No mouse, can't install

[ribroast]

Thanks! This is interesting to me, because I don't have a deep understanding of the Linux O.S. I was able to do a minimal install of Debian and hack it into a working server. I got my info from a bunch of web articles and forum posts, but half of it was dated, so there where many setbacks along the way. It took me a month to get it working, and probably another couple of months to iron out all the permission issues. I ended up with 4 2TB WD enterprise drives. I work by myself, but I use more than a couple computers around here, so I kinda got to set it up like a small office. The motherboard in question here was actually that server, and it was up 24x7 for six years. I got my use out it, but when I bought two old Dell Rack servers cheap on Ebay (TrueNAScore) I turned the old server into a light duty office machine. I wish I had never dismantled it, but when the computer that lives in my audio rack (MX) went tits up one day I panicked, and borrowed this one for a couple weeks. When I attempted to restore the office machine this weird mouse problem arose. Again, the dam thing boots up from any port on the motherboard, but no mouse will work in any. It seems impossible to me. I rarely post anywhere, I'm a usually a lurker, but I just had to this time, it's so weird.
I'm going to save this code you've so kindly shared. I have a place for that, and heck ya, I copy and paste code in the terminal almost exclusivity.

[JayM]

Thanks! This is interesting to me, because I don't have a deep understanding of the Linux O.S.

I highly suggest you learn about how Linux works. Most people recommend the book Linux for Dummies as an excellent starting point for that. Check out shops that sell used books in your area and you may be able to find a copy cheaply. Also, if you search the web for "linux tutorial" you can find online and PDF tutorials aimed at new Linux users.

I'm going to save this code you've so kindly shared. I have a place for that, and heck ya, I copy and paste code in the terminal almost exclusivity.

It's never a good idea to blindly copy and paste code, command-line instructions or shell scripts and run them without having at least some understanding of what they do as they might hose your system, as you discovered when setting up your server by following outdated instructions you found on websites.

[JayM]

I know there are at least four of them in a box around here somewhere. I kind of live in the sticks, the closest Best Buy is 150 miles away. There is a Walmart 50 miles from me, but they don't have jack smith anymore. I'll go digging, and maybe come up with a PS2 mouse even. Otherwise, its a week's wait for me to get stuff delivered. I appreciate the input, getting a PS2 mouse connected would be the next logical step. Do you think the problem is hardware or software related? I'm thinking it has to be something in the motherboard, since both MX and Ubuntu have the same problem. The motherboard was billed as a server MB (Gigabyte) and it has the thickest slab of silicone I've seen. The caps are supposed to be high quality, I don't know, but that thing ran 24x7 for six years, maybe its shot. Funny how that happens sometimes when you pull it out of one machine, working, and it goes bad when you put it in another minutes later. The problem is not logical to me.

Try plugging in a keyboard in each USB port to see if the USB ports are good or not. If the keyboard works then you have narrowed it down to a configuration problem with the mouse.

Well it does boot from several ports off of a live usb stick, and a small Rii keyboard with a touch-pad works with it's receiver. The Rii touch-pad is practically useless, the pointer don't move at all, and then shoots across the screen. I honestly believe there is something funky with the board itself. In my experience, a computer either posts, or not. If it fails to post on a new build, what did I do? If it fails to post after its been working for years, that's bad. This computer boots up like normal, everything in the bios looks normal, and the usb ports on the back of the mobo work with everything but a mouse. Plus, I took it out of a working computer and literally walked over to its new home and installed it there. I put it back in the same case that it lived in for over six years. Mouse problems are supposed to be software related, driver related. But I have the same problem with both the MX live setup and Ubuntu.

That points to a hardware issue, not an operating system, software or driver issue. If a working computer suddenly fails to POST a hardware component has failed. You should either see an error message on the screen or get a beep code that you can look up to determine what the problem is, depending on your BIOS and at what stage in trying to boot up the failure occurred. Bad RAM or a loose memory module will generate a beep code, no keyboard found will generate a failure message on the monitor, for example.

[ribroast]

Thanks! This is interesting to me, because I don't have a deep understanding of the Linux O.S.

I highly suggest you learn about how Linux works. Most people recommend the book Linux for Dummies as an excellent starting point for that. Check out shops that sell used books in your area and you may be able to find a copy cheaply. Also, if you search the web for "linux tutorial" you can find online and PDF tutorials aimed at new Linux users.

I'm going to save this code you've so kindly shared. I have a place for that, and heck ya, I copy and paste code in the terminal almost exclusivity.

It's never a good idea to blindly copy and paste code, command-line instructions or shell scripts and run them without having at least some understanding of what they do as they might hose your system, as you discovered when setting up your server by following outdated instructions you found on websites.

Your right on both counts. I've been using Linux for better than 20 years, and I've been able to troubleshoot most of my own problems along the way. The problem I'm having here is most likely one in the mobo in this case I'm becoming more convinced. Hosing my entire system is never a problem as long as the system in question is not my server. I never save anything of value on my PC's.and I haven't for many years. The "my documents" or home folders are bone dry on all my machines. I would love to learn everything about Linux, but I am always busy living my life, and using computers is a big part of that. They are a tool, and sometimes they need some maintenance or they give you some trouble. Linux has been a very trouble-free O.S to use for me for a few years now. I've actually had more trouble with Windoze lately. And building my server from scratch with outdated advice is not the best way to go about it, I agree, but I had fun doing it anyways, and I got six years out of the thing with pretty decent performance.

[ribroast]

Oh, don't paste that code. Copy that, thanks for the advice.

[ribroast]

Try plugging in a keyboard in each USB port to see if the USB ports are good or not. If the keyboard works then you have narrowed it down to a configuration problem with the mouse.

Well it does boot from several ports off of a live usb stick, and a small Rii keyboard with a touch-pad works with it's receiver. The Rii touch-pad is practically useless, the pointer don't move at all, and then shoots across the screen. I honestly believe there is something funky with the board itself. In my experience, a computer either posts, or not. If it fails to post on a new build, what did I do? If it fails to post after its been working for years, that's bad. This computer boots up like normal, everything in the bios looks normal, and the usb ports on the back of the mobo work with everything but a mouse. Plus, I took it out of a working computer and literally walked over to its new home and installed it there. I put it back in the same case that it lived in for over six years. Mouse problems are supposed to be software related, driver related. But I have the same problem with both the MX live setup and Ubuntu.

That points to a hardware issue, not an operating system, software or driver issue. If a working computer suddenly fails to POST a hardware component has failed. You should either see an error message on the screen or get a beep code that you can look up to determine what the problem is, depending on your BIOS and at what stage in trying to boot up the failure occurred. Bad RAM or a loose memory module will generate a beep code, no keyboard found will generate a failure message on the monitor, for example.

Sorry for the confusion, what I meant is a motherboard is usually good or bad. This one is posting, and booting up to the Linux live set-up session for both MX and Ubuntu. In both instances, the mouse is inactive. I tried 5 different mice, one corded one, in every usb port. I also booted into the live session over and over from different usb ports on the back of the motherboard. The only pointing device that can move the mouse is a crummy Rii keyboard with a touch-pad. Don't work well enough to be usable, but the cursor moves proving the ports are not the issue. Can't be both Ubuntu and MX with a software problem either, right? It's the weirdest thing and seems impossible to me. I love Linux but it is not TAB friendly. I did manage to install MX but I could not fix the mouse without a mouse. At least on Windoze I've been able to TAB myself out of trouble more than once. I keep pretty up to date on hardware specs but I don't know, could a bad circuit in the board affect just the mouse? I just thought of this: All my machines are wired except this one and a laptop. what if the radio interference from the WIFI card is killing these mice. Tomorrow I'll test the wired one on a different machine and hope its bad I guess. I used that one about six months ago to set up some servers and it worked then.

[j2mcgreg]

If this machine is old enough to require a PS2 mouse, it might also be old enough to also need an install from a DVD. If i remember correctly, the preferred dvd burners in Windows were Roxio and Nero and in Linux the best utilities to do the job were K3b and Brassero.

[ribroast]

If this machine is old enough to require a PS2 mouse, it might also be old enough to also need an install from a DVD. If i remember correctly, the preferred dvd burners in Windows were Roxio and Nero and in Linux the best utilities to do the job were K3b and Brassero.

Thanks for the idea. I've successfully installed Debian, MX, and Ubuntu on this one several times from the flash drive. I never had a mouse problem in the past until now. The board is old as dirt, was a server for six years as I've said. It is not a critical computer, no worries. It's a mystery. This is crazy behavior for any computer to exhibit. Tomorrow I will test weather the problem is caused by WIFI interference.

[JayM]

I never had a mouse problem in the past until now. The board is old as dirt, was a server for six years as I've said. It is not a critical computer, no worries. It's a mystery. This is crazy behavior for any computer to exhibit. Tomorrow I will test weather the problem is caused by WIFI interference.

Hardware can fail at any time so not having had an issue with that mouse in the past doesn't mean it's not bad now.

Wifi interference has nothing to do with a USB pointing device not working, or is it a Bluetooth-only mouse?

[asinoro]

Try this, remove USB mouse, and disable autosuspend.

Code: Select all

cat /sys/module/usbcore/parameters/autosuspend

This should return a value 2, which means autosuspend is enabled.
Then,

Code: Select all

sudo su

Code: Select all

echo -1 >/sys/module/usbcore/parameters/autosuspend

check again with,

Code: Select all

cat /sys/module/usbcore/parameters/autosuspend

It will return -1, which means autosuspend is disabled.
Connect USB mouse and check.