SirDice said:
This doesn't make sense. Don't you mean the console instead of "X term"?
If you currently have Xorg 7.4 installed add Option "AllowEmptyInput" "off" to the ServerLayout section of /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
When you're upgrading ports read /usr/ports/UPDATING.
Yes, I meant console
And yes again, this doesn't make sense at all.
Previous install attempts complete off CD have yielded a working system. pkg_add installs work. Upgrading ports is where problems start. Upgrade KDE 3.10 to 3.10.1 and I lose mouse function. Another attempt, I installed KDE4 using pkg_add and everything worked fine. But KDE 4.1.1 is limited so portupgrade to KDE 4.2 ended with many errors and upon completion, no mouse.
This attempt I performed the minimal base install first. Then after updating ports, installed xorg, then KDE 4.2.1, no mouse function. But boot to console, the system knows the USB mouse is there and works in the console, so I know xorg is not the problem. Something in a KDE config file is not there.
My next option is to perform an install on a spare drive off CD. Then examine the config files to see what does not get installed with a clean build or an upgrade.
You would think this is nothing new and a solution would be out there on the forums somewhere but a google renders nothing. Whats worse the Handbook details a desktop built from source but lacks mentioning if config files need modification to make the thing work.
I will also read /usr/ports/UPDATING now
FreeBSD is very sweet and I expect once I have a functional install, it may be a viable alternative to my usual Debian Lenny desktop systems
</rant>
Thanks again for your replies and still looking for ideas for a solution.