Mouse configuration problem after new graphics card in dual monitor system
Linux - HardwareThis forum is for Hardware issues.
Having trouble installing a piece of hardware? Want to know if that peripheral is compatible with Linux?
Notices
Welcome to LinuxQuestions.org, a friendly and active Linux Community.
You are currently viewing LQ as a guest. By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics, receive our newsletter, use the advanced search, subscribe to threads and access many other special features. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today!
Note that registered members see fewer ads, and ContentLink is completely disabled once you log in.
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you need to reset your password, click here.
Having a problem logging in? Please visit this page to clear all LQ-related cookies.
Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use.
Exclusive for LQ members, get up to 45% off per month. Click here for more info.
Mouse configuration problem after new graphics card in dual monitor system
I recently swapped in a new Nvidia Quadro P600 graphics card in a dual boot (Linux & Windows 7), dual monitor system. The P600 has four mini-DisplayPort slots. I made sure to plug the cable for the left side monitor into slot #1. (I don't know how I'd had the cables before with the old card; they probably were reversed.)
I booted into Windows 7, installed the new driver. All A-Ok.
I booted into Linux run level 3, installed the latest Linux nvidia driver, rebooted to the Cinnamon desktop in openSUSE. Not A-Ok: the Cinnamon desktop panel was on the wrong monitor. I went to Menu --> System Settings --> Display, put the panel where it belonged.
But, another problem remained: my wired mouse didn't understand the new setup with Cinnamon loaded. It operated properly on the LightDM log-in screen. With the Cinnamon desktop loaded, however, it believed that the monitor on the right was on the left, and vice versa. The mouse cursor wouldn't move to the left from the right-side monitor. To make the cursor appear on the left side monitor, I had to scroll the mouse all the way to the right, past the edge of the right monitor; it then appeared on the left side.
Not usable. I "fixed" the problem by swapping the ports of the DisplayPort cables and using System Settings to again change the panel position. The mouse works properly now, and so does everything else, but it's driving me nuts that I never figured out how to fix the mouse properly. Was there an Nvidia setting I missed? Something in /etc/X11? I deleted /etc/X11/xorg.conf, reinstalled the nvidia driver, without any change. I also couldn't find anything to adjust in Cinnamon.
Troubleshooting steps will be appreciated. There must be some setting in Linux that will tell the mouse which monitor of a dual-monitor set-up is on the left side! Should I look first at a Cinnamon or X11 setting, as the mouse worked properly on the LightDM log-in screen? Is there somewhere else I should look?
Just guessing, since I never use proprietary video drivers, and can't recall ever a mouse being on the wrong head using: try if it's not already there, try putting
Code:
Option "Primary" "true"
in your primary display's 'Section "Monitor"' in xorg.conf. What does
Code:
grep -e "Using input driver " /var/log/Xorg.0.log
show? Do you have 'Section "InputClass"' in both xorg.conf and xorg.conf.d/10-evdev.conf and/or xorg.conf.d/11evdev.conf? Maybe there's a confict. I don't think you should need more than one instance. Also you can specify which display goes where via xorg.conf, or in an Xorg startup script using xrandr, instead of a user's desktop settings, which is how I always setup multihead.
Thanks for the response, and apologies for failing to mention the openSUSE version: Tumbleweed.
I added:
Code:
Option "Primary" "True"
to xorg.conf, as you suggested, but am afraid that it didn't make a difference. I verified on reboot that the mouse does know where it's supposed to be on the lightDM log-in screen, and that the problem only occurs with the Cinnamon desktop loaded. (Cinnamon version 3.6.7, btw.)
As for:
Code:
grep -e "Using input driver " /var/log/Xorg.0.log
I now have two mouse-related entries in this file:
Code:
[ 5.882] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'Microsoft Microsoft 5-Button Mouse with IntelliEye(TM)'
[ 6.240] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'Microsoft Microsoft 5-Button Mouse with IntelliEye(TM)'
but should mention that I had only the 5.882 entry before following your troubleshooting steps.
I created xorg.conf with nvidia-xconfig as root to add the "Primary" "True" line. It doesn't have Section "InputClass." 10-evdef.conf has Section "InputClass" sections for pointer, keyboard, touchpad, tablet and touchscreen, but nothing for mouse. I don't have an 11evdev.conf file.
Thanks again for trying to help.
Last edited by Adams Seven; 04-25-2018 at 11:12 AM.
Surely you can find one to borrow, but if not, just for testing, get a $2USD or less one from Dollar Tree, Goodwill or other deep discounter or used goods outlet. I've personally had terrible luck with Microsoft branded pointing devices, with or without wireless, balls or LEDs.
I'll keep a lookout the next time I visit a hardware outlet. (Although I'll admit that I'd rather live with the swapped cables kludge than get used to another pointing device.)
Thank you again for your efforts to help! You were generous to offer troubleshooting time to a stranger.
I'll keep a lookout the next time I visit a hardware outlet. (Although I'll admit that I'd rather live with the swapped cables kludge than get used to another pointing device.)
Thank you again for your efforts to help! You were generous to offer troubleshooting time to a stranger.
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing
Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute
content, let us know.