reloading linux mouse driver

[soia]

Hello everyone. New linux user and have a question. Have a linux box hooked up to a manual kvm switch. Running redhat 9 by the way. Whenever i switch over to another machine and then back to the linux box i lose my mouse driver, the only way to get it back is to reboot my machine. Is there a way to reload the mouse driver without rebooting???


Thanx

-soia

[HTRegz]

Are you talking XWindows or console mouse? If it's the console mouse just type in 'kill -HUP gpm' without the ' '. As for XWindows, I'm still against it being included in nix distrobutions so I have no idea.

[dspeidel]

Hi soia,

I too have Linux on a KPM switch. I too am experiance many issues when I switch via the switch. From what little I have found so far:

Do not use use Belkin switches (what I have)
Do not use USB mice via an adapter
Sometime a mouse switch sloves the problem

To recover from the mouse problem when you switch shift-ctrl-backspace will call the X windows. startx restarts it and the problem goes away.

I am searching for a better solution (perferably one that does not require I replace my switch). If you have a better solution I'd love to hear it.

Cheers,
-D

[spurious_inode]

Newer Linux Distro's (Fedora Core, SuSE 9.0, etc.) should do fine with USB mice and USB keyboards.
My setup is a 4-port USB KVM switch sharing between an HP-C3600, Sun Blade 2500, and an HP
Visualize X-Class. I have not had any problems with losing either device (keyboard or mouse) when
switching between machines. I did have similar problems once upon a time when using PS/2 and Sun
connector devices on a KVM.

-- spurious

[dspeidel]

Hi spurious_inode,

From what've read the USB mouse issue is only an issue if you plug it into an adapter (I experianced this problem myself usb to ps2) but newer switches/OS might handle it better. The bigger issue is the mouse going crazy returning to RH via the switch (problem does not manifest itself until you touch the mouse). This happens via console or via X. Current workaround is exit X prior to the switch and then restart X from the console post switch. The restart of X fixes the mouse. If I do not want to use X restarting the gpm process fixes it (console level). Restarting gpm does not fix it from within X.

My Basics
Windows Manager = blackbox (happens with all windows managers)
Kernel = 2.4.20-6 (last time I checked)
ran up2date service yesterday fully patched

The only solutions I've found via google and rhn.redhat.com is to replace the switch with hardware from a different vender.

Additional thoughts or suggestions greatly apperciated..

Cheers,
-D