[SLUG] {SPAM?} mouse or lack of

From: A2L1 (A2L1@gte.net)
Date: Sun Feb 23 2003 - 05:51:33 EST


I could use a little help if anyone has the time. I am running Debian,
testing(sid) and all was well until a day ago. I did the usual update
overnight while I was in neverneverland and all seemed normal and well.
For the first time in over a month I decided to reboot the box, because
earlier I had a prob with the boot block and such. Well I wanted to be sure
that the corrections I made were working and all the google searching was
worth the effort. Let me add that I am using a kvm switch so my usb optical
mouse is "seen as a standard ps2 mouse( I am using a ps2 adapter).
Apparently during the update something was overwritten,or changed/altered
because altho the mouse was working up until the reboot, now it is only a
sporadic,wandering blip.
I did login using the keyboard and looking at the XF86Config-4 file the mouse
is as follows /dev/paux(or something to that effect) and "PS2". Now when I
boot up knoppix (from cd) I searched out the config file and found that
knoppix (which is working fine) is using /dev/ttys0 and "Microsoft". So I
decided that if I changed the config file on the box with the wandering mouse
that may remedy the problem,I mean they are both using Debian and with the
kvm both using the same mouse. Seems logical to me to try that. Here is the
reason for this novelette, I cannot make any changes to the XF86Config-4
file. I mean I can change it but cannot save it. With knoppix the on disk
system is a read only.
I have tried various methods,through su file manager I can bring up the file
make the changes but without the mouse cannot click on the header to save, I
am not familiar with any text editor non gui based and dont know which to
bring up to edit the file and save.
 I guess I could study it on google select an editor and learn the keystrokes
necessary but there seems to be a neverending supply of command line editors,
and most have different keystrokes for the same thing,
and I dont know which one is best suited or would work in this situation. I
was hoping that some kind soul would kind of walk me through this and then I
could learn the basics of command line text editing on a casual time
available basis with my system operating normally. For now I would be more
than happy to edit the file and have a working mouse.
Can anyone offer any assistance?

                          Thanks,
                           A J



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