[ale] RH5.1 and X

[Jeff Waldrop]

On Wed, 29 Jul 1998, Darshan Kadam wrote:

>         We just loaded RedHat 5.1 on a Dell m/c at work.  After starting the
>         X server the monitor displays a blue screen and a cross-haired mouse
>         pointer in the center.  The mouse doesn't move, nor do any keys work.
>         It almost seems as though X starts ok but it has some mouse problems.
>         We have to reboot (use the 'reset' on the m/c) since everything seems 
>         to be frozen.
> 
>         The installation auto-probes all the hardware and detects the video
>         card which is a S3 Virge, however the Superprobe shows 1M of VRAM 
>         when the card has 8M.  At least that's what the manual and Window's NT
>         Diagnostics say.  The monitor is a Dell 17ES monitor.  We installed 
>         RedHat 5.0 and played around with the different options offered by 
>         the MetroX server with no success.  The mouse is a PS/2 one.
>         Can anyone suggest any solutions to this problem?
> 

Do you use a Microsoft Intellimouse?

I run with a Dell 266 that I purchased last Fall.  When I installed
RedHat 5.0 on it I had to configure my mouse as a two-button PS/2 mouse
(frustrating since I DID have a middle button that was a roller).

I was not able to configure MetroX at all with my monitor.  It seems
that the default frequency used by the MetroX configuration program
was not compatible with my 17" Dell monitor.  I was able to configure
by borrowing a monitor from someone else, configuring, then switching
back when I was done (what a pain!).  However, due to my subsequent
problems with X I STRONGLY suggest that you use XFree86 instead of
MetroX (I know that you paid for it but the free version STILL seems
to work better!).

I suggest that you first get the latest version of XFree86, then read
about the mouse support in it.  I found that by editing the file
/etc/X11/XF86config and setting  the mouse to "IMPS/2" (or something
very close to that) I was able to use my Intellimouse as a 3-button
mouse.

Hope this is applicable!

Jeff Waldrop
Computer Generation Incorporated    http://www.compgen.com
Building G, 4th Floor               Voice: (404) 705-2800
5775 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road          Fax: (404) 705-2805
Atlanta, GA  30342                  E-mail: jeffrey.waldrop at compgen.com