Package: xserver-xfree86 Version: 4.3.0.dfsg.1-4 Severity: important If the system is powered up and X is started by kdm, X will often fail because of a missing core pointer. Starting X manually immediately after (e.g. using /etc/init.d/kdm start), always succeeds. The problem goes away if psmouse is added to /etc/modules.
I have seen this problem myself on two different systems and [1] has two more people with the same problem. In all cases the solution above worked. In my case, I did a fresh Sarge install using Debian Installer on both systems. By default the mouse driver and related modules (like evdev) will be managed by hotplug. This means that psmouse is only loaded after X is started and probes for the presence of the core pointer. I think the time out allowed by X is to short for the drivers to load, so X can't find the mouse, the load fails and the user is returned to the console. Adding psmouse in /etc/modules ensures that the drivers are loaded much earlier in the bootprocess, so X is able to locate the mouse without problem. I think this bug is important because a lot of installs with Sarge's new installer are likely to be affected by this problem. The problem has been observed 4 times using kdm, but I would think it applies to other display managers as well. [1] http://lists.debian.org/debian-kde/2004/06/msg00159.html I have not included config and log files as the problem is currently fixed on my system using the solution listed above. I can however easily reproduce a log file if needed (on request). TIA, Frans Pop -- System Information: Debian Release: testing/unstable APT prefers testing APT policy: (500, 'testing') Architecture: i386 (i686) Kernel: Linux 2.6.5.20040613-1 Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=C Versions of packages xserver-xfree86 depends on: ii debconf [debconf-2.0] 1.4.25 Debian configuration management sy ii libc6 2.3.2.ds1-13 GNU C Library: Shared libraries an ii xserver-common 4.3.0.dfsg.1-4 files and utilities common to all ii zlib1g 1:1.2.1.1-3 compression library - runtime -- debconf information: * xserver-xfree86/config/device/identifier: Generic Video Card xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/screen-size: 17 inches (430 mm) xserver-xfree86/config/device/use_fbdev: * xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/selection-method: Medium xserver-xfree86/config/doublequote_in_string_error: shared/default-x-server: xserver-xfree86 * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/mouse/emulate3buttons: true * xserver-xfree86/config/device/bus_id: PCI:0:2:0 * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/keyboard/layout: us xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/horiz-sync: 30-60 * xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/identifier: Generic Monitor shared/no_known_x-server: xserver-xfree86/autodetect_mouse: true * xserver-xfree86/config/device/video_ram: * xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/mode-list: 1024x768 @ 75Hz * xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/lcd: true xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/keyboard/internal: * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/keyboard/rules: xfree86 xserver-xfree86/multiple_possible_x-drivers: * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/keyboard/model: pc104 * xserver-xfree86/config/write_dri_section: true * xserver-xfree86/config/device/driver: i810 xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/vert-refresh: 50-75 * xserver-xfree86/config/display/default_depth: 24 * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/mouse/zaxismapping: true * xserver-xfree86/config/display/modes: 1024x768, 800x600, 640x480 xserver-xfree86/config/device/bus_id_error: * xserver-xfree86/config/modules: GLcore, bitmap, dbe, ddc, dri, extmod, freetype, glx, int10, record, speedo, type1, vbe * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/keyboard/options: xserver-xfree86/config/nonnumeric_string_error: * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/mouse/protocol: ImPS/2 shared/multiple_possible_x-servers: xserver-xfree86/config/null_string_error: xserver-xfree86/config/monitor/range_input_error: * xserver-xfree86/autodetect_video_card: true * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/keyboard/variant: * xserver-xfree86/config/inputdevice/mouse/port: /dev/psaux * xserver-xfree86/config/write_files_section: true xserver-xfree86/autodetect_monitor: true
