COM Port Mouse on DSL?

Forum: User Feedback
Topic: COM Port Mouse on DSL?
started by: unodsl

Posted by unodsl on Feb. 06 2005,03:36

I've have some problems with my installation of DSL (version 0.9.3), everytime I try to install it, it says:

INIT: Entering runlevel: 5
su (pam_unix)[258]: session opened for user dsl by (vid=0)
grep: /etc/sysconfig/mouse: No such file or directory
Using Xvesa default 1024x768x32 -mouse mouse
Xauth: Creating new authority file /home/dsl/.xauthority
Xauth: Creating new authority file /home/dsl/.xauthority

giving up.
xint: no such file or directory (errno 2): unable to connect to x server
xinit: no such process (errno 3): Server error
dsl@tty1[dsl]$

I think it have something to do with the mouse, cause it seems to check something about it..
I've also have tried DSL 0.6 it works just fine, but just with an inactive mouse

my mouse is a COM port mouse, I think that's as the problem, cause it asked for a PS/2 mouse when I installed it..

now how can I fix this problem..? Can I fix this problem at all..? And is it really about my COM port mouse..?

Hope you can help me out there..

The pc it should run on is a:
200 MHz Pentium MMX
48 MB EDO RAM
130 MB HDD

Posted by guni on Feb. 06 2005,16:16

I can use DSL with a com port mouse. No problem, just say no to "do you have a ps2 mouse". And then you should get the option to pick a com port.

Posted by unodsl on Feb. 06 2005,22:05

I have tried, but it won't allow me to use the mouse, in windows it works just fine.. And in DSL failsafe it works just as well.. But in normal mode DSL, it just won't work for me

Posted by hawki on Feb. 06 2005,23:46

Hi

I use a serial mouse all the time. There does seem to be a problem getting it detected. Even on a harddisk install it does not retain the setting. If you boot up and it does not work do the following.

crtl-alt-bksp
xsetup.sh
startx

Now it should work.

Here is what you should have done. Step one ends your X session. Step two runs the xsetup script. During that you should say no to USB mouse and PS2 mouse then select the proper com port for your mouse. Step three should restart X.

Good luck

Posted by Mat on Feb. 17 2005,20:16

Quote (hawki @ Feb. 06 2005,18:46)

yeah, but it does not save the configuration, and everytime i power on i have to do that, so, how can i save the config???

Posted by cd.ito on Feb. 26 2005,21:54

For that I've done a dangerous thing:
I've disabled autodetection at start.
In /etc/rc1234560S
and modified some scripts.

Posted by roberts on Feb. 27 2005,00:01

To save serial mouse config add

ln -sf /dev/ttyS0 /dev/mouse

to your /opt/bootlocal.sh

Posted by ico2 on Mar. 07 2005,13:59

or just type dsl xsetup at the boot: prompt

Posted by Barbol3 on Mar. 27 2005,22:09

although some people seems to doubt about it, a problem with serial mouse in DSL does exist.

I can tell because I have a non-working serial mouse (in an old i486 computer) and I have reviewed the forum in depth, finding many posts

I have tried everything that is suggested in the forum without success:
i.mouseconfig
ii.the script for X configuration xsetup (at boot or later)
iii.creating the symbolic link (ln -s /dev/ttyS0 /dev/mouse) and adding it into /opt/bootlocal.sh; also trying ttyS1, ttyS2, ...
etc.
nothing.

I tried directly Knoppix in this computer and the problem was still there (everything was slower but I could use the X). Then I went to the original source: I installed Debian (Sarge and Woody) in the same computer and... everything works!
including the mouse... It is currently running with Debian Woody in a similar fashion to DSL (although it's very large)

I am not an expert but there seems to be something wrong with Knoppix derivatives and some serial ports (on old computers?)...

Posted by John Braden on Dec. 23 2005,21:02

Quote (Guest @ Mar. 27 2005,17:09)

I agree... there is definitely a problem with DSL/Knoppix and serial mice, and I suspect it has to do with the chipset used on the motherboard. I have two old Pentium systems I've been trying to resurrect, a 100MHz with 32MB of ram and a 120MHz with 48MB of ram. The 100Mhz system works fine with DSL, but although the 120MHz system detects the serial mouse, the mouse cursor remains frozen in the middle of the screen, and it is unresponsive to button clicks. Like you, I tried all of the suggested remedies without success. I tried DSL 2.0 and 2.1rc2. I also tried changing all sorts of things in BIOS but that had no effect either. I finally installed Puppy Linux, which works fine. If anyone has a clue where in the DSL source to look, the failing system is running:

Award BIOS v4.50PG 08/31/95
08/02/95-TRITON-2A59CB09C-00

This is a Biostar MB-8500TEC Model 3 motherboard with an Intel Triton FX chipset. I am using the built-in serial ports. There must be a difference between drivers being used by Knoppix and those used by other distributions which have no problem with this hardware. I'd love to see a fix in DSL.