Boot hangs at starting X11 session after changing mouse settings in xorg.conf

drlouis · 09-09-2004, 01:46 AM

Hi all,

I *think* I may have inadvertently broke X when trying to get my Mx700 mouse working properly. I opened xorg.conf and added the following:

Code:

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier  "Mouse1"
    Driver      "mouse"
    Option      "Protocol"    "evdev"
    Option      "Dev Name"    "Logitech USB Receiver"
    Option      "Dev Phys"      "usb-*/input1"
    Option      "Device"        "/dev/input/event2"
    Option   "Buttons"   "8"
    Option      "ZAxisMapping"   "7 8"

(of course I "#'d" out the previous mouse settings first) saved changes, and rebooted with ctrl-alt-del. Now the boot sequence proceeds as normal except when it get to "starting up X11 session manager" the screen changes (goes grey. - normal), and then back to the normal text boot screen (not normal). And just hangs there. It accepts keystrokes, but does not respond to them. The only thing I have found that gets a response is "ctrl-alt-del", which of course reboots, and we start this all over again. I have a knoppix CD which I attempted to use to change my xorg.conf back, but when I try to save the changes I get an error message to the effect of cant save changes because the file is marked as read only. I also backed up the file before making changes, and I tried just deleting the new (messed up) file, but of course I get the same message.

I have searched these forums as well as All Things Unix at DSLReports.com, and came up dry. Does anyone have any insights that might set me back on the path to Slack happiness?

Just in case anyone wants to look, this is where I found the changes I made to my xorg.conf : dslreports.com/forum/remark,11279679~mode=flat

thanks for your time,

Louis

edited to add: running Slack 10.0 and the comment under my name is correct... I am very new to linux

shilo · 09-09-2004, 03:18 AM

Try bootimg wit hyour slackware install CDs instead of knoppix. Comment out the new lines and uncomment the old. If it works (sans mouse), save that config as /etc/xorg.conf.working (or anything that you can easily remember). Mkake changes that you think will work, and if they don't, just copy back the working config. As a side note, I don't recalll anyone ever using "evdev" as their mouse device. If for some reason you need this to work this way, better check your kernel config. If evdev is a module, make sure that it is loaded. You might have an easier time telling eveyone what kind of mouse you have.

Good luck,

justin_p · 09-09-2004, 08:54 AM

when it gets to the hang part hit atl+F6 to get a terminal. Log in (you'll be at run level 3, CLI). Then go in and take out what you added (pico /etc/X11/xorg.conf). It has to do with what you changed. Keep working with it until you get it working. I have done this myself. It's the best way to learn.

shilo · 09-09-2004, 11:46 AM

Doh! I missed the obvious. justin_p is right.

lupin_the_3rd · 09-09-2004, 11:55 AM

Or if you used a proper text editor

mv xorg.conf~ xorg.conf

This is assuming that you only saved once after making your changes...

drlouis · 09-09-2004, 03:33 PM

Shilo,
I don't know why it didn't occur to me to boot from the slackware CD... I will keep that in mind for future use, since I am sure this isn't the last time I'll find myself in a pickle while I learn!

I am using an MX700 mouse (logitec) as stated in the OP, in case others also missed it.

justin_p,

Thanks for the info! I will definitely do that as soon as I get home. I learn something new every day - Linux is just plain fun! I was actually doing everything from CLI until about a week ago, when I changed to init4 at boot, just to save a step, since I always ended up in x anyway.

Previously I was using Mandrake for about 4 months - since it was reputed to be easy for windows users to migrate to, but I still didn't know squat about linux. So I decided to try slack as everyone kept saying this was THE distro if you want to LEARN linux. They were right! Learned more in 2 nights getting my mouse and sound working than I learned in 4 months on Mandrake with everything done for me!

I know I have settings that work, just doesn't have all the buttons properly configured.

lupin_the_3rd,

Yeah I only saved once, and backed up as xorg.conf.old. So I can use the mv comand to replace the new(broke) file like so?:

Code:

mv xorg.conf.old xorg.conf

from within /etc/X11 of course.

Any idea what in my new settings would cause X to choke?

thanks a million to all of you for the help!

Louis

Oh, yeah and I use vi... is that a "real text editor"? (it was certainly a pain to learn!)

justin_p · 09-09-2004, 04:48 PM

I am not sure what the culprit could have been... You could always post the your full /etc/X11/xorg.conf file for a look-see. Don't worry about learning vi or emacs. I have learned linux for my own personal enrichment, all you really need is pico/nano. I did find however that once I got slack up and running that it lost it's charm, just my opinion. good luck.

drlouis · 09-09-2004, 05:55 PM

justin_p:

Quote:

You could always post the your full /etc/X11/xorg.conf file for a look-see

I thought that would be kinda long, but I will tonight, once I get 'er back on track. I do know the only thing I changed was the bit I posted above. <shrug>

Quote:

Don't worry about learning vi or emacs

sure, _NOW_ you tell me!

Quote:

once I got slack up and running that it lost it's charm

I left 90 Gigs free on my drive so I can install Gentoo to play with later since I dont even know what the differences are, but that will have to wait till I am a bit more comfy with linux in general. I plan to try a bunch of 'em.

Thanks again,

Louis

fphillips · 09-09-2004, 06:29 PM

It looks like you copied that section verbatim from the dslreports forum. The 'Mouse1' Identifier may need to be 'Mouse0'. It should match the InputDevice you have in the ServerLayout section. What was the Identifier for the section you commented out? Does the /var/log/Xorg.0.log error (EE) about not having a pointer device?

drlouis · 09-10-2004, 01:02 AM

fphillips:

Quote:

It looks like you copied that section verbatim from the dslreports forum. The 'Mouse1' Identifier may need to be 'Mouse0'. It should match the InputDevice you have in the ServerLayout section. What was the Identifier for the section you commented out? Does the /var/log/Xorg.0.log error (EE) about not having a pointer device?

Yes, I did copy it verbatim. The identifier was the same (mouse1). My /var/log/xorg.0.log has no errros listed (EE), of course I didn't check it until I had successfully logged into X (Doh!). Below is what the relevent section of my xorg.conf looks like now. I did a bit of playing around with settings, any time I use the 8 button settings I get no scroll wheel functionality at all. The top section is what was working for me before - same functionality as now. It appears the part that was choking X was the Option "Dev Phys" "usb-*/input1" and Option "Device" "/dev/input/event2" So I am going to remove them.

Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
# Option "device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Buttons" "5"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
# Option "Emulate3Buttons" "no"

# Option "Protocol" "evdev"
Option "Device" "Logitech USB Receiver"
# Option "Dev Phys" "usb-*/input1"
# Option "Device" "/dev/input/event2"
# Option "Buttons" "8"
# Option "ZAxisMapping" "7 8"

I will just live without my extra buttons for now. I have other things I want to fix first (now that I can get booted ok again!). I am sure the answer is out there, I'll find it. - eventually.

Thanks again to every one. I very much appreciate the help, and your time, it saved me hours of head scratching!

Louis