Ready to try Gentoo, Have Question about MS wireless desktop

sulzla · n00b Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Posts: 8

I decided a couple of weeks ago to begin the Linux enlightenment process. Upon researching and reading about various distrubutions I was most enthusiastic about Gentoo. Upon posting my intention of installing Gentoo as a complete newbie I was kindly advised that another distribution may be a better choice for me considering my limited experience.

Well, having taken this advice, I installed both Redhat 9 and Mandrake 9.1 and proceeded to learn a good amount from each. Unfortunately I have found many of the user friendly features provided by these distributions disatisfactory. I was not able to achieve complete functionally of my hardware on either system, which leads me to believe I will need to learn much more about configuring my hardware manually. I have decided that the best approach for me will be to proceed with my original goal, installing gentoo. I realize that I have a huge learing curve to overcome, especially with this approach, but am not the type who feels comfortable not knowing what is happening behind the scenes.

Having explained my current situation I would like to proceed with a question. I have searched extensively for help installing and configuring the Microsoft Optical Wireless desktop which includes a mouse and keyboard connected via a single usb connector. I have been unable to find any useful information which leads me to wonder, will I be able to use this hardware with gentoo linux?

Let me close by saying that individuals who offer their help in forums such as these should be admired and greatly appreciated by all.

Brown Eyed Boy · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject:

Hi. You say you previously used Red Hat and Mandrake; did you get your keyboard and mouse working in those? If you did, then I see no good reason why they shouldn't work in Linux.

A note about USB - you can connect up to 127 USB devices at once. Just because a device only has 1 USB connector, doesn't mean it is only 1 device; a hub has 1 connector and through that hub you connect daisy chain more devices and hubs. That said, I don't know whether that particular keyboard/mouse combination is actually 1 or more integrated devices.

Good luck :-)

~Brown Eyed Boy

sulzla · n00b Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Posts: 8

I didn't get them working properly with either Redhat or Mandrake. With Mandrake I never had the mouse working and with Redhat they would only work about half the time, I would boot up and sometimes they would work when I got to the login screen and other times they would not. I realize that installing gentoo will involve compiling my own kernel. Should I be adding something specific for this hardware?

Wishmaster · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 9:36 pm Post subject:

I also use a wireless MS Keyboard with my Gentoo. I think the right product name is: MS Wireless Optical Desktop.

But there is a difference between the connection. I have a connector PS/2 for the Keyboard and a PS/2 or USB connector for the mouse and it works perfectly.

With lineakd and Klineakd some extra buttons on the keyboard work also.

Bye,
Wishmaster

xeonburn · Apprentice Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Posts: 172

Wishmaster... I have the wireless optical desktop also but my base station has only one USB and one PS/2 plug... but both the mouse and the keyboard can run off the USB... at least in Windows they can, though I cannot get the mouse to work in X/Gnome, only the keyboard, though they are both recognized at startup.

xeonburn · Apprentice Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Posts: 172