LSPaul Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 I'm a linux newbie who installed Red Hat 8 a week or two ago. I've been having some fun with it, and after installing MozillaFirebird, decided it would be nice to change to a wheel mouse from the installed 2 button mouse. I plugged in a Microsoft optical wheel mouse, rebooted, changed the mouse config using the Gnome mouse menu, logged out and back in, and chaos set in. I have lost control of my curser in Gnome, and don't know how to undo the damage. I put the Dell 2 button mouse back in, rebooted, but still chaos. I can't get to the Gnome menu section to reconfigure. I am able to get to a terminal window command line. Any suggestions, or am I looking at a re-install? If I do have to re-install the OS, is there an easy way to have KDE as the graphical interface? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Did you install KDE with your Red Hat? If so when you boot up you should have an option that says Session which lets you then select KDE. I understand though that KDE is not an option that is automatically installed. You must install it as an add in to what is automatically selected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 LSPaul,Welcome...Julia is quite correct - in RedHat 8 or 9, during the installation, you must choose to install KDE. When you decide what route you will take, or if you want to try the "terminal", go here: (either print it out or write it down - valuable info).Configuring WheelmiceHave fun, because it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Thanks Quint for the input. All I can do is check the books because I have yet to get around to loading one of my copies of Red Hat. Guess I need to get busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Julia,I honestly believe that if he uses the "jetblackz tip", in the terminal, it is possible! But it is his choice - at this juncture, re-install may be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSPaul Posted August 30, 2003 Author Share Posted August 30, 2003 Thanks for the replys. I tried to follow the instructions noted in the link, but when I try to bring up the config file in vi, the editor screen comes up blank, and on the bottom it shows the file as "new". Should I recreate the file as noted in the link, as there is no "old" config file to edit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Thanks for the replys. I tried to follow the instructions noted in the link, but when I try to bring up the config file in vi, the editor screen comes up blank, and on the bottom it shows the file as "new". Should I recreate the file as noted in the link, as there is no "old" config file to edit?OK, I've run across that, in different distros'. Some distros' use: <XF86Config> and others' use <XF86Config-4>, but it's usually one or the other. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSPaul Posted August 30, 2003 Author Share Posted August 30, 2003 Still no luck - tried it both ways. Should I be able to go to the directory /etc/x11 and ls for the XF86config file? When I try this, I get a no such directory error message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Still no luck - tried it both ways. Should I be able to go to the directory /etc/x11 and ls for the XF86config file? When I try this, I get a no such directory error message. Uh-oh...something that should not have happened - did. Without that file, I'm afraid a re-install would be best...at least that's what my limited knowledge would tell me. Maybe Peachy or Julia will have a better solution, if you can wait until they read this...or Nathan, think he's still here. Best fortune to you, those files have everything in them: keyboard, mouse, screen resolution, etc. - far too much, to remember off-hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Before you panic and do a reinstall, let's make sure that your files are there. Remember the old DOS command of cd and cd.. to change directories? Those work here as well. Use CD to change to a new directory and CD.. to back out of a directory. That means that when you open your console you need to type cd.. probably about three times until you are back to the basic level then type CD etc and then CD x11 until you are in the directory for your config file. Then type ls for list to see what is there. Look through the list to find out what is installed there. I hope you did not destroy your config file last night. Then when you are in the correct place go through Jet Black's tutorial. You might have to reboot to do this his way but at least you will know what the file name is and if it really exists. If there really is no file there then I would think about reinstalling. I can not imagine not having this file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Also..For Redhat, try this and reconfigType the" redhat-config-mouse "(minus the ") command in a shell prompt to launch the Mouse Configuration Tool. If you are not root, it will prompt you for the root password to continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Thank you very much, Barry and Julia...this is fast in going "over my head". Special thanks, Barry for the RH tip...I will undoubtedly be using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Hey Quint...No problem...I have played with RH more than I care to admit...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 QuintI do believe we are all learning together. I think there is a saying something about the blind leading the blind...... See what happens when our fearless penguin takes off and thinks he needs a vacation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 JuliaYea I see what happens We improvise ...adapt ..and overcome ...it take us all contributing where we can..be we (Mostly you and qunit)do it...I think our fearless Penguin Master would be proud....or at least tickled ...I think he knew what we would do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 You are absolutely right Barry. I think when he checked in the other morning he was very happy to hear there was only one unresolved problem. He didn't even have to step in and post. I am sure this time next week we will all be back to relying on Bruno for all the answers. It is amazing what we can do by ourselves (and with a few references to rely upon). I don't think anyone has posted in the thread for unresolved problems needing his attention. It is probably deep in page two or in page three by now. He trained us well. Not bad for a bunch of us that admit we just started learning Linux (yes I know we have old timers here as well). Peachy has come to the rescue, Quint has come to the rescue and a number of others have stepped up to the plate. What a great forum this is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 LSPaulHave you gone to your console and tried whereis xf86configThat should tell us if it is anywhere on your computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSPaul Posted August 30, 2003 Author Share Posted August 30, 2003 Thanks teacher, I forgot some of my old DOS skills, and do not know the Linux file structure as well as I should. I need to put more time into some basic reading, but playing is so much fun even if it does get you in trouble!!!I was able to open the config file, and found that it contained two "input device" sections, one for "Mouse0" and the other for "Mouse1". Mouse0 has "device" "/dev/psaux", "ZAxismapping" "4 5", "Emulate3buttons" "no". Mouse1 has "Device" "/dev/input/mice", "Emulate3buttons" "no", "ZAxismapping" "4 5". Should I delete one of the sections?PS: when I tried to use the redhat-config-mouse command I got a runtime error: "could not open display" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 LSPaul quote: I was able to open the config file, and found that it contained two "input device" sections, one for "Mouse0" and the other for "Mouse1". Mouse0 has "device" "/dev/psaux", "ZAxismapping" "4 5", "Emulate3buttons" "no". Mouse1 has "Device" "/dev/input/mice", "Emulate3buttons" "no", "ZAxismapping" "4 5". Should I delete one of the sections?Do not "delete" anything...you don't have to. In the "Mouse0" section, try making it look like this:Option "Protocol"Â "IMPS/2"Option "Device"Â "/dev/psaux"Option "ZAxisMapping"Â "4 5" (space between 4&5)Option "Buttons"Â "3" (comment-out the line: "Emulate3buttons") (put a "#" at beginning of line)Option "Resolution"Â "300"Hopefully, that will do it...make sure to make a "backup" of the original, before you begin!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 QuintThanks for coming to the rescue. I was sleeping on the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 LOL..You did better than I Julia...I had to run to redhat box (I have to see things in order to describe them..(call it a quirk in my character)..by time I got my act together Quint came to the rescue. Thank You Quint!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Julia and Barry, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 I am just waiting to hear at this point that LSPaul was successful in fixing his mouse problems. Any results yet???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Qunint...ummm I don't look that good in a hat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 Qunint...ummm I don't look that good in a hat  No, Barry, I wasn't making a comparison to you, or Julia...just giving a "memory lane" thumbs' up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted August 30, 2003 Share Posted August 30, 2003 I know...Still don't think I look that good in a hat...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeg4 Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Maybe I should keep my mouth shut here because I don't know much about this , But anyhow did anyone think to use the repair option on the RH install disks . one of the first screens is to configure/reconfigure the mouse . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryB Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Good thinking George..rescue then rewrite the mouse config.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSPaul Posted August 31, 2003 Author Share Posted August 31, 2003 Success!! Thanks quint, and thanks all of you. Mouse now works, including the wheel. Sorry about the delay, but my Win box suddenly went South (slowed to a crawl), which distracted me. Now I'm moving on to Samba, and can't wait to see what else I can screw up!!Thanks for being there.Lowell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Congratulations !! LSPaul,Good job. :DSamba...that's a dance, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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