I have never used any Linux program before, and yesterday I installed Mandrake 8.2, I have it set up to dual boot with XP. Installation went smooth I HAD my PS2 Mouse during the installation, now when I boot into Mandrake I can see a pointer but cannot move it, I know windows back and fourth, but have no idea what Im doing in Linux, I would like to though. I used generic keyboard shortcuts to get around but no mouse is frustrating. Any help would be appreciated

Hi
I assume you are in X right ? if so do ctrl+alt+F2 to go
in a console, then login as root
type mousedrake and choose another protocol (or try some)
But 1st or 4rth choiche should do.
go back to X (alt+F7) restart X; ctrl+alt+backspace see if it
works.
You can also boot into runlevel 3 do the mousedrake thing
and startx (or do telinit 5) to fire up X
or hack the XF86Config-4 file and under Section InputDevice
use these;
Option "Protocol" "PS/2" # or "IMPS/2" for wheel
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux" #or "dev/mouse"

save it and fire up X
enjoy

Oh, and another thing you can test your mouse in a
virtual console to see if its a problem beyond X.
As default mandrake fires up the gpm deamon to
provide you with a mouse in virtual console.
So ctrl+alt+F2 and test it.
(mousedrake and mouseconfig are the same in mandrake btw)
good luck

Thank you both so much, I logged into the console ran mousedrake and changed it from a generic ps2 wheel mouse to one of the other PS2 mice, Im in mandrake now making adjustments, the mouse isnt recognised at startup, but after I log into the console and I guess remind it that I have the mouse? Ill figure out how to fix it unless you have any suguestions....thanks again :-D

both ? i hope mean both messages as i haven't been split up afaik

for console mouse;
you can check if your gpm is running; do ps x|grep gpm
should spit out something like gpm -t imps2 -m / ( in mdk
that is) some distro's give ps/2 or ps2 or -m / d or
-m /dev/mouse
gpm -k kills the service
gpm -t imps2 -m /dev/mouse (or /dev/psaux) starts it
or use DrakConf to start gpm service at boot
some places to check out ; less /etc/init.d gpm (if the
service is installed) less /etc/sysconfig/mouse
mine says;
MOUSETYPE=imps2
XMOUSETYPE=IMPS/2
FULLNAME="PS/2|Generic PS2 Wheel Mouse"
XEMU3=no
WHEEL=yes
device=psaux
good luck