# PS/2 Mouse, no /dev node?



## Zerker (Sep 9, 2017)

Hello folks. I have a Retro PC (Intel 440BX-2, Pentium III-450, 192 MB ram) that I like to use for a bunch of different OSes and setups. It has a CF to IDE adaptor, so it's pretty easy to switch drives.

Recently, I installed FreeBSD onto one such drive and have configured things mostly how I want them, with the exception of my PS/2 mouse. Yes, this machine does have USB support, but since I'm also running MS-DOS on occasion, I'd like to be able to use the same mouse throughout.

I've enabled moused through /etc/rc.conf as follows:

```
hostname="Betelguese"
ifconfig_vr0="DHCP"
ifconfig_vr0_ipv6="inet6 accept_rtadv"
sshd_enable="YES"
ntpd_enable="YES"
moused_enable="YES"
# Set dumpdev to "AUTO" to enable crash dumps, "NO" to disable
dumpdev="AUTO"
```

But no such luck in X11. I went to start investigating options I might need for moused only to discover I couldn't find a device node in /dev that corresponds to my PS/2 port, nor did I see anything in `dmesg` that mentioned it.

I'm attaching both a directory listing of my /dev folder and the output of `dmesg` for reference. I also searched the forums, handbook and FAQ without any luck.

Any suggestions?


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## phoenix (Sep 9, 2017)

/dev/sysmouse is the device node created and managed by moused. Point your X config at that and everything with just work.


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## Zerker (Sep 9, 2017)

Yes, I realize that moused creates that node, but it also needs an underlying hardware node to get the mouse data from at all (e.g. the PS/2 port or serial port for old mice). This is nominally specified by the *-p* parameter if autodetection fails, but I have no valid device to provide as this parameter. See the moused() manpage for more info on that. Per that manpage, PS/2 mice should be on _/dev/psm0__, but I don't have this device at all._

For the record, my X config is already pointing to /dev/sysmouse


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## SirDice (Sep 11, 2017)

Some older machines require the PS/2 mouse to be connected when the machine is turned on. Plugging it in after the machine has booted will fail to detect it.


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## Zerker (Sep 11, 2017)

I'm aware of that, and that's not the issue. The mouse is always connected to the PC, and the POST screen even reports it as connected. Plus that would affect other operating systems than just BSD, which all are fine.

Guess it's time to dig into the Kernel source and see what I can uncover.


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## tobik@ (Sep 12, 2017)

Zerker said:


> I'm aware of that, and that's not the issue. The mouse is always connected to the PC, and the POST screen even reports it as connected. Plus that would affect other operating systems than just BSD, which all are fine.
> 
> Guess it's time to dig into the Kernel source and see what I can uncover.


There are a couple of older bugs with patches that might be relevant. Maybe they'll help a little.

PR 165830, PR 161043


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## SirDice (Sep 12, 2017)

As this machine is 11.0-RELEASE, any chance you can update it to 11.1? The bug may already have been resolved. FreeBSD 11.0 will be EoL some time soon anyway.


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## Zerker (Sep 13, 2017)

Whoops, didn't notice I was one minor version behind. I updated, but it didn't fix the problem. I refreshed the dev and dmesg listings in my original post to reflect the 11.1 install that is now on there.

tobik@, PR 161043 does sound like the exact issue. I don't see a fix, but it's not closed either. I see some diagnostic requests and other useful information mentioned in the discussion I can try to reproduce. I'll do a bit of poking, then create a Bugzilla account to respond there.


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