I have a weird problem I have never seen before:
I finally have been able to set up X and it's working - great. However, if I shut it down, the mouse is still visible, like a console mouse. I can move it, but it only does weird stuff like marking lines, and from time to time bash gives me an error, but always a different one ... one I remember was that I should turn off X security features
Now, I got the following output from bash when moving the mouse:
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational, (++) from command line, (startx) notice, (II) informational,
bash: syntax error near unexpected token 'from'
Any idea how much alcohol my PC has gotten
Thanks for your help

I would suggest you look to see if a program called gpm is running. It provides mouse support in the console mode. I never use it.

If you have a /etc/rc.d/rc.gpm file then you can set it not to execute by

chmod 000 /etc/rc.d/rc.gpm

If that is not there, then it may be started through the sysvinit system. But I wouldn't know what to look for. But you could also

chmod 666 /usr/sbin/gpm

When an attempt to run it is made it will produce an error message, but it should work to disable it.

Thank you a lot
I'll try it out as soon as possibel and let you know whether it worked or not

i wouldn't advise changing those permissions, jsut seems like pulling the carpet out from underneath it, not nice i don't think. you should instead remove the command to start the service in the first palce from your /etc/rc.d/rc3.d directory instead, that way the gpm script will never be called in the first place, rather than just forcing it to fail. this is what teh sysvinit system would do anyway, so you could just save confusin and remove it by hand.

The rc.gpm script is called from the rc.M script. The rc.M script checks for the execute bit to be set before attempting to run it. Clearing the exec bit allows the script to be cancelled without any modifications to the scripts. ( if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.gpm ]; then) Most all of the startup scripts are written in this manner to support this operation.

The chmod on the gpm program itself was more of a last resort. I do not suspect it to be required. Only used if the original start code can not be easily determined, like in the stupid sysvinit system. I only added as a "just in case."

if there actually is specific checking then i suppose thats a bit better, but having a directory full of scripts where half will and half won't run seems a bit confusing

Well, it worked - I just commented everything in rc.gpm - the file isn't too large so it's not a problem.
In the script was also written, that gpm could cause problems if used together with X - that's what happened.

ok, i didn't like the first idea about changing the permissions... but you commented the ENTIRE file?? fine... i give up!

I useallly just comment out the section in rc.M.
But that's just me

I usually just don't install gpm.

Yes, but the poster did

Aussie, that's a good (but more advanced )point since
X doesn't actaully require it to be installed, and I think
you wourld agree that is the main use for most people.

I didnt't think of not installing it - it just sounds like a good thing if you can copy text from the console.

Acid: It was just about 8 lines to comment - it isn't sooo much work

If you want the ability to copy text in a console without using a mouse, try running the screen command. You can copy text in the window or you can copy to other windows.

With the screen command, you can open other windows. I think up to ten windows. It's like logging in to the other consoles, but in this case you only use one console screen. Read the man page for screen.