# PS/2 mouse and udev

## et_tu_gentoo

My usb mouse died on me, so I found an old PS/2 mouse to run as a replacement.

Plugged it in, rebooted and it is dead.

dmesg shows:

mice: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice

cat /dev/input/* and cat /dev/psaux do nothing.

Is PS/2 so old now that udev needs an assist to get this mouse rolling?

----------

## et_tu_gentoo

Nobody is using a PS/2 mouse (or keyboard) anymore?

Appreciate any input...  (pardon)

----------

## Chiitoo

Greetings.

I don't really have any answers, I'm afraid, but thought I'd share some thoughts anyways.

I know it's not nice when no one answers.  ;^^

Quick look-around brought up this:

http://www.mail-archive.com/gentoo-user@lists.gentoo.org/msg10098.htm

Seems very similar to your problem though there is no solution there either... but I thought it interesting to read.

Another post that perhaps could spawn some ideas?

Though the problem here might be getting a serial mouse working, it's not too clear.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-14/udev-serial-mouse-and-psaux-320122/

I also read about someone updating udev, then losing the functionality of a PS/2 mouse, then updating (or reinstalling?) it again and the mouse was working again.  Another not so clear post that was...

I might try it with an USB adapter though unless you have those laying around, might just get a new mouse altogether hehe.

Anyways, just some thoughts I had.

I'm sorry if you had already read those posts I pointed towards.

Good luck!

----------

## idella4

if udev is the issue, downgrade to an old udev.  big choice.

```

idella@genny /usr/src/linux-2.6.36-gentoo $ ls /usr/portage/sys-fs/udev

ChangeLog        udev-115-r1.ebuild  udev-141.ebuild     udev-163.ebuild

Manifest         udev-119.ebuild     udev-146-r1.ebuild  udev-164.ebuild

files            udev-124-r1.ebuild  udev-149.ebuild     udev-9999.ebuild

metadata.xml     udev-124-r2.ebuild  udev-151-r4.ebuild

udev-114.ebuild  udev-141-r1.ebuild  udev-162.ebuild

```

----------

## VoidMage

PS/2 mouse works just fine with a new udev here.

Any chance that mouse is broken too ?

Does the kernel see it anyway ?

----------

## SimonKellett

BIOS option ?

Xorg.conf ?

----------

