usb mouse not working (udev/hotplug problem?)

[eyolf]

I installed the gnome desktop to try it out yesterday. During installation, the Synaptic packet manager said that hotplug would be removed. I checked around and found that it was replaced by udev, which would be installed, so I figured it was ok.
When I booted today, there was an alert that udev only works with kernel 2.6.12 (I have .10). Hence, the usb mouse doesn't work (nor does an external keyboard, but a usb disk does work - i.e. it is recognized when I put it in).
I tried to uninstall udev and reinstall hotplug, but no change, neither immediately nor upon reboot. There were three questions about configuration settings when I installed hotplug, whether I wanted to keep the current settings or use the manufacturer's. Keeping the current was the default alternative so I went with that.
What should I do? Is there a way to manually activate the mouse again? Is there a config file I can add it to so it is recognized on startup?
I'm using mepis 3.3.1

[lakerdonald]

A. Open your Xorg/Xfree config, and see what the path is for your mouse in there, and tell me what it is.
B. Check your kernel config and make sure that you have:

Input device support --->
      <*> Event interface

and any pertinent USB stuff enabled.

[d38dm8nw81k1ng]

i think the USB mouse is supposed to be /dev/tty0 or something like that. at least it is in the 2.4 kernel.

[eyolf]

Thanks. I solved it the brutal way: removed hotplug completely and reinstalled... That's probably not the way it's supposed to be done, but I'm still not feeling quite at home in the linux file system, where binaries and settings are spread all over the place (well, they are in Windows too, sortof, but there I knew where to look...

Thanks again, anyway.

e

[lakerdonald]

i think the USB mouse is supposed to be /dev/tty0 or something like that. at least it is in the 2.4 kernel.

Generally /dev/mouse, or /dev/input/mice

[kmcguire]

I happened to arrive on this thread through google while looking to solve my USB mouse not working problem. This thread did me no good.

However, I did recognize a way to troubleshoot and manually install the needed drivers for a USB mouse, or potentialy any USB device under the linux 2.6.x kernel.

- I have udev installed and running, if it makes any difference..

The paths you need to know, or find out where they are in your distro:
/lib/modules/<kernel version>/kernel/drivers/core
/lib/modules/<kernel version>/kernel/host/
/lib/modules/<kernel version>/kernel/
/proc/bus/usb/

The programs you need:
modprobe (might have to google to find what package this is in)
lsmod (in the same package with modprobe)
lspci (this is in the package pci-utils under gentoo)

Alright. The first action I would take is to check out the /proc/ directory and look for a bus subdirectory, and thus check inside this for a usb directory. Somewhere along here some people may get lost because their distro or kernel does stuff different. So if you can not find a usb directory using the exact path above, at least find a usb directory somewhere.

If I could not find a usb directory. I would try the command: lspci
Here is a listing of mine:
---------------
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8375 [KM266/KL266] Host Bridge
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8633 [Apollo Pro266 AGP]
00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 82)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 ISA Bridge
00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)
00:13.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. VT8375 [ProSavage8 KM266/KL266]
----------------

Notice the USB controller on my computer interfaces into the PCI bus. Thus, if you have no USB controller interfacing into the PCI bus. I most likely can not help you at this point. (note: If you have found a USB directory in proc, but have no devices, keep reading.)

Alright. This is good, since we know we have a USB controller detected by the PCI subsystem. Now, lets load a driver to interact with this controller by doing the command:
modprobe usbcore
USBCORE can be found on my distro in /lib/modules/<kernel>/drivers/usb/core. Also if you have no USBCORE, try finding something similar, or finding a way to get it by downloading or compiling or both on a 2.6.x kernel.

Now, I would go back and make sure I can find a usb directory. If I could not find one I would have to start googling and can not help you here.

Now, if you still have a problem go back, or even before checking if you have a problem go back, or if you are already there list the contents of the /proc/bus/usb directory. You should have some devices as directorys.

If you have no devices, I would then load the host driver by examining the the output of lspci (from above).

Mine said it was:
USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller

Looking in the /lib/modules/<kernel>/drivers/usb/host directory I found one called, uhci-hcd.ko. It seems to be related to my UHCI type controller. So I loaded it. You can always try loading one, and if it does not work try another. Apparently, if it works you will have something appear in the /proc/bus/usb directory. A devices file appeared in mine with a listing of the USB devices attached. I do not know if this file is automaticly updated (I would figure it is, but someone would have to check on that.)

Alright. Even if nothing appears in the directory - or if it does. The next action I would make would be to load the driver for the USB MOUSE of course! I found my USB MOUSE driver in /lib/modules/<kernel>/drivers/usb/input/ as usbhid.ko. the HID part starts for human interface devices I think? It supposely works for the keyboard too, and I am pretty sure but can not say because I have never actually used it for the keyboard but so I hear it does work. The command to load it I would use is:
modprobe usbhid

Now, you SHOULD have some device folders or files or something in that /proc/bus/usb/ directory! If not, then I am unsure how to help you but if it was me I would go google. If you read this far then most likely something I have said will or has clued you as to what to look for or check out in figuring your speacil problem out. I hope, and good luck sincerly from me.

Once you get all the modules/drivers loaded. See if your mouse works in GNOME or whatever you may use it for. You MAY have to restart GNOME for the mouse to start working. Mine appeared to instantly start working, but I can not say for certain.