Mouse not found in Slackware 10 - Newbie

[adriant]

Machine (not the most modern but rescued from a friend):
Pentium 233
80 MB Ram
1GB swap disk
5GB disk
Slackware 10 (chosen due to low minimum memory requirements)
MS Intellisync mouse (using PS2 to 9 pin din adaptor).
Matrox graphics card

I have just installed Slackware 10 on the above machine and am having trouble getting the mouse recognised.
Symptom:
In KDE I get the pointer which doesn't move.
I can see no evidence on command area of a mouse at all

I have checked the BIOS and all UARTs are enabled.
I have tried a number of options within 'mouseconfig' but no joy (setting GPM to start on boot after each configuration change).

I have tried moving the mouse after typing the following commands but get no strange characters.
cat /dev/mouse
cat /dev/ttyS0
cat /dev/ttyS1

Can anyone recommend anything to try?
Is it possible to interegate the ports to find out what it thinks are connected?

Note: I do not have access to a true serial mouse

Thanks

[shebang]

Hey,

Does /dev/input/mice work ?

[trickster]

Try that. Also, try a different option for the mouse by using the mouseconfig tool.

[countach44]

what happens when you try to run gpm?

[adriant]

GPM is started at boot up, I do not see any mouse cursor on the console at all.

I will try killing it and starting manually.
I'll then let you know.

I'll also try the other suggestions.

[CP]

Stupid question, are you sure the com port is plugged in on the mobo??

[adriant]

Follow ups:
/dev/input/mice was not found
Mouseconfig - no change.
Started gpm manually with a number of settings - in all cases it started but no 'mouse' activity on console or midnight commander.
Checked all connectors to motherboard and all are plugged in and correctly orientated.

Tried some live distros (in case their detection was better) as well: Suse 9.1, Damn Small Linux, Slax, Knoppix all refused to find the mouse.

I've tried the mouse elsewaher and it works fine, I'm now starting to think it's the adapter or the connections to the Mobo.

Latest thoughts:
1. Try replacement adapter
2. Try another mouse
3. Try Bill Gates' finest!!!!
4. Any thing else??

[trickster]

I think you need the busmouse module loaded. Try

modprobe atixlmouse

or

modprobe busmouse

or

modprobe msbusmouse

If any of them load w/o spitting out errors, then try pointing your mouse to /dev/atixlmouse or /dev/busmouse or /dev/msbusmouse respectively.

[adriant]

Trickster
Thanks for the advise

modprobe atixlmouse
-> Some errors then
insmod atixlmouse failed

modprobe busmouse
-> returns with no errors
However there is no /dev/busmouse
(have also tried rebooting to see if it appears on reboot)

modprobe msbusmouse
-> Some errors then
insmod msbusmouse failed

So busmouse was found but no device setup
Hope this helps

[trickster]

After you do the modprobe busmouse, edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf, and look for the mouse section. Modify it so it looks like this:

Section "Pointer"
Protocol "Busmouse" # ---->Make sure this is not PS/2 or IM/PS2
Device "/dev/mouse"