I want to add another mouse to my Slackware system, but I'm not sure what to do. My PS/2 mouse isn't working properly, and I need to switch to my USB mouse. I'm completely new to Slack.

I'm taking a shot in the dark and wild guessing that you're only interested in getting the mouse working in your X* setup.

Not sure what version of slack you're running, but you'll want to edit either the XF86Config.conf or xorg.conf (look for the file in /etc/X11/) and find the file you want.

Next you want the stanza starting with the label "Section InputDevice" and a line that refers to a mouse. "OptionDevice" is the important one here. If your old setup is pointing to /dev/mouse, find out what /dev/mouse is. 'ls -la /dev/mouse' is a good way to see how the symlink is setup. Usually it's a symbolic link to the actual device, like /dev/psaux (for a PS/2 mouse) or /dev/input/mice for a typical USB mouse. You have the choice of either deleting the old symlink /dev/mouse-->/dev/psaux and creating a new link yourself or letting the udev subsystem creating the link for you (once you have deleted the original symlink to /dev/psaux).

If you want to skip the sometimes grumpy udev detection and scripts you could simply change the line in your xorg.conf to point to the actual mouse device (usually /dev/input/mice) rather than the symlink. I myslef prefer to access devices by their symbolic link. That way, all applications set up to use the symlink will change to a new device once the symlink target is changed.

Did your mouse come packaged with a USB to PS2 converter? I use my mouse this way on my older boxes. A lot easier than mucking with X.

No it didn't.

I'll have to give the configuring a new link a try. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks, guys.

Maybe there is nothing wrong with the ps2 mouse. What kind is it? How many buttons? Does it have a wheel? Maybe someone can help setting it up properly. I think there is a mouseconfig command available, no?

I'll have to check the ps2 mouse again, because I can't seem to get the USB mouse to work now. =\

I did a full install, and I'm trying to use KDE, but I can't get the pointer to move at all. I ran the mouseconfig command, and picked the USB choice, but it didn't work.

I'm completely stumped. Perhaps it's the kernel? I installed Slack using test26.s kernel.

Can you post the relevant parts of your xorg.conf?

Brian

Here's my xorg.conf layout. Slack is installed on a laptop with a touchpad, ps/2 mouse, and usb mouse, neither of them working:

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "X.org Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
EndSection

crobat, please make sure you installed cd2's /2.6.13 kernel modules and probably kernel source and alsa driver. If you mount cd2 and cd to /2.6.13 and do ls you will see list of pkgs. Once there do upgradepkg *.tgz should save some steps. Or installpkg each pkg.tgz or use pkgtool for same. Then run mouseconfig and follow "This is how I do it all" at top of LQ SW forum for further fine tuning. lsmod will show modules. Good luck.

I'm a little confused. You mention 3 mouse devices (touchpad, ps/2 mouse, usb mouse), but only have two mentioned in your xorg.conf. Does your touchpad work? Also, you may try booting a live cd like slax to see if your various mice work.

Brian

quote---------
...cd to /2.6.13 and do ls you will see list of pkgs. Once there do upgradepkg *.tgz should save some steps
-----------quote

you probably mean : "Once there read the WARNING on kernel-headers which will tell
you NOT to install the headers "

btw...lestiol: maybe a good idea for you to ;-)

egag

Upgraded the packages. Still no mouse, but I did get sound working. I'll try looking through the large thread. Hopefully there's an answer in there.

The touchpad I wasn't completely worried about, since I really don't like to use it. I put in a live version of SuSE to see what would happen. The touchpad and USB mouse worked, but the PS/2 mouse didn't, so I still think that there's something wrong with it.

As I recall (though I may be wrong) when I first installed Slack on my laptop it configured my touchpad as a PS/2 mouse. So I'm wondering if your Mouse0 and Mouse1 are your touchpad and USB mouse, and that you don't have a valid entry for your PS/2 mouse?

Also, can you see your usb mouse with lsusb?

Brian