Re: Newbie install question re: Mouse
Hello
Bob Mills (<RMills@olrs.state.oh.us>) wrote:
> I installed Debian Linux 3.0 on a i386 PC using the downloaded CD
> images. I had an old serial mouse attached to the PC. When asked by
> the installation what port the mouse was on, I wasn't sure, but
> answered TTY0, believing that was the serial port.
That probably was ttyS0, the first serial port. This is called COM1 in
DOS/Windows. If your mouse is attached to the second serial port
(COM2), choose ttyS1 instead.
> I also apparently told the installation to install KDE. When I
> rebooted, a graphical interface appeared where I entered the user name
> and password. I found the mouse didn't work. When I hit Enter I was
> taken to the KDE desktop. I was unable to navigate without the mouse.
> I couldn't find keystrokes that would allow me to exit KDE, and I
> manually powered off the PC.
CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE would have taken you back to the login manager by
killing your session, CTRL+ALT+DEL should open a dialog and ask you if
you want to log out.
> Thinking that Linux might not be able to read my mouse on a serial
> port I installed a PS2 mouse, but with the same result.
In that case you have to reconfigure the X server and tell it that you
want to use a ps/2 mouse instead. Run
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
When asked for the mouse, choose
/dev/ttyS0 if the mouse is connected to COM1
/dev/ttyS1 if the mouse is connected to COM2
/dev/psaux if the mouse is connectet to the ps/2 port
When asked for the protocol, try Microsoft if you use a serial mouse,
ps/2 if you use a ps/2 mouse without a wheel, and imps/2 if you use a
ps/2 wheel mouse.
> 2. How can I get into a command line interface from the graphical
> login window without the mouse?
There are several virtual consoles running. Press
CTRL+ALT+F1-F6 to switch to one of them while in X
ALT+F1-F6 to switch from one to another
ALT+F7 to go back to X
If you change the X configuration while X is running, you have to
restart it. Either go back to the login manager by ending your X
session and restart it there, or type
/etc/init.d/kdm restart
at the command line (if kdm is your login manager).
best regards
Andreas Janssen
--
Andreas Janssen
andreas.janssen@bigfoot.com
PGP-Key-ID: 0xDC801674
Registered Linux User #267976
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