optical mouse blues

I have just added an optical mouse to my system. I got the scroll wheel to work but when I am gliding the mouse around the curser on the screen moves sparatically. I would like it to work how my mouse with a ball moved where it is smooth and does not just stop in the middle of a movement. here is what my XF86Config looks like

# /.../
# SaX generated XFree86 config file
# Created on: 2005-01-17T09:12:22-0700.
#
# Version: 4.8
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2002
#
# Automatically generated by [ISaX] (4.8)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/kwintv"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/uni:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/xtest"
FontPath "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS0"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS1"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS2"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS3"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS4"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS5"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS6"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS7"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS8"
InputDevices "/dev/psaux"
InputDevices "/dev/logibm"
InputDevices "/dev/sunmouse"
InputDevices "/dev/atibm"
InputDevices "/dev/amigamouse"
InputDevices "/dev/atarimouse"
InputDevices "/dev/inportbm"
InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
InputDevices "/dev/mouse"
InputDevices "/dev/usbmouse"
InputDevices "/dev/adbmouse"
InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
InputDevices "/dev/input/event0"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer0"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer1"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer2"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer3"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "v4l"
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "dbe"
Load "speedo"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "Keyboard"
Identifier "Keyboard[0]"
Option "Protocol" "Standard"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection


Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Option "Buttons" "5"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Name" "Autodetection"
Option "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
Option "Resolution" "250"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection


Section "Monitor"
HorizSync 31-38
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
ModelName "800X600@60HZ"
Option "DPMS"
VendorName "--> VESA"
VertRefresh 50-60
UseModes "Modes[0]"
EndSection


Section "Modes"
Identifier "Modes[0]"
Modeline "800x600" 38.34 800 832 928 1024 600 604 608 624 -HSync -VSync
EndSection


Section "Screen"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
Device "Device[0]"
Identifier "Screen[0]"
Monitor "Monitor[0]"
EndSection


Section "Device"
BoardName "3D Rage Pro AGP 1X/2X"
BusID "1:0:0"
Driver "ati"
Identifier "Device[0]"
Screen 0
VendorName "ATI"
EndSection


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout[all]"
InputDevice "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
Option "Clone" "off"
Option "Xinerama" "off"
Screen "Screen[0]"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Group "video"
Mode 0660
EndSection

Try changing:
Option "Protocol" "explorerps/2"

To:
Option "Protocol" "auto"

Then, if you want, you can check /var/log/Xorg.0.log for which protocol it chooses, and use that.

Or maybe you can use Yast to reconfigure it?

also is it a logitech mouse?

If it IS a Logitech optical usb mouse, I had a time with mine just a few days ago. For some reason, hotplugging wasn't starting, and my /dev/mouse needed to be symlinked to /dev/input/mice rather than dev/psaux. I was getting jerky and eratic movement until I corrected the problem. Since I now have it working perfectly, here's the pertinent portion of my xorg.conf, in case it might help...

Code:

---

# **********************************************************************
# Core Pointer's InputDevice section
# **********************************************************************

Section "InputDevice"

# Identifier and driver

    Identifier "Mouse1"
    Driver "mouse"
    Option "Buttons" "5"
    Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
    Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"

---

it is not a logitech mouse, i actually am unsure of the make, it is a no name brand, it black with a rubbery feel to it and the scroll wheel lights up blue. i will try what you say and see what it does. thanks guys.

Is it this Auravision?

If so, I've been looking for something that will replace my Logitech dual optical and had my eye on that awhile back. Could you give me your impressions? Especially the weight, the substantialness is the thing I like most about the dual optical, it weighs almost as much as an 8oz coffee mug.

I hope everything is working now.

The only times i've ever seen that happen with an optical mouse is when you use the mouse on a surface with too much detail. Try using a single color mouse. Since you used a ball mouse before, you probably wouldn't have know this.

It looks like that but the entire mouse is black also the cord is black. It is an off brand i belive i bought it from a comp store for like 4.00usd. It is being used on a card table that has a some what textured top. Do you thing that is what is causing the problem. I will try putting something down on it to see if the works. thanks for all your help. It has been very much appreciated.

Sometimes texture is good, sometimes it isn't. The key is to have a small texture, like a cloth mousepad actually tracks very well. If your table surface is felt, that may or may not be the problem, there's variation in felt by design and wear.

When choosing a surface, keep in mind that reflective surfaces are typically not a good thing, and similarly are many light colored surfaces.

I hate to say this, but it could just be a bad mouse too, that's more likely with generics.

I found out that it was my card table that i have my pc on. I put a note pad down and used the cardboard back to try and see if that worked. It did work and so I just need to go and get a mouse pad to use it on.