Can't start X-server due to mouse

duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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4
81
I've been trying to get linux working for the past couple days, and I thought all would be well since I got the internet working and thought I had vmware tools installed right, but now when I boot linux, it gets to the login screen and to the point where it should load the x-windows server but the screen flashes a couple of times back to the text prompt (there's osme weird pink on part of the screen which makes it seem graphics related) and comes up with a message saying:

"I cannot start the X server. It seems that the pointer device is not set up correctly. ..."

And then in the following log I found it said: "Fatal server error: cannot open mouse (no such file or directory)". Then when I start the mouse config I pick generic 3 button and it tries to start x-windows again but the same thing keeps happening. Even selecting no mouse doesn't help.

Keep in mind this is through a virtual machine with VMware, and the mouse has worked fine until I after I installed vmtools.
 

duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,234
4
81
I have no /etc/X11/XF86Config, but I do have /etc/XF86Config and /etc/X11 (but not XF86Config inside here). How do I run it?? I'm a linux newb and I guess I don't see where is the difference between files and directories through the text mode, I don't know much commands or anything.
 

duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,234
4
81
So if it is graphics related (which my cuz seems to think, he has a 9600P and I have a 9800P and we both encounter the same problem), how do I get the drivers? I have the ATI RPM file... but since this is through a virtual machine it's kind of tricky. You can specify to add shared folders to the virtual machine, except that when I run the vmware-toolbox and it tries to compile it I get some weird errors, so my shared folders aren't working right, and therefore I can't get to the RPM I have in my c:\download\. And if I could get into X I could download them in linux, but I always get that damn mouse error when trying to start it.
 

drag

Elite Member
Jul 4, 2002
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XF86Config should be in /etc/X11 directory. There are a few different places it can be, but I don't think /etc/ is a place were X looks for a config. Copy it back to /etc/X11/XF86Config and see if that fixes it.

NOTE: Newer distro releases use xorg.conf file, NOT XFree86, due to the copyright issues and the recent migration from XFree86 to X.org's X server. So if your using X.org most of the names will be the same, and the concepts and directions will be the same, it's just that for your configuration it's /etc/X11/xorg.conf NOT /etc/X11/XF86Config, XFree86's name should be gone and replaced with xorg variations for the different commands.

If not you can re-run a configuration tool:
xf86cfg
xf96config
X -configure

are 3 possiblities. If you use X -configure then it generates a generic config based on your hardware and you then have to copy the config to the /etc/X11

2 valid names for XF86Config are that and XF86Config-4

if you have both config names, then the one with XF86Config-4 name gets used.

if you want (since there are a few places were you can locate XF86Config) do a "locate XF86Config" and then a "find / 2> /dev/null |grep XF86Config" commands to see if you can find any configs that may be laying around somewere.

If you have the config in the correct spot, and X still doesn't work because of the mouse, it's probably pretty easy to fix manually.

If you feel up to it, edit the XF86Config and see if you can fix it. Descriptions of what the options mean you can find in "man XF86Config-4", but it may not be to helpfull for the mouse stuff. Here is my mouse config:

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

/dev/input/mice and ImPS/2 is for USB stuff, maybe ImPS/2 is just for optical mice, which I have (usb and it's optical.)

geniric protocol would be just "PS/2" and that will work with the majority of PS/2 (small keyboard-type plugin) mice. (the ZAxisMapping is just for the wheel)

The generic device is /dev/mouse and that is usually a symbolic link to whatever the mouse /dev/ file is. For just generic PS/2 mice then it would probably be /dev/psaux if your using 2.4.x series kernels.

If your using 2.6.x series kernel the default mouse device is going to be /dev/input/mice (this allows for multiple mice/pointer devices over the the old /dev/psaux thing)

To find out what type of kernel your using do the "uname -a" command.

To find out if your mouse is working go:
cat /dev/psaux
or
cat /dev/input/mice

and move your mouse around. if you get gibberish as you move the mouse around, that's your mouse's data and that's the device your X config should point to. hit ctrl-c quickly. It may scramble your terminal (bug). Don't worry just exit and log in a different virtual console.

After you get all this sorted out... If your using Redhat or Fedora you can get the GUI-based login started by going:
telinit 3
then wait a bit and go:
telinit 5
and the X login stuff should try to kick in with your new config.

If your using something else, then find your init file (usually in /etc/init.d/) for your login manager..

3 types: xdm, gdm, kdm

the command would be something like:
/etc/init.d/gdm restart

depending on the *dm used. (if you see a script for gpm, that's not gdm). Depends on your distro. If you can't figure it out for your distro, or you don't want to be bothered to look it up, then just reboot.
 

drag

Elite Member
Jul 4, 2002
8,708
0
0
Originally posted by: duragezic
So if it is graphics related (which my cuz seems to think, he has a 9600P and I have a 9800P and we both encounter the same problem), how do I get the drivers? I have the ATI RPM file... but since this is through a virtual machine it's kind of tricky. You can specify to add shared folders to the virtual machine, except that when I run the vmware-toolbox and it tries to compile it I get some weird errors, so my shared folders aren't working right, and therefore I can't get to the RPM I have in my c:\download\. And if I could get into X I could download them in linux, but I always get that damn mouse error when trying to start it.


If it was graphics related then it would complain about the driver or give a "can't find screens" error. The mouse is probably pointed at the wrong /dev/ file..

You can use generic drivers to get it working... (similar to Windows "safe mode"), it'll be in your XF86Config file..

Try "vesa" "vga" or "ati"

(could be caps Vesa)

But doesn't the virtual machine use a pretend video card that is independant from your real video card?
 

duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,234
4
81
Ok... I don't have the XFree86 because it's xorg.conf instead like you said. So yeah I do have /etc/X11/xorg.conf. I didn't do ANY moving of config files. I think I ran into the xorg.conf a couple hours ago when i was trying to fix it. I have a 2.6.x kernel too btw.

My xorg.conf mouse section appears to look correct. It is about the same as yours. Protocol is IMPS/2, device path set to /dev/input/mice. I set it up for a general PS/2 3button mouse (I have a logitech mx300). I thought USB would be harder to get working than PS/2, but I guess I could take off the adapter and try it with USB.

So after looking at that cfg file, I did cat /dev/input/mice and as I moved the cursor around, the gibberish came up. So it seems like the mouse is working fine, which it always did when I got into X after instaling.

After that I tried starting the xserver again, only to have the same thing happen. Screen flashes a couple times then it comes up saying can't start xserver because of the mouse. WTF??


Yeah the virtual machine uses a virtual video card called vmware. When I was into X before I was about to change it to 9800Pro since that was actually listed but I guess it should probably be left as vmware cause of the virtual stuff.
 

drag

Elite Member
Jul 4, 2002
8,708
0
0
Try just using a very generic setup... try this mouse config:

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse" # this depends on your distro sometimes
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
EndSection

I am thinking that vmware uses a virtual mouse, so the configuration may be generic or something weird like the vmware drivers for the video.

Also your full X logs should be located in /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Look thru their for any errors that don't get reported to console...
Most lines are just FYI type stuff. Important lines to look for begin with (WW) and (EE).

WW is for warnings, and indicate a problem, but not something that will cause it to stop working usually.
EE is for errors, and these are more serious and may be preceded by warnings that provide information behind the errors.

I found something that is close to what problem your using.. it's a problem of vmware tools for Linux. Since your using vmware in Windows, I don't know if it's releated.

Is the distro your using Fedora Core2?

here is a sample xorg.conf for running fedora in vmware.
from here

I'd try that.(backup your oringal first)

Also you may have to use "16bit" color instead of "24bit" color. (in windows 24bit is called 32bit, mostly the same thing).

Sometimes running the OS in 16bit color fixes problems...

Sorry I never used Vmware, so I don't know what to don next. Look thru the logfile for stuff, and maybe post your xorg.conf config file here if you can. Somebody may be running a similar setup and be able to spot the problem.
 

duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,234
4
81
Got it working with that patch from the link (that person had the exact same problem). Thanks all!!