Microsoft wheel mouse (optical) has no pointer

[TimPlaz]

Each time I boot up my newly installed Linux-Lite 2.0 box, the mouse pointer is nothing more then a mini snowy tv screen. I have a heck of a time trying to figure out where to place it and click to do what I want to do in Linux. The only alternative I found was to change the mouse theme. That works while the session is open. Once I shut down or log-off and then turn it back on, its back to the snowy TV icon. Is there a fix or permanent way around this problem?

[girl_downunder]

Hi all,

I'm having this same issue right now. Except I've tried multiple mice/brands & it makes no difference.

I'd been running an older version of Lite (1.0.4) & decided to wipe & reinstall...now I'm kind of wishing I hadn't!

Can anyone here with advanced knowledge of LL give a clue why this is happening in 2.0?

Did not occur in previous version, and yes, that blurry box in the uploaded pdf is the mouse a big, pixelated, snowy-TV?

Really don't want to have to stay with an old version just to simply use my mouse?? 

[attachment deleted by admin, more than 25 days old]

[bitsnpcs]

Hi all,
Except I've tried multiple mice/brands & it makes no difference.

Hello,
I use Logitech mouse in LL 2.0 and have not had any such issues, it worked after install in the correct manner. Mouse themes also work in their correct manner.

[Scott(0)]

@TimPlax, girl_downunder

Hello Tim/Girl,

I don't have an answer right off but before troubleshooting can both of you confirm you've run and installed system updates please?

The "Install Updates" utility is located here
Menu > All > Install Updates

If navigation to "install updates" is difficult it can be done simply with the keyboard.

1. Open a terminal window with the key combination
2. Ctrl + Alt + t
3. The terminal window opens
4. At the terminal prompt type the command

Code:

/usr/scripts/updates

[girl_downunder]

[quote author=girl_downunder link=topic=622.msg6522#msg6522 date=1414562209]
Hi all,
Except I've tried multiple mice/brands & it makes no difference.

Hello,
I use Logitech mouse in LL 2.0 and have not had any such issues, it worked after install in the correct manner. Mouse themes also work in their correct manner.
[/quote]

Okay....but that's not really what I was looking for- but I'm happy for you! 

It ought not take a very specific "brand/model" of something like a mouse to run the new OS. Any mouse I use on 1.0.4 works (I still have the CD). I have tried 6 diff. ones, from generic to branded, in 2.0 & all do the snowy-tv dance!

So with hopes that there are mods here who know what to look for, I'm attaching the system profile.

Please keep in mind I'm running this live, ATM, until I get the mouse going. Then, I'll install to the HDD. I do PC repair & accumulate a lot of spare parts. Every so often, I put them together as a 'net/music/photos-litebox, etc...& do a free give-away on our local site to pensioners/low-income.

This is only an Athlon & 1GB RAM, but easily does the basics-- which is what most in my market are after anyway.

So yeah, this is for a good cause. I'd like to pass it along functioning properly.

Cheers!

Scott: not sure you're referring to a live, not-yet-installed issue, or an installed issue...sorry.  Please make it uber-stupidly-easy...because, "we are!!!!"....sniff... 

PSS: I managed to work within safe mode as normal-- so there is a definite mouse bug for the team to research!



[attachment deleted by admin, more than 25 days old]

[girl_downunder]

@TimPlax, girl_downunder

Hello Tim/Girl,

I don't have an answer right off but before troubleshooting can both of you confirm you've run and installed system updates please?

The "Install Updates" utility is located here
Menu > All > Install Updates

If navigation to "install updates" is difficult it can be done simply with the keyboard.

1. Open a terminal window with the key combination
2. Ctrl + Alt + t
3. The terminal window opens
4. At the terminal prompt type the command

Code:

/usr/scripts/updates

Not clear-- is this something you can do in a live session? Otherwise, how would you know/be able to test this?

Please clarify?

[rokytnji]

Just my 2 cents. I have a Hewlitt Packard Desktop coming in the mail from a biker bro.
Getting a ball mouse ready for it. I pulled the ball out of the Dell Wheel Mouse.
Sprayed a little WD-40 on the roller pins and roller wheel.
Stuck a rag in to wipe it out.

You'd be surprised at the crap I pulled out attached to that rag.
Reassembled the mouse. Tested it on my IBM M41 Desktop in MacPup 525 and MX-14 Linux.

Works like new again. Before. I thought I was going to throw it out.

I always 1st check hardware before blaming software. Just my 2 cents.

[Scott(0)]

@girl_downunder

I'd been running an older version of Lite (1.0.4) & decided to wipe & reinstall..

Orginally, I was answering the question based on the assumption you did reinstall.

Is this something you can do in a live session?

No, this is not something you can do in a live session.

I'd been running an older version of Lite (1.0.4)

Did you have this mouse problem when running 1.0.4?

[girl_downunder]

As previously stated- no, there was no issue in 1.0.4., neither installed nor using it as a live CD.

Using 2.0, I experience this with every mouse- unless the live session is run in safe mode, which then shows a typical black arrow.

Obviously, I wasn't too keen to actually install 2.0 with this odd mouse issue. I mean, that is the point of live distros to test they work well on/with your hardware in the first place.

So, given that, any ideas? What changed in regards to USB/mouse handling from before?

Cheers

[Scott(0)]

So, given that, any ideas? What changed in regards to USB/mouse handling from before?

Without getting into the boring/geeky details my suggestion is to stay with LL 1.0.4 or give Linux Lite 1.0.6 a try.

Why LL 106? Because it uses the same kernel version (version 3.2) as LL 104 and will *probably* have a much better chance of being hardware compatible and not causing an issue with the mouse.

Why not LL 2.0? I don't have a specific answer other than LL 2 uses kernel version 3.13 and newer kernels tend to drop support for previous hardware while adding support for newer hardware.