Off topic: Linux

I just saw some of you are using Linux and was wondering if you could help
me with something. I bought Corel Linux, the pretty GUI one, and I've tried
it on a bunch of a my computers. On one of the machines it won't mount the
cd drive, we think because it's part DVD as well even though it supports
DVD, the other machine it has a reoccuring error as it starts up to do with
the hard drive that we can not get rid of and only on one other does it
work, my oldest 200Mx. The problem is that it has no PS2 ports. I have to
use a serial mouse and it refuses to recognise it's there. Any ideas on how
I might go about checking to see if it's looking on the serial port for a
mouse? Remember I can't use the mouse to navigate so I have to be able to
reach said place using the keys and I'm totally new to Linux. : ) It's
worth all the effort just for the backgrounds.

Thanks,
John

My email is info.host@... if you would rarther speak to me off
list.