# USB Mouse stops responding under heavy CPU loads

## OdinsDream

I've been using abcde a lot this weekend to copy some CD's to my computer. I've set the relative nice'ness to 7 for both reading and encoding, and this has improved the situation.

However, without fail, if I move the mouse around any more than very slowly, it will stop responding. I can get the mouse to move again by unplugging it and putting it back in. It's USB.

Is there some way to increase the priority of the mouse and keyboard globally? It seems like abcde is getting a higher priority than the mouse, sometimes clicks aren't registered. 

Is there a general rule on nice values that I should use for processes like this?

----------

## RickDB

Same problem here  :Sad: 

Haven' found a fix for it yet, when i do find one i will post it here.

----------

## discostu

I have a similar problem. When ever I run a command such as "cp" on a large directory structure, "emerge", or downloading a bunch of mp3's, the system clock gets way behind, the mouse skips and jerks around the screen and typing is sporadic. A friend suggested recompiling the kernel with the line "JIFFIES=100" in the .config file, but that didn't seem to work.   :Crying or Very sad: 

----------

## rac

What sort of DMA settings do people have here?  Have you read the venerable My harddrive performance is sucking.  Other information that might be useful is kernel version and IDE chipset or mobo model.

----------

## discostu

$ hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

 Timing buffer-cache reads:   128 MB in  0.64 seconds =200.84 MB/sec

 Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in  1.92 seconds = 33.35 MB/sec

----------

## RickDB

root@192 rick # hdparm -Tt /dev/hda

/dev/hda:

 Timing buffer-cache reads:   128 MB in  0.62 seconds =206.45 MB/sec

 Timing buffered disk reads:  64 MB in  1.79 seconds = 35.75 MB/sec

root@192 rick #

So i don't think that's the problem  :Smile: 

----------

## pilla

And how about the DMA configuration in your kernels? CD-RW drives run under scsi emulation, so you cannot use hdparm to set its DMA capabilities. It should be compiled in your kernel.

BTW, have you tried another burning tool?

----------

## RickDB

My mouse is also laggy under konqueror and when i am compile more then 2 things, how do i turn dma on for my scsi burner(where in the menuconfig)?

----------

## MBCook

USB mice are not interrrupt driven (like PS/2 mice are) which is one of the reasons that I don't like them. Here is what I'd like you guys to do who are having this problem:

Put the mouse in the PS/2 port (most USB mice come with a USB->PS/2 thingie) and I bet the problem disappears (you'll have to change a few config files though).

Or if you don't wanna do that, try making a kernel with the preemption stuff enabled (you'll have to use a 2.5 or patch a 2.4 for this) and see if that fixes it. Note: I believe that the gentoo-sources already have this, so if you are running those, never mind.

----------

## pilla

ATA/IDE/MFM/RLL support -->

   IDE, ATA, and ATAPI block devices-->

  Find your chipset and enable it.

 *RickDB wrote:*   

> My mouse is also laggy under konqueror and when i am compile more then 2 things, how do i turn dma on for my scsi burner(where in the menuconfig)?

 

----------

## RickDB

The chipset settings were all ok, via chipset was already enabled.

But when i am running kportage and move an terminal(and normal terminal) over the white screen(when kde is compiling in the output box) then my mouse is laggy as hell.

And when i let the terminal loose with my mouse button then after 5 sec the lag is over, so something in X(or qt) is causing this lagg.

Edit: It also hapens when i am moving a kde folder(the box with stuff in it) over my screen when i move it over my screen X hogs up 100& and my mouse fails(and i have a tb1400 GF4 ti4200 so that i shouldn't be the problem)

----------

