USB Mouse

forkvoid · 06-24-2003, 07:02 AM

So I've scoured the 'net for any and all tutorials pertaining to USB mice and Linux, and none of it has helped. I recompiled to kernel again, to make sure I had HID support built-in.

I can get X to run, and I see a big X cursor, but I can't move it, and the light inside my mouse isn't on. I'm using the device /dev/ttyS0 as my mouse. Any help here?

MasterC · 06-24-2003, 07:35 AM

/dev/usb/mice

Which version of slack are you using btw?

Cool

forkvoid · 06-24-2003, 07:51 AM

Slackware 8.1

And thanks, I'm going to go try it out right now.

forkvoid · 06-24-2003, 08:04 AM

I replaced the device '/dev/ttyS0' in XF86Config with /dev/usb/mice, and X wouldn't boot due to 'No core pointer'.

And on a side note, I booted back into Windows to find that Mozilla is damn near dead(all settings have been put at default), and my bookmarks have been deleted. All the more reason for me to hurry up and switch everything to Linux.

forkvoid · 06-24-2003, 09:37 AM

I realized the error of my ways, and noticed that I was supposed to put /dev/input/mice. I did this, and could boot into X, but no mouse support. I ran mouseconfig, and it added that line it always adds(can't remember exactly), and then I did 'ln -s /dev/input/mice /dev/mouse' so it would exist. I started X, but still no luck with the mouse working; the light always stays off. Please guys, help!

MasterC · 06-24-2003, 11:41 AM

Hmm..

Here's my section from XF86Config:

Code:

Section "InputDevice"

# Identifier and driver

    Identifier  "Mouse1"
    Driver      "mouse"
    Option "Protocol"    "IMPS/2"
    Option "Device"      "/dev/input/mice"
    Option "ZAxisMapping""4 5"
#    Option "CursorShadow" "on"
#    Option "CursorShadowAlpha" "40"
#    Option "CursorShadowXOffset" "4"
#    Option "CursorShadowYOffset" "2"
# When using XQUEUE, comment out the above two lines, and uncomment
# the following line.

Also, I have GPM started at bootup, I don't know if that makes a difference or not.

Cool

forkvoid · 06-24-2003, 11:46 AM

I don't think that really matters there, as this is a problem with getting USB to work. Unfortunately, this forum is not much help.

lezek · 06-24-2003, 05:46 PM

The problem here is that the people giving answers aren't using Slackware and so aren't aware of the fact that it doesn't, by default, use devfs. Therefore, the device names that exist on your system are limited to those which you've created and those which Slackware gives you, and by default there are no device names for USB devices.

Three solutions exist; you can either find out the appropriate minor and major numbers for a usb mouse device and create one using mknod, or you can recompile your kernel including devfs, which will dynamically create device names as needed, thus creating a /dev/usbmouse for you. Finally, there may be a setting in your BIOS to simulate a PS/2 mouse using the USB device. I would recommend the devfs route, simply because devfs is something I wouldn't want to live without.

MasterC · 06-24-2003, 07:38 PM

he he, I'm using slack 8.1

You also need to modprobe up a few things:
modprobe uhci
modprobe hid

Then try again.

Cool

lezek · 06-26-2003, 08:53 PM

well, i did use slack 8.1 until i stupidly installed mandrake. you do indeed need to modprobe those items, as well as creating the appropriate device files.

mr_nohj · 06-26-2003, 10:26 PM

This post may help. IT helped me get my USB mouse working in Slackware 9.0
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=64821
also hotplug needs to be instaled in my version of slackware to make the mouse "light up" otherwise the USB devices don't get turned on.

vicomte · 06-27-2003, 12:48 AM

have you tried
/dev/usb/mouse0
works for me