1 Topic by TeeSquare

  • TeeSquare
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-07-29
  • Posts: 8

Topic: Mouse inactive in GParted

On my old desktop pc the mouse is not detected when I run GParted live CD (and also other live CDs like Ubuntu). The problem might have started when I replaced my mouse, but it happens only when booting from disc.
There is no problem when I am operating Word97 in Windows98, which has served my limited computing requirements adequately till now.
I am not particular about fixing the mouse problem, as I intend to shift operations to a new laptop and Linux OS in due course.
My question here is only whether I can operate GParted by USING THE KEYBOARD ALONE. I think most commands can be executed with the tab and accelerator keys. However I do not know HOW TO EXIT from the system and shut down. Is it possible to bring up a command line and type "quit" or "exit" or whatever, to avoid a forced shut down by switching off power? Or maybe there is some keyboard command which will work on the GParted desktop screen.
Some advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, =TeeSquare=

2 Reply by stormhead

  • stormhead
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: near Frankfurt/Main, Germany
  • Registered: 2008-07-31
  • Posts: 264

Re: Mouse inactive in GParted

Hi!

I don't know how to operate GParted using the keyboard only - but shutting down the system without a mouse is a simple task:
Press [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[F2] - this will bring you to a text console. The command init 6 will reboot the machine; init 0 perform a a shutdown.
If you wish to return to the graphical interface - this is running on either console 5 or 7 (don't remember right now), so you can get bach there with either [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[F5] or [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[F7].

3 Reply by TeeSquare

  • TeeSquare
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-07-29
  • Posts: 8

Re: Mouse inactive in GParted

Thank you stormhead for your useful advice.
I was able to use "Ctrl+Alt+F2" to open a text screen, and "Ctrl+Alt+F7" to revert to graphical display. However, the text mode said something about Debian $, and the command "init 0" produced a message saying I must be superuser.
Probably some other commands (sudo?) and password are required for init 0 to be effective. I am so far largely unfamiliar with Linux systems, so I'd like some advice on this.
I don't have any password for my Win98 system on C: drive or my data files on D: drive, which occupy the entire 40 GB disc space. I was able to shrink my C: partition a bit for trial purposes using only keyboard commands -- mainly tab, arrows and enter.
Fortuitously I discovered that "Ctrl+Alt+Del" will reboot the system and safely exit from GParted, without making a forced shutdown! =TeeSquare=

4 Reply by stormhead

  • stormhead
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: near Frankfurt/Main, Germany
  • Registered: 2008-07-31
  • Posts: 264

Re: Mouse inactive in GParted

Hi!

TeeSquare wrote:

However, the text mode said something about Debian $, and the command "init 0" produced a message saying I must be superuser.
Probably some other commands (sudo?) and password are required for init 0 to be effective.

Yes, sudo might do the job - try either

sudo init 6

or 

sudo su
init 6

(two separate commands!).

I don't have any password for my Win98 system on C: drive or my data files on D: drive

Any password set within Windows will be ineffective in Linux - Linux uses its own system for storing and authenticating passwords and applying access rights to user accounts; this system is completely different from what Windows uses.

5 Reply by TeeSquare

  • TeeSquare
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-07-29
  • Posts: 8

Re: Mouse inactive in GParted

Thank you stormhead, for the tips. The "sudo su" worked, and it changed the $ to #, then "init 0" started the shutdown sequence. (However after the tray was ejected, I removed the CD and pressed enter, but the text remained on screen. But that was probably due to some problem with my cranky old PC which hangs every now and then.)
Please let me know if you are aware of any Linux keyboard equivalent for right-click (like "Shift+F10" in Windows). It saves opening up menus to search for commands. It will be useful if I have to run GParted without the mouse.
I'm just starting up with Linux (very cautiously) and will no doubt have to post some problems in a suitable Linux forum. The problem I posed in this thread has essentially been solved. Thanks again, =TeeSquare=