No mouse with Knoppix 5.1.1 on Virtual PC 2007

**ertw** · 03-13-2007, 06:31 PM

Hi everyone

I've just downloaded the Knoppix 5.1.1 CD image, and can't get the mouse to work under Virtual PC 2007. It seems as though Linux 2.6.19 isn't detecting the PS/2 mouse.

Knoppix 5.0.1 (Linux 2.6.17) works fine. In "dmesg" I see this line:

Code:

serio: i8042 AUX port at 0x60,0x64 irq 12

And in /proc/interrupts, there is:

Code:

 12:    578      XT-PIC  i8042

However, on Knoppix 5.1.1, I don't see either of the above. The "pci=irqmask=0x0e98" option mentioned in the FAQ doesn't help.

A quick web search reveals that other people are having similar problems with other distros, but I did not find any solutions. Any help would be appreciated.

-- graham

**jacksonon** · 03-19-2007, 06:29 PM

I am having the same exact problem...

**jelzimme** · 03-20-2007, 12:10 AM

This is also happening with Virtual PC 2004 and a USB Mouse

**pieper** · 03-25-2007, 11:47 PM

Looks like this problems goes has been floating around for a couple months. My VPC 7 Knoppix 5.1.1 is also mouseless. Any word yet on fixes?

**pieper** · 03-26-2007, 10:02 AM

I am way too new to understand this info, but perhaps it may mean something to one of the knoppix gurus here.

For those interested here is a link for Apple 15 aluminum powerbook info: http://tstotts.net/linux/gentoopb.html taken from http://www.linux-on-laptops.com (this is a wealth of info for all types of hardware.)
Most versions of X11 support 3-button mouse emulation; however, it is not as configurable or robust as the kernel solution. If compiled-in, the kernel supports 3-button mouse emulation, configurable via sysctrl.

# zgrep '^CONFIG.*EMUMOUSE' /proc/config.gz

CONFIG_MAC_EMUMOUSEBTN=y

I prefer the ENTER key as Right-button and Fn-ENTER as Middle-button, where ENTER is the keypad enter key adjacent to the right-hand Apple command key. This way, the emulated buttons are adjacent to the trackpad itself.

# sudo grep mouse /etc/sysctl.conf

dev.mac_hid.mouse_button_emulation = 1
dev.mac_hid.mouse_button3_keycode = 96
dev.mac_hid.mouse_button2_keycode = 127

To use an external USB mouse, the kernel module usbhid must be loaded or compiled-in. Interestingly, some USB mice misbehave after a suspend-to-ram or a lengthy idle period; and they will never operate again unless plugged into a different USB port or a reload of the usbhid module. One such mouse with these troubles is: Kensington PocketMouse Pro Wireless 72117.

An adequte work-around for troublesome USB mice (and keyboards) is to compile the module usbhid as a module rather that compiled-in, and reload as necessary.

# zgrep '^CONFIG.*USB_HID' /proc/config.gz

CONFIG_USB_HID=m
CONFIG_USB_HIDINPUT=y
CONFIG_USB_HIDINPUT_POWERBOOK=y
CONFIG_USB_HIDDEV=y

# modprobe -r usbhid
# modprobe usbhid

**ethelred** · 05-23-2007, 11:59 AM

I'm a newbie, and have the same issue as above.

I've been trying to play with Knoppix with VPC 2007 also, just so I can get my feet on the ground with Linux.

I've tried 5.0.1 CD and this works absolutely fine until shutdown, when the window just goes blank and remains open (doesn't close like other OSes when the machine is turned off)

Whereas, with the DVD, I get the same issues with the mouse.

I have been looking in the log for boot-up:

Has it got anything to do with the iSCSI interface as this is loaded prior to allowing PS/2 controller to load?

I seem to recall Virtual PC having iSCSI interface devices as part of the emulated hardware.

The lines in question don't seem to error though, these are the only lines that mention mice:

Uniform CD-ROM driver revision: 3.20
Loading iSCSI transport class v2.0-724.<6>PNP: PS/2 Controller [PNP0303:PS2K,PNP
0f03:PS2M] at 0x60,0x64 irq 1,12
serio: i8042 KBD port at 0x60,0x64 irq 1
mice: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice
EISA: Probing bus 0 at eisa.0

Maybe irq conflict? I'm unsure as I've not been able to look at a fully working model to compare.

**brakerm19** · 08-22-2007, 11:26 PM

- "i8042.noloop" makes the PS/2 mouse work, otherwise it's stuck in
the center of the screen; reference: comment #45 at
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla....cgi?id=223606

- "psmouse.proto=imps" makes the mouse wheel work; optional as it's
not that usefull during the install, but usefull to add it to kernel
options for normal system use.

**root** · 10-12-2007, 04:04 AM

using vpc 2007 and knoppix 5.1 , mouseless... i think i'm going to try burning the dvd though.

**root** · 10-12-2007, 11:40 AM

logitech g5 laser usb, btw, in case anyone wants to help me

**jjooeh** · 10-21-2007, 03:36 PM

Same problem here, with Virtual PC and a generic, optical, five button, ps2 mouse. I did find a way to use the pointer with the number pad. I pressed ctrl+Q to close the browser at first. Then I think it was alt+F1to open the menu (at bottom left). From there I used the arrow keys, tab button and the spacebarto open the control panel, peripherals and mouse. After that the tab on the right holds the option to use the number pad to control the mouse. Though after getting that set up, I think it was easier to navigate the desktop using the keyboard the way I was at first. This is hardly an ideal solution. I'm still new to Linux and most of what is said here is way over my head, but I'm having fun exploring the different distributions. Using the cursor this way might be obvious to some, and is not much better than useless when it comes to actually getting anything done. But it could be helpful to someone who is just checking it out for the first time. Now That I know I like it I have to figure out how to get it to work right.