/mice ..." If I ran the config routine and told it I wanted just PS/2 for the mouse, it still complained about the IMPS/2 device.

What was frustrating is that if the XF86config-4 file was edited directly to get rid of the offending lines, then debconf stuck them back in. I finally removed the complete package, using apt-get remove x-window-system-core , deleted the XF86Config-4 file from /etc/X11/ (just in case) and then did an apt-get install x-window-system. This had worked fine for me a day or so before, and it worked again yesterday. Don't know why... but it might be some help.

Bob

Why didn't you tell us you are using kernel 2.6?

http://www.linuks.mine.nu/debian-faq...e562641709a508

Section 2.6.1

2.6.1. Getting PS/2 and USB mice to work with 2.6.x kernels

As root:

echo -e 'mousedev\npsmouse' >> /etc/modules
modprobe mousedev
modprobe psmouse

(You only need to do this once)

Thanks macondo! That is what worked, and wonderfully.

BTW, I added mousedev and psmouse to, oh farthandles I forgot which config file, but one of the config files and it all works wonderful now.