2.6.1, no mouse - annoying

[Brendan]

Compiled 2.6.1 vanilla on a Mandrake 9.2 box, and everything works splendidly 
(with an upgrade of the init tools), except my standard PS/2 mouse.
Board is an ASUS P4PE with ICH4 chipset, and two standard PS/2 ports that have 
a keyboard and mouse attached. Works fine under 2.4.22 and everything else in 
the world. Has never worked in 2.5.x or 2.6.x.

Googling, I find a few things like mine, but no solution that works for me.

Tried modifying /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
and changed the mouse location to: /dev/psaux (the original for under 
2.4.22), /dev/input/mice, /dev/input/mouse0

Dmesg reports an IMPS/2 mouse found and says:
"mice: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice 
 input: PS/2 IMPS/2 Wheel Mouse on isa0060/serio1 "

Tried futzing with the debug defines in i8042.c, and got a god-awful amount of 
debug output that wasn't helpful.

Even tried the fix described below:
"You must go in /linux-2.6.0/drivers/input/serio/i8042.c
Remove this lines

>         if (i8042_command(&param, I8042_CMD_AUX_DISABLE))
>                 return -1;
>         if (i8042_command(&param, I8042_CMD_CTL_RCTR) || (~param &                 
>I8042_CTR_AUXDIS))
>                 return -1;

and save
recompile kernel"

Through it all, the mouse pointer just sits there, looking like it wants to 
move.

So, unless I am missing something simple, I can't think of anything else.

Suggestions?

Brendan