I was very glad when I found linuxquestions.org, I hope you can help me out. My first post. So here it is.

I have an Intel Celeron 500MHz box running Linux SuSE 9.1 Personal from linuxiso.org. Back in early 2005, I installed SuSE along with my new Microsoft Internet keyboard, and Microsoft optical mouse. Worked awsome! I love it, it was very fast and worked like a charm.

Here's the problem, I then had to take it into the garage cause of a flood. Anyway so that caused me to want to move all my computers into the garage to make sure everything would be safe, I then move them back into my house when our new floors were installed. Only problem: the keyboard and mouse didn't work.

My keyboard is connected to some card with a keyboard input, and 2 USB inputs. Wierd card, but always worked the first few months. My mouse, is USB, connected to a USB to PS2 adapter, connected to a PS2 to serial adapter, connected to a Serial port. No, I don't have a clue why, but that's the setup, again, it worked for the first while. Then, randomly now, it's not working.

Here's what happens: I'll plug in both keyboard and mouse, nothing, not even a post. The computer does NOT boot. So I then think, ok, I'll unplug the mouse, and for some reason, it works...sometimes. I kind of have to trick it, as soon as I see the computer start to post, I plug in the keyboard, and then Linux boots up, and it works. I can tab around using the keyboard and shut down my computer. So I thought, ok, my computer also has an AT slot, so I got out my AT keyboard, currently on another machine which is working, and got that and the serial mouse from there, with both plugged into the linux machine, the machine boots. Still, only the AT keyboard works. No response from the serial port.

I reseated all cards, wires, cables, everything, and reset the BIOS. I then checked the BIOS to see if something was wrong, everything looked good. Still the same response. Nothing from the mouse, and if I have my USB mouse plugged in, nothing at all, no boot/post, black screen.

I realize that my post is long, and I appreciate very much to whoever has read it. Please, give any input you like. I will be willing to try something that someone recommends. Thankyou!

well, uuu, without seeing it for myself my conclusion is that the mouse is fried and is halting bootup, no matter where you plug it in at. that is an odd daisychain of connections, and the problem could be in there. moisture? maybe, hm. odd, but i would sy try a new mouse. just get a serial mouse this time.

Thankyou very much for your responce. I tried a serial mouse, same thing, computer boots up fine, but no responce from the mouse. I then move the mouse back to my older computer, works perfectly.

then it could very well be the serial port on the computer. i would say to download slax, ( i always keep a copy on hand) and burn it and boot it. it is very good at configuring hardware, plus it is a small live cd distro. if the mouse and port work there, then i am bumfuzzled. i dont see it being software on the machine cause it worked before. try usb mouse.