# Mouse freezes! [Solved by bios update]

## rndusr

I have had an extremely annoying issue since early this summer, and I have not yet found a solution.

After some time (sometimes a few minutes, sometimes several hours) my mouse freezes. I can continue to use the computer with only my keyboard, but there is no way to "restart" my mouse (not even by unplugging it and plugging it in again).

Please post suggestions! My original thread was left unattended a few months ago..   :Crying or Very sad: 

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## ferrarif5

Anything in system logs when the mouse dies? Guessing it's USB, when you reconnect it does anything pop up in the logs then? Have you tried switching it for another mouse? Perhaps try connecting the mouse to a different hub, maybe the front panel connector?

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## rndusr

Thank you for the quick reply.

I have 'tail-f'-ed /var/log/messages, and nothing happens there. Are there any other relevant logs to monitor?

I have tried all usb ports, even frontpanel, but it makes no difference. The mouse will still hang after some time.

Though I have not tried with another mouse, I do not think the mouse itself is to blame. It works without issues with my laptop (Windows 2000).

Another peculiarity I noticed just now is that if I unplug the mouse when it has frozen, lsusb hangs without any output.

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## rndusr

Apparently no one is willing to help me this time either. I will come back with a new thread in a few months, and see the procedure repeat..   :Sad: 

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## aCOSwt

Which kernel sources + version + which xorg are you using ?

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## rndusr

Currently gentoo-sources-2.6.34-r6 and xorg-server 1.8.2, but I have gone through many kernels since these problems started. (The reason I upgraded to unstable xorg was that I thought it might solve my problems.)

Kernel .config here.

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## aCOSwt

Just my 2cts that I understand will be not very helpful to you... simply not to leave you alone with your thread...   :Wink: 

I do not think 2.6.34-r6 is a good base for investigating around usb-devices troubles as there are known bugs in this version with usb devices.

(https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-844438-highlight-.html)

As there seem to be a fair amount of problems reported with mices, keyboards and xorg >= 1.8,

I would start investigating under a ((2.6.34-r10 or 2.6.34-r1) + Xorg 1.7.7-r1) base.

But maybe you already did.

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## rndusr

I guess it doesn't hurt to try a few "unstable" kernels and see if the problems automagically go away, just like they automagically started  :Smile: 

So far, I have always used the latest "stable" version of gentoo-sources.

I will continue to experiment with renewed faith, but please share your thoughts about this in the meantime!

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## rndusr

Now I have tried with gentoo-sources-2.6.35-r7, and it froze as well. Now I'll try 2.6.35-r6...

I will try all versions in the tree, but I do not expect any miracles. Surely there must be a more sophisticated way of troubleshooting usb under linux?

If all kernels fail, am I then expected to try every combination of (kernel,xorg) before I get more help?

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## ferrarif5

Just had a thought, have you tried enabling USB debug messages in the kernel? Maybe something will popup with that.

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## rndusr

I already have that option (CONFIG_USB_DEBUG=y) set, but it was a good thought.

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## aCOSwt

I would try the mouse without X first.

Have you get sys-libs/gpm installed ?

(usually via some use flag like gpm set for packages such as bash)

Or some direct framebuffer compatible games.

Then you will know if its an X problem or not.

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## rndusr

Yes, gpm is istalled. I'll try running a day or so with gpm and without X and report back if it freezes  :Smile: 

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## rndusr

It has not frozen with gpm and no X.

There are two possibilities:

the problem is with X, or

the problem is in the kernel, but triggered by X (and not by gpm)

How do I proceed now?

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## rndusr

I can almost feel the enthusiasm with which people avoid helping me with this issue..   :Rolling Eyes: 

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## k-root

 *PanzerKanzler wrote:*   

> I can almost feel the enthusiasm with which people avoid helping me with this issue..  :roll:

 

i have had some similar usb trouble (very slow mousse mouvement) with 2.6.35 solved by upgrading to  2.6.36-rc6 ..

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## aCOSwt

 *PanzerKanzler wrote:*   

> I can almost feel the enthusiasm with which people avoid helping me with this issue..  

 

Why should I be enthusiastic ?  :Mr. Green: 

Now that we know the problem is above the kernel, where is your enthusiasm with which you should at least provide the ouput of emerge --info and cat xorg.conf ?   :Twisted Evil: 

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## krinn

 *PanzerKanzler wrote:*   

> but I do not expect any miracles.

 

I can only post in that so happy thread too, i love cheerful places too !  :Very Happy: 

did you try running <udevadm monitor> in a console, now just wait for the mouse failure (at least, waiting isn't that hard), once fail (note that position to easy tell when the failure occurs), unplug & re-plug the rat : you should have plenty infos from udevadm telling you what's going on

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## leTigreBleu

Hi PanzerKanzler,

I had the same issue as you on a brand new install (i5 on 64 bits Gentoo). I think I have solved it doing:

1. creating a new kernel based on the setup of http://www.kernel-seeds.org/working.html ("based" means I have created a new .config similar to the seed, but starting with the gentoo .config file) ;

2. removing one item in the bios related to ACPI. I will check after the next reboot and post the exact setting of the ASUS P7P55D motherboard.

[Edit] The BIOS setting I have turned off is :

ACPI 2.0 support = disabled

while I still have (to use the four cores, otherwise I only have one core under Linux):

ACPI APIC support = enabled

[\Edit]

It is based on the ideas given on this thread: https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-739907-highlight-mouse+freeze.html

Have a nice day,

Lionel

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## aCOSwt

 *leTigreBleu wrote:*   

> Lionel

 

Le bonjour du Voisin-age Chuck !

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## rndusr

leTigreBleu: http://www.kernel-seeds.org/working.html seems to be down at the moment, but I will check back on it. The ACPI settings were already as you suggested, so they are probably not to blame.

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## Section_8

Ok - this is a shot in the dark - do you have a Logitech wireless mouse?

I have one of these and have had an intermittent issue for several months that sounds kind of like your problem.  See this thread: https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-822222-start-0-postdays-0-postorder-asc-highlight-.html

I thought upgrading xorg-server from 1.7 to 1.8 had fixed it, but it still happens occasionally.  The only reliable way (short of a reboot) I can to restore mouse functionality is to logoff my user (from KDE) and log back on.

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## krinn

letigrebleu: asus implement that ACPI 2.0 a long time ago, and i never seen trouble with it, so it's possible they made some change and introduce a bug in your bios version, but i doubt they never catch & correct it.

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## rndusr

I have updated my bios, and I shall evaluate the results of that.

 *Section_8 wrote:*   

> Ok - this is a shot in the dark - do you have a Logitech wireless mouse?

 

It is Logithech but not wireless. However, I can't log off when it has frozen - the screen just turns black if I try. There is no way to get the mouse back except resetting using the button.

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## k-root

 *PanzerKanzler wrote:*   

>  I can't log off when it has frozen - the screen just turns black if I try. There is no way to get the mouse back except resetting using the button.

 

start a ssh server on your box  

ps : you could lock at dmesg and in /var/log/everything .. have you run the basic mentest (Bad memory symptoms, http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/articles/hardware-stability-p1.xml )

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## rndusr

k-root: I already have an SSH server running, what do you propose I do with it? I can connect without problems even after a freeze. I have 'tail -f'-ed the kernel log and the Xorg log, but nothing happens when it freezes.

When I assembled this computer, I ran a memtest, which did not show any problems. I use ECC memory, so it is unlikely that the memory is to blame.

I think the processor is also innocent, because everything else lives on when the mouse fails.

Thanks for implicitly telling me about http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/articles/, I think I can find a lot of interesting stuff there (not necessarily related to this thread).

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## rndusr

If I don't experience another freeze in the next 24 hours I will consider this issue resolved by the bios update.

Thanks to all who have tried to be of assistance!

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