After install, keyboard and mouse are inoperative

[tcb132]

I have attempted to install Salix in four different flavors: Fluxbox and Ratpoison, each in full and basic. The same problem occurs with all four install types.

I am installing Salix on a multi-boot machine, next to Slackware (sda1) and Arch (sda2). Slackware boots from the disc MBR; Arch boots from its own partition's MBR. I wish to install Salix on sda3, and boot it from the MBR for sda3.

During the install, I get an error message at the lilo install step, advising me that lilo did not install, but that it should be possible to fix and install lilo later. When I install lilo manually, using the Salix lilo.conf file, I have to use the parameter -P ignore.

Then I run Salix. When it comes up, neither the keyboard nor the mouse are recognized.

Changing tactics, I tried to install Salix's lilo.conf on the disc MBR. This time the lilo install went without error, and I was able to run in Salix (keyboard and mouse recognized); but now, when I boot into Slackware, IT does not recognize the keyboard or mouse.

I noticed that Slackware's lilo.conf applies the parameter vt.default_utf8=0, while Salix uses vt.default_utf8=1. Changing Salix's parm to =0 does not fix the problem.

Interesting. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Akuna]

Some error in LILO's configuration so that the wrong kernel is associated with the wrong system could do that.

Can you post /etc/fstab, /etc/lilo.conf as well as the output of fdisk -l ?

Or use LiloSetup (not the same as liloconfig) from menu system in Salix (it is usually pretty good at setting multi boot).

[gapan]

You need to fix your lilo.conf. You're trying to boot salix with a different kernel (or slackware with a different kernel). As Akuna said, the easiest way to do it, is using lilosetup from your salix installation.

[tcb132]

Thanks to Akuna and Gapan for helpful info. Lilosetup generated different addresses for partition sda3. When I used that lilo.conf, the problem disappeared.

One comment. Apparently lilosetup is only available in "full" installs. Since it may be needed in other install flavors, perhaps it should always be provided. Of
course, that would require Python always installing. Hmm.

Terry B.