(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/input/mice: No Such Device

I can't get X to start because apparently because the mouse device can't be found, though the device directory entry seems to be there:

Falcon:/etc/X11# ls -la /dev/input/mice
crw-rw---- 1 root root 13, 63 2005-02-25 23:43 /dev/input/mice

The Mouse is a standard PS/2.

I'm running a new install of Debian Linux 3.1r1

I have been able to install Ubuntu Linux and get X to work with no problems. I even tried importing the XF86Config-4 file from the Ubuntu install to the Debian install but with no luck.

I can't understand why I can't get X to configure correctly under Debian. I've been frustrated with this error for quite awhile now and really need some help.

cat /var/log/XFree86.0.log returns:

(II) Loading sub module "int10"
(II) LoadModule: "int10"
(II) Reloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/linux/libint10.a
(II) VESA(0): initializing int10
(II) VESA(0): Primary V_BIOS segment is: 0xc000
(II) VESA(0): VESA BIOS detected
(II) VESA(0): VESA VBE Version 3.0
(II) VESA(0): VESA VBE Total Mem: 8192 kB
(II) VESA(0): VESA VBE OEM: VIA CLE266

(II) VESA(0): VESA VBE OEM Software Rev: 0.0
(II) VESA(0): virtual address = 0x4028b000,
physical address = 0xd8000000, size = 8388608
(II) VESA(0): VBESetVBEMode failed...Tried again without customized values.
(==) VESA(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) VESA(0): Backing store disabled
(**) Option "dpms"
(**) VESA(0): DPMS enabled
(==) RandR enabled
(II) Setting vga for screen 0.
(II) Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
(II) Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
(II) Initializing built-in extension XTEST
(II) Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
(II) Initializing built-in extension LBX
(II) Initializing built-in extension XC-APPGROUP
(II) Initializing built-in extension SECURITY
(II) Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
(II) Initializing built-in extension XFree86-Bigfont
(II) Initializing built-in extension RENDER
(II) Initializing built-in extension RANDR
(II) Keyboard "Generic Keyboard" handled by legacy driver
(**) Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
(**) Configured Mouse: Protocol: "ImPS/2"
(**) Option "CorePointer"
(**) Configured Mouse: Core Pointer
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/input/mice
No such device.
(EE) Configured Mouse: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Configured Mouse"
(II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
(WW) No core pointer registered
No core pointer

Fatal server error:
failed to initialize core devices

Here is the relevant (I think) section of the XF86Config-4 file:

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Configured Mouse"
        Driver          "mouse"
        Option          "CorePointer"
        Option          "Device"                "/dev/input/mice"
        Option          "Protocol"              "ImPS/2"
        Option          "Emulate3Buttons"       "true"
        Option          "ZAxisMapping"          "4 5"
EndSection