[ale] OT:Hardware but it is running Linux

[skotchman at gmail.com (Scott Castaline)]

On 05/24/2010 10:37 AM, JK wrote:
> Hi Scott,
>
> I have exactly the same issue with a wireless mouse going through
> a PS2->USB adapter.  A previous query on the list implied that
> it is something about the multiple layers of mouse emulation (in
> hardware) that causes the problem - eg when the kernel tries to
> initialize the hardware, it depends on whether the PS2->USB
> adapter or the wireless->PS2 adapter responds first, whether
> things will work (or some race condition of that nature -- I
> don't have the definitive explanation, but it's probably something
> along those lines).  I've resigned myself to doing the USB-unplug/
> plug dance when I boot the machine :-(
>
> Nice thing is, the wireless keyboard doesn't seems to suffer
> this problem at all.
>
> -- JK
>
>
> On 5/24/2010 7:42 AM, Scott Castaline wrote:
>> Ok, I've had this USB wireless trackball by Logitech connected through
>> as PS/2 adapter for quite some time, since my then Logitech keyboard was
>> PS/2. Recently the keyboard died so I bought a new Logitech keyboard not
>> realizing that it was a USB type of keyboard. I decided to hook the
>> trackball up as USB also. The keyboard is fine, although at first was
>> intermittent until I enabled in the BIOS for USB keyboards/mouse, which
>> I had forgotten to do. The trackball however at first boot will not be
>> there and I'll get an error something about unable to open USB port 2
>> for whatever reason. If I unplug the transceiver and plug it back in all
>> will be fine except I'll get a warning after logging in that the battery
>> is low and needs to be replaced even though it's a brand new fresh
>> battery. The trackball works fine after that, but of course it'll get
>> erratic when I really do need to replace the battery. Am i missing
>> something on the Linux side for the wireless trackball? Maybe I need to
>> replace it with a wired one?
>>
>> TIA
>> Scott C.
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>
>
I'm not sure that the control has passed over to the kernel yet as it 
initially happens at the prompt for passphrase to open encrypted 
devices. As I have all my partitions except of course the /boot 
partition encrypted. The error only shows up if I'm in the text based 
boot and not the GUI (I believe Plymouth in Fedora 12). If I stay with 
the GUI all the way through boot I will not see any indication of a 
problem as the cursor will appear, it just won't move when I move the 
ball until I unplug/plug. My gues is that it is under kernel control 
since that does reside in the /boot and I don't think GRUB cares about 
input beyond kybd select of boot menu options.

I have seen advertised a kybd/mouse combo, I wonder are they set up 
where the mouse or trackball is cascaded through the kybd? If so, would 
that have any impact on this problem?