UNC Linux Users Group

[Jesse Aaron Safir <jesse_safir AT unc.edu>]

Liyun et al,

> > Help!  I downloaded the ISOs for the SuSE Linux 10.1 DVD and Add-On CD
> > and loaded it onto a ThinkPad R31 laptop.  The mouse is freaking out
> > and jumping all around and clicking everything.  It works a little if
> > I move it slowly, but then it just keeps freaking out.  I tried using
> > YaST to set it to Auto/Generic and PS/2/PS/2 and neither seems to be
> > fixing this problem.  What else should I try?

> This is very typical X Window config issue.
>
> Since I did not have it installed, I did not know
> which version of X windows it is running. I assume
> it is using XFree86.

well...what I see in /etc/X11 is "xorg.conf" rather than "XFree86.conf".

> Usually the Linux installation will do a detection job
> to detect your monitor, video chips, and the mouse/keyboard.
> To some reason this install did not do a good job.
>
> It is manually fixable.
>
> If you still have the system up, and the keyboard is ok, leave the mouse
> there - don't touch it, let's move to a different window by typing
> ALT+CTL+F1 (Or F2, F3, ... F6), you will see a Text mode window.
>
> From there, you may ignore the mouse issue.
>
> Go to /etc/X11
> there should be a file XFree86.conf
> At the end of this message you may see a typical
> XFree86.conf file for your reference.
>
> First thing I would suggest is to check if the directory
> of the mouse was not correct. You may check the file from
> the command line command, such as vi, or nedit.
>
> once opened the file, check the InputDevice section, the "DEvice" point
> to teh path called /dev/ums0, check your system to see if that path is
> correct, usually your problem indicates that that path was not correct,
> you may correct it from there - you may not have /dev/ums0 directory,
> instead, your /dev/<name of the mouse device directory> is different.
> make changes from there, then remember to save the file, reboot the
> system if you wish to do so by issuing command reboot

Okay I don't see /dev/ums0.  What I see is /dev/input/mice in the
xorg.conf file.  When I look at the file system, I see that device and I
also see one called /dev/input/mouse0.  Should I try switching to that?
BTW, it's not that my mouse doesn't work at all, it just works a little
and then it suddenly freaks out and starts jumping all over the screen and
clicking everything, which makes a real mess.  If I leave it alone, then
it will work again after a little while.  The problem seems consistent
if I set it to either Auto/Generic or PS/2/PS/2.  I don't know what other
kind of setting I could choose.

BTW, I think I may have logged in as root with "safe mode" and then ran
startx and did NOT have the problem with the mouse.  I can test that
again.

Let me know what you think...

> The resolution issue is easier to fix once you have the mouse
> issue fixed. I will show you later...

Actually, I think I got that working because I found that I could set the
monitor to "ThinkPad 1024x768 LCD" and that fixed it after a reboot.  I've
got 1024x768 now.

So how do I do all that cool 3D eye candy stuff that Greg was showing us?
I want all those aqua-like effects and rotating cube screens and stuff...

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