[SOLVED] Pi running stretch Xorg startup failure ? Or mouse problem?

I have a Pi 3B (running Stretch) that recently lost access to the mouse. Access to the physical console on the Pi is through an Iogear KVM using a USB-to-PS2 adapter for the mouse and keyboard and a HDMI-to-VGA adapter for video. Sometime in the recent past, the Pi has forgotten that it has access to a mouse. The gpm driver/service is running but at a console there is no mouse cursor.

During boot, the messages

mousedev: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice

...

input: Barcode Reader  as /devices/platform/soc/3f980000.usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2:1.0/0003:13BA:0018.0001/input/input0
hid-generic 0003:13BA:0018.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [Barcode Reader ] on usb-3f980000.usb-1.2/input0
input: Barcode Reader  Mouse as /devices/platform/soc/3f980000.usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2:1.1/0003:13BA:0018.0002/input/input1
input: Barcode Reader  System Control as /devices/platform/soc/3f980000.usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2:1.1/0003:13BA:0018.0002/input/input2
input: Barcode Reader  Consumer Control as /devices/platform/soc/3f980000.usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2:1.1/0003:13BA:0018.0002/input/input3

are seen.

Another system (running Tumbleweed) using a USB-to-PS2 adapter (different brand) sees the mouse as a

input: GASIA PS2toUSB Adapter as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.2/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.0/0003:0E8F:0020.0001/input/input0
hid-generic 0003:0E8F:0020.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.10 Keyboard [GASIA PS2toUSB Adapter] on usb-0000:01:00.0-5/input0
input: GASIA PS2toUSB Adapter Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.2/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.1/0003:0E8F:0020.0002/input/input1
input: GASIA PS2toUSB Adapter System Control as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.2/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.1/0003:0E8F:0020.0002/input/input2
input: GASIA PS2toUSB Adapter Consumer Control as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.2/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-5/1-5:1.1/0003:0E8F:0020.0002/input/input3
hid-generic 0003:0E8F:0020.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.10 Mouse [GASIA PS2toUSB Adapter] on usb-0000:01:00.0-5/input1

Yet another system (Slackware 14.2) on the KVM sees the mouse as "ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse" (which I think is the most accurate description as that system is not using any adapters between the system and the KVM).

My conclusion is that there's nothing hardware-related that's preventing the mouse from working. At least the kernel is seeing it during the boot process. (All three of them.)

The `mice' and `mouse' device files under `/dev/input' all seem to be there and have the same ownership and permissions as other systems that have working mice.

The other systems connected to the KVM and see the mouse and are able to use it.

Running startx looks like it's running properly but the mouse pointer that's displayed cannot be moved (so I have to shut the desktop down with a `kill -15'). The Pi has run Xorg in the past and the mouse was working as it should but I don't use the GUI interface all that often. (The system is supposed to just sit there and provide bind and nginx services and normally only accessed via ssh.)

Here is what I see when running startx:

X.Org X Server 1.19.2
Release Date: 2017-03-02
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 4.9.41-v7+ armv7l Raspbian
Current Operating System: Linux vger2 4.19.66-v7+ #1253 SMP Thu Aug 15 11:49:46 BST 2019 armv7l
Kernel command line: coherent_pool=1M 8250.nr_uarts=0 bcm2708_fb.fbwidth=1888 bcm2708_fb.fbheight=1080 bcm2708_fb.fbswap=1 vc_mem.mem_base=0x3ec00000 vc_mem.mem_size=0x40000000  dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=ttyS0,115200 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p7 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline fsck.repair=yes rootwait
Build Date: 18 October 2017  04:55:30PM
xorg-server 2:1.19.2-1+rpt1+deb9u2 (https://www.debian.org/support) 
Current version of pixman: 0.34.0
	Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
	to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
	(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
	(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Thu Apr  9 04:05:36 2020
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
modprobe: FATAL: Module g2d_23 not found in directory /lib/modules/4.19.66-v7+
xinit: connection to X server lost      <--<< I assume this is my "kill -15"

waiting for X server to shut down (II) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.

The message about the missing module looks ominous but the Raspberry Pi forums all say this module and the error message are unimportant. Is this error message really a red herring?

For completeness, I've attached the Xorg.0.log that corresponds the the above startx log. BTW, If anyone can explain the mouse detection/configuration in that log, I'd appreciate it. I'm a bit confused by the message about the input device being ignored (See lines beginning around "8706.612". Was the mouse detected? Or ignored?)

Questions:

Q1: Any idea what the `g2d_23' module is? It's definitely not in the /lib/modules tree.

Q2: Is this something that a refresh of Xorg might correct? I.e. Remove Xorg and reinstall it?

Q3: Since I have the Buster ISO, is it even trying to rehabilitate Stretch? I'll have to either copy/restore a bunch of config files off or `dd' the Stretch image off to disk so I can access them after the upgrade but that's easy enough. (Rehabilitation I can do any time, replacing the OS is a Sunday task.)

Any recommendations, hints, etc. are warmly welcomed.

TIA...

I am distrustful of usb to ps2 h/w adapters, in fact usb to nearly anything adapters.

ps/2 came from an IBM Hardware Lemon, you'll remember, the IBM PS/2 where they hoped to regain control of the PC market. They made everything internal proprietary - even plugs. People continued selling pcs with better specs for cheaper, and the public wisely raised a middle finger at the whole idea, but pc makers did use a few bits like the floppy, and mouse port.

Do you think you can afford a usb mouse? It's the first thing I'd try.

Might just be dirty contacts, give them a clean by removing & re inserting it a few times.

Originally Posted by business_kid Do you think you can afford a usb mouse? It's the first thing I'd try.

This system will be accessed through a KVM. Having separate mice for each system would be an absolute nightmare.

Originally Posted by fatmac Might just be dirty contacts, give them a clean by removing & re inserting it a few times.

That's a possibility though I've done a fair bit of that already. I swapped in an ancient StarTech.com PS2-to-USB adapter (that a co-worker gave me ~15 years ago---it's about the size of an old flip-phone) and the system recognized the mouse straightaway. It still seems odd that the mouse is detected during bootstrap but doesn't operate once the system is fully up. Part of me thinks that, if I knew more about the pinout of the mouse and how those signals are used, it might be possible to narrow the problem down to a specific pin. Anyway, I'll try cleaning the contacts as best as I can. Perhaps swabbing them with a bit of alcohol followed by doing some remove/insert a few times to clean off any crud. It was operating perfectly from installation until whenever the adapter failed. They're not expensive (about $6) so perhaps a trip to Micro Center is in order if the cleaning doesn't do the trick.

So... it looks like it's a hardware problem. I am still planning an OS upgrade to Raspbian (buster) next weekend. My trip to the store will likely include another SD card---swapping OS images on/off using `dd' is a time-consuming process.

I'm going to call this one ``Solved''.

Cheers...

Originally Posted by rnturn This system will be accessed through a KVM. Having separate mice for each system would be an absolute nightmare.

I don't follow that at all but it doesn't matter. You know what you're doing. And I feel vindicated in my suspicions. It's always the pesky adapter.