Sometimes when I boot my system, my mouse does not work.
The cursor is visible but moving the mouse does not move the cursor.
This happens about 25% of the time.
This problem started since I installed openSuse 11.0. (fresh install)
Can someone guide me to what file I need to look in to see why my mouse is sometimes forgotten in the startup process?
Thanks!
When you find out, let me know, please!
Though it’s most likely not the problem, I had stumbled upon this earlier and maybe it’s relevant:
In your xorg.conf file, how is your mouse configured? Does the mouse input device section say “mice” like this:
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Mouse[1]”
Driver “mouse”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
…
EndSection
Mouse[1] being the core pointer, as configured in a section like this:
Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout[all]”
InputDevice “Keyboard[0]” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse[1]” “CorePointer”
…
EndSection
If I changed “mice” to something like “mouse0”, I would get a pointer but I couldn’t move it. But if I typed “mouse1”, and “mouse1” was the correct handlers entry from /proc/bus/input/devices, then it would work again. “Mice” takes care of all that automatically, I guess, and if you have many input devices, possibly something other than your mouse is taking over?
Thank you for your response.
Here is what my config files look like…
Section “InputDevice”
Driver “mouse”
Identifier “Mouse[1]”
Option “Buttons” “5”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “Name” “ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse”
Option “Protocol” “explorerps/2”
Option “Vendor” “Sysp”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5”
EndSection
Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout[all]”
InputDevice “Keyboard[0]” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse[1]” “CorePointer”
Option “Clone” “off”
Option “Xinerama” “off”
Screen “Screen[0]”
EndSection
I tried to look at /proc/bus/input/devices in command line but nobody was home in “devices”.
/proc/bus/input/devices is empty - zero bits - according to Konqueror.
BTW, this is just a single desktop home system, not a server or anything exotic.
I do not have any other input devices other than keyboard and mouse (no scanners, etc.).
Just so you know, I get the same, and have done now since using this usb mouse from suse 10.1
Mine is plugged into a usb on the keyboard which is also usb
For me I just nudge it out and back in - and it’s fine
Maybe yours isn’t so easy to get at?
Steve 45 wrote:
> I tried to look at /proc/bus/input/devices in command line but nobody
> was home in “devices”.
> /proc/bus/input/devices is empty - zero bits - according to Konqueror.
>
The files within the /proc subdirectory don’t really exist. They’re magic
portals to and from kernel modules and services.
If you’ll ‘cat /proc/bus/input/devices’, you will likely find useful
information. The content is created when you attempt to read from the
file. Similarly, writing data to certain files can alter kernel module
behaviors.
(or try to load it with kate, kwrite, any text editor essentially)
Loni
–
L R Nix
lornix@lornix.com
Hmm, magic portals.
I knew there was something special about Linux.
Here are the results of the ‘cat’ command:
I: Bus=0011 Vendor=0002 Product=0005 Version=0000
N: Name=“ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse”
P: Phys=isa0060/serio1/input0
S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input2
U: Uniq=
H: Handlers=mouse0 event2
B: EV=7
B: KEY=70000 0 0 0 0
B: REL=103
Not sure what I am seeing.
Of course, the mouse is working now.
BTW, this is a PS/2 mouse connected via a KVM switch.
This config worked on openSUSE 10.2 and 10.3 so I do not think it is the KVM.
Since PS/2 is old tech, I doubt the OS will see it if I unplug/replug as you can with your USB mouse.
But I will try it the next time it bonks.
Steve 45 wrote:
>
> Hmm, magic portals.
> I knew there was something special about Linux.
>
> Here are the results of the ‘cat’ command:
>
> I: Bus=0011 Vendor=0002 Product=0005 Version=0000
> N: Name=“ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse”
> P: Phys=isa0060/serio1/input0
> S: Sysfs=/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input2
> U: Uniq=
> H: Handlers=mouse0 event2
> B: EV=7
> B: KEY=70000 0 0 0 0
> B: REL=103
>
> Not sure what I am seeing.
> Of course, the mouse is working now.
>
> BTW, this is a PS/2 mouse connected via a KVM switch.
> This config worked on openSUSE 10.2 and 10.3 so I do not think it is
> the KVM.
> Since PS/2 is old tech, I doubt the OS will see it if I unplug/replug
> as you can with your USB mouse.
> But I will try it the next time it bonks.
>
>
I would recommend a USB mouse when using a KVM… depending on the model of
KVM you are using, SOME do not maintain power to the PS/2 port during
switching operations, causing the PS/2 mouse to reset. (ie, they use a
break before make switch, rather than a make before break switch).
If it’s a newer digital switching type KVM it shouldn’t have this issue…
BUT, ps/2 mice (and often ps/2 keyboards) don’t always do well with a KVM.
Some KVM’s don’t supply a ‘psuedo-mouse’ to the other ports when the switch
is selecting a different computer. So if you’re using cpu A, and reboot
cpu B, cpu B may not see a mouse as installed, and thus not load support
drivers for it. Again, KVM which support USB mice tend to work better in
this respect. At least in my experience, having used several KVM over the
years.
Often, in the distant past, I had to resort to having one keyboard, but two
mice… keyboard was through KVM, worked great, but mice didn’t like being
switched…
Oh, and if it intrigues you, I’ve written a simple program to decode
the /proc/bus/input/devices output, available from this page:
http://www.lornix.com/index.php?/archives/5-A-handy-tool-for-decoding-the-HID-devices.html
Your info says you have a mouse with 3 buttons, a wheel and reports relative
motion in the X and Y dimensions.
–
L R Nix
lornix@lornix.com
Thank you Lornix for your reply.
Up until OS 11.0 I have not had a problem with this KVM or mouse with either computer.
It worked with OS 10.2 and 10.3, it should work with 11.0.
The other computer is not on most of the time.
And when I do use it, it is usually booted after my Linux machine.
If I buy an new USB keyboard and mouse (which I would like to do some day) I will also have to buy a new KVM switch.
I am not interested in dumping all that money on this problem.
I realize that if I purchase a USB keyboard and mouse I will not need the KVM except I don’t want two keyboards and mice cluttering up my desk. (I know, whine, whine, whine)
So, my question now is, is there any file I can look in, when I boot my system and the mouse is dead, that will indicate what my system is seeing/not seeing so we can fix this problem?
Steve 45 wrote:
>
> Thank you Lornix for your reply.
>
> Up until OS 11.0 I have not had a problem with this KVM or mouse with
> either computer.
> It worked with OS 10.2 and 10.3, it should work with 11.0.
> The other computer is not on most of the time.
> And when I do use it, it is usually booted after my Linux machine.
>
> If I buy an new USB keyboard and mouse (which I would like to do some
> day) I will also have to buy a new KVM switch.
> I am not interested in dumping all that money on this problem.
> I realize that if I purchase a USB keyboard and mouse I will not need
> the KVM except I don’t want two keyboards and mice cluttering up my
> desk. (I know, whine, whine, whine)
>
> So, my question now is, is there any file I can look in, when I boot my
> system and the mouse is dead, that will indicate what my system is
> seeing/not seeing so we can fix this problem?
>
>
{Smile} I agree, new equipment might be nice, but shouldn’t be needed.
You might try looking in /proc/bus/input/devices. The contents of that file
list all of the devices the system sees and can use.
Files in the /proc subdir are ‘psuedo-files’, in that they really don’t
exist. They’re connected to the modules and kernel support routines, and
are created on the fly when you ask for the information.
When mouse does not work:
cat /proc/bus/input/devices > not-working
Then again, when mouse does work:
cat /proc/bus/input/devices > working
then have a look and see what’s different between the two files.
an easy way to compare them:
diff not-working working
will show only the lines which differ between the two files. (or just post
the contents here)
If you look at the contents, you should be able to tell which section is for
what device and narrow it down quickly.
Once we know which device is transitory, we can then narrow it down to how
and when support for it should be loaded.
Loni
–
L R Nix
lornix@lornix.com
Thanks Loni, when it happens again I will post the info.
(Today it worked.)
Loni,
Okay, on first boot this morning - no mouse.
I got into Konsole and did “cat/proc/bus/input/devices”.
There was NO mouse file listing at all.
Just the keyboard and two power button files.
Therefore, I guess the > working, > not-working command would not be useful (?).
Ideas?
Steve
On Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:16:03 GMT
Steve 45 <Steve_45@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:
>
> Loni,
>
> Okay, on first boot this morning - no mouse.
> I got into Konsole and did “cat/proc/bus/input/devices”.
> There was NO mouse file listing at all.
> Just the keyboard and two power button files.
> Therefore, I guess the > working, > not-working command would not be
> useful (?).
>
> Ideas?
>
> Steve
>
>
Well DARN! Although… no mouse listing is informative. It tells us that the
drivers (IF they’re being loaded) aren’t seeing the mouse.
How is the mouse connected to the computer? Any external hubs? long, looping
wires… or in my case… kittens with teething problems? (lost TWO usb
cables that way so far! (but they’re fixed!))
Please could you email me the contents of /var/log/boot.msg when your mouse
is detected properly?
And maybe a copy of one in which it wasn’t.
I ask to email, since they’re quite long, my address is ^^^^^ up there…
I’ll cut them up and post the relevant parts so others can benefit from this
troubleshooting too.
Oh, and contents of /proc/bus/input/devices for each instance as well.
Thank you
Loni
–
L R Nix
lornix@lornix.com
Loni,
Here is the short part of the answer.
The hookup -
No cats (or dogs or gerbels)
This PS/2 mouse is connected directly to a KVM switch which is connected to the puter machine.
Like I said before, never had any problems with this setup in OS 10.2 or 10.3.
BTW, when the mouse did not work yesterday, I did try the unplug/replug exercise you suggested earlier.
No worky.
One more clue - this seems to happen on the first boot after I printed something during the previous session.
(I have another forum posting about the printer getting a false print signal at shutdown.)
Not sure if they are related.
I will send the var/log/boot.msg to your lornix@lornix.com address.
Thanks.
Steve