X (core input device) probs under Debian unstable

[James Miller <jamtat@mailsnare.net>]

Some new problems have cropped up since I dist-upgraded my Debian unstable 
install. Odd that they did not show up immediately after the dist-upgrade, 
but only now after having rebooted several times. The most recent reboot 
was necessitated by a momentary power failure.

So, here's the problem: X won't start. It has a problem finding a core 
input device--the mouse. I haven't touched XFConfig-4 for a couple of 
months, which deepens the mystery. Here is some relevant output from 
/var/log/XFree86.0.log:

XFree86 Version 4.3.0.1 (Debian 4.3.0.dfsg.1-14 20050601051219 fabbione@fabbione.net)
<snip>
(II) Keyboard "Generic Keyboard" handled by legacy driver
(**) Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
(**) Configured Mouse: Protocol: "PS/2"
(**) Option "CorePointer"
(**) Configured Mouse: Core Pointer
(**) Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/psaux
 	No such file or directory.
(EE) Configured Mouse: cannot open input device
(EE) PreInit failed for input device "Configured Mouse"
(II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
(WW) No core pointer registered
No core pointer

Fatal server error:
failed to initialize core devices

This newly-discovered failure seems to have to do with the 2.6.x kernels, 
and possibly udev. I say this because, in order to get a working gui, I've 
had to boot using an older 2.4.27 kernel I have on the system. When I boot 
using that kernel, everything works fine: no failure of core input devices 
or X refusing to start. But when I try booting with either of the other 
two 2.6.x kernels (2.6.10 or 2.6.12), I get the failure message above.

For further reference, let me include an excerpt from my XF86Config-4 
file:

# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
#   cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
#   md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 >/var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
#   dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
<snip>

Section "InputDevice"
 	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
 	Driver		"keyboard"
 	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
 	Option		"XkbRules"	"xfree86"
 	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
 	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
 	Driver		"mouse"
 	Option		"CorePointer"
 	Option		"Device"		"/dev/psaux"
 	Option		"Protocol"		"PS/2"
 	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
 	Identifier	"ATI Rage 3D"
 	Driver		"ati"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 	Identifier	"MAG 765"
 	HorizSync	63.98
 	VertRefresh	60.02
 	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 	Identifier	"Default Screen"
 	Device		"ATI Rage 3D"
 	Monitor		"MAG 765"
 	DefaultDepth	24
 	SubSection "Display"
 		Depth		1
 		Modes		"1280x1024"
 	EndSubSection
 	SubSection "Display"
 		Depth		4
 		Modes		"1280x1024"
 	EndSubSection
 	SubSection "Display"
 		Depth		8
 		Modes		"1280x1024"
 	EndSubSection
 	SubSection "Display"
 		Depth		15
 		Modes		"1280x1024"
 	EndSubSection
 	SubSection "Display"
 		Depth		16
 		Modes		"1280x1024"
 	EndSubSection
 	SubSection "Display"
 		Depth		24
 		Modes		"1280x1024"
 	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
 	Identifier	"Default Layout"
 	Screen		"Default Screen"
 	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
 	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
 	Mode	0666
EndSection

Any ideas what I might do to get this situation rectified? The mouse is a 
ps2 for sure. It's a little unusual--sort of a mini-trackball type thing. 
But I've never before had any problem with it when specifying it as a 
generic ps2 mouse. It's worked fine for a few months on this same machine 
prior to the dist-upgrade mentioned. When I took Chuck Gelm's advice and 
used smartd to look for problematic hard drive output, I did see some 
output related to the mouse. I can't recall the specifics, unfortunately.

Input geared toward resolving this problem will be appreciated.

James
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