optical mouse /USB / laptop

[andy at honnu.com (Anand A Rao)]

Hi ,
  Seems like the subject is a bad combination for linux users .. I am not 
able to make them work on my Sony LAPtop . I have a logitech optical wheel 
mouse and of all its a USB mouse.. and I also want to have the touch pad 
active when I am using the external mouse. can I do that on linux  .. if yes 
please tell me how.

I also had another bad experience with MAndrake. I recently downloaded 8.1 
and tried to install it on my Sony ...  the install starts from the cd and 
hangs up on the pcmcia detection. I went on the text mode and found that the 
kernel panics on trying to start the pcmcia. Then I started to try other 
tings. I built a floppy-boot disc and put the pcmcia image on it. then tried 
the installl and it went thru and I felt a wow .. but it was very shortlived 
and the kernel never started again .. same thing  .. pcmcia startup and the 
kernel says it has some big problem .. os I am back to my mandrake 8.0 
without the luxury of an external mouse now.. 

has any one else tried/solved these puzzles ? 

cheers
Andy