I'm a Linux newbie. But I've had some shitty experiences which are making me quite aware of how Linux works. (So this is good, I guess... :) my system: dual boot via LILO. SUSE 8.0 and Win2000pro Kernel 2.4.18-4GB. Pentium PIII, i686 architecture. Laptop. 5300 Gateway. Linux 3.3GB partition with 376.5 MB swap. RAM: 196MB Two days ago, I tried installing a USB mouse and while using Yast2, the system halted. After this point, the system almost always halted at boot and even when I got to a terminal window or a kde login prompt (I tried both), my keyboard and mouse failed to work. Yesterday, after spending 5 or more hours trying to get my system repaired, I reinstalled the system since it was easier for me to do this than figuring out the problem. Strangely, the first reinstallation didn't take. xdm failed, as did the keyboard. (both were fine during install.) As of this morning, I've got my system running again. Twice now with Yast2, while configuring something, the system has halted and I lose the use of my keyboard the next time I boot. I've reinstalled both times. I suspect it is either a corruption of the X.o file which the kernel uses initiate the keyboard at boot or a flaw in the configuration file which points to this file. Can someone please tell me where these files for my keyboard are? I assume from LILO I can specify another keyboard until I reinstall the proper module? (I am a newbie...) I would be very appreciative if someone could provide an explanation and possibly tell me what I should be fixing in the future. thank you for your time and patience with a newbie sincerely, h.s.wetherell