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gregwpath

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Mouse will not work after install

I've installed Mandrake Linux 8.0 on my pc and the mouse does not work.  I installed linux with no problems twice, with my ps-2 mouse attached, with a selection of generic ps-2 mouse, and the second time with the selection of Logitech PS-2 mouse.  (Win 2000 recogizes the mouse as logitech).  (The mouse is actually a Fellowes PS-2 mouse).  During the actual istall, the mouse does work, moves around, and lets me select things.  When the install is complete, and the machine reboots, I log in using my username, the machine goes through it's boot up, and the mouse pointer stays in one spot.  I've tried to use the tab, etc to change the mouse during the actual running of linux, but I can't seem to get to the actual spot to change the mouse.  HELP!!

My machine specs:

Maxtor 15 gig primary "C" drive, with D, and E partitions  - Win98SE
Maxtor 30 gig slave "D" drive with two partitions, Win 2000, (20 gig)  and Linux (~10 gig).  
AMD K6-3 450
196 Meg ram, Nvidia 32 meg pci video card, ASUS P5A-B motherboard, with ALI chipset.

If anyone can help, I would appreciate it.  Also please note that I am a real novice when it comes to linux!

thanks.....
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psimation
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Hmm, I'm presuming that you are booting straight into the graphical environment...
When you are booted, press [ctrl][F2] to take you to a new login console. Log in and press [alt][backspace] to kill X and take you to a command line. from the command line, type "mouseconfig" and then select "generic P/S 2" mouse. Let it write the changes and then try to go back to the first X session ([ctrl][F7]) and shut it down with [alt][backspace]. now start X again with startx and see if the mouse works...
PS, DON"T use other drivers with your mouse than generic P/S 2 except if you explicitly got them from your manufacturer for Linux, or if it is explicitly listed in the options in mouseconfig.
As you can see mouse support in Linux for anything "fancy" is still a bit of a problem, specially wheel mice, so be patient...
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gregwpath

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psimation,

A couple things... Yes, I do (did) boot directly into the gui.  I did try your instructions exactly as listed, and when I pressed Ctrl F2, it would toggle me to the next desktop.  After I realized that, I did get to a command line, and changed it to generic ps 2 mouse, but it didn't seem to take.  I would reboot, and it stayed as a serial mouse. (??)  Then, I rebooted into the console mode, and started mouseconfig after logging in as root.  I selected generic ps2 mouse, then rebooted again.  Still stuck as a generic 2 button serial mouse.  Right now I am formatting the partition with partition magic for linux, and will reinstall linux again.  It's strange that I can select ps2 mouse, and press ok, but it won't stick as an option.

One thing to note is that there is (was) an icon on the desktop called xkill.  When I selected it with the arrow keys, pressed enter, then the arrow keys again, it would move the mouse pointer.

Any further help would be great.  Thanks!

You might be unable to change the configuration of the mouse because the X86Config file is read-only... I had this problem a few times. Check the permissions on the file and see (from console, with cat or more command) if the configuration file is updated after you save the settings.
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jeffa072897

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