I'm pretty new when it comes to installing Linux. I have worked with it on machines, and with precompiled kernels and such but never compiled one myself. I got my hands on Gentoo Linux. I got it compiled and working right, but getting X working has been a different story. I've run the xf86config and everything, and it still will not give me a GUI. I think it is because It cannot locate my mouse under the default device(i.e. /dev/mouse). Anyone have any clue how I can find which device is linked to my mouse?

check out what's in /dev/input/

also, do you have the correct mouse type specified in /etc/X11/XF86Config?

if that doesn't work, post the error messages you get from "startx".

There are quite a few things in the /device/input directory. But it seems that none of them work for the mouse device. I get this error

(==)Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config"
Using vt 7
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/mouse
no such device.
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/mouse
no such device.
(EE) Mouse1: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInitFailed for input device "Mouse1"
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 xfree86@xfree86.org

XIO: fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 requests (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.

do you have a /dev/psaux? This is what the mouse device is for me.

quatsch you are excellent. That fixed everything. That was exactly where my mouse was located. I'm into X now with OpenBox running just like I wanted it too. Now onto the next problem. Getting this thing to let me SSH in from other computers.

radical edward... that wouldn't be a bebop reference, would it ?

Indeed it would be a bebop reference

Hi all. Unfortunately I'm not a complete nube to Linux but I still don't have a clue as to what's going on here. I have almost the exact same log file as Radical Edward did and I changed my /etc/X11/XF86Config file so that the input section reads


Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "protocol" "PS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"


And now I can actually get startx to run but when I throw the "gdm" command at the system the screen changes to VC7 and the clock crosshair appears and then I go back to VC1. When I check the /var/log/XFree86.0.log for errors there are none and when I check it for warnings I get the following lines

grep WW /var/log/XFree86.0.log

(WW) Open APM failed (/dev/apm_bios) no such file or directory
(WW) NV(0): Failed to set up write-combining range (0xf0000000 0x80000000)
(WW) No core pointer registered

I'm at my wits end cause I have no idea what the hell is going on. I've googled each of these to try and find something that might help me and I've been unsuccessfull thus far. Any insight anyone can provide would be very helpful. Thanks

Kan