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I'm running xubuntu 12.04 on a 2007 macbook.

I'm using the laptop with external screen, keyboard and mouse. Yesterday after a dist-upgrade and after I unplugged the external keyboard I noticed that the Lapotop's keyboard was mapped to whatever (J = 1 , L = 3 , M = 0 e.t.c.) however I can login and type perfectly in the login screen and as a guest.

Any suggestions on how to get more information and/or troubleshooting are welcome.

Mateo
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ndp
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  • Could be related to: https://askubuntu.com/questions/5140/how-to-set-up-ubuntu-to-automatically-turn-numlock-on-when-an-external-keyboard – Aritz Oct 21 '19 at 08:35

3 Answers3

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This looks like your Laptop keyboard has an integrated Numpad. It is active when enabling NumLock.
Your Laptop Numpad might have small drawings of numbers on right part of your keyboard with the following mapping:
jkl -> 123
uio -> 789
m -> 0

Disabling NumLock should give back those keys their primary function.

  1. Hit Shift+NumLock several times to disable Numlock.
    You might also have a combination with the Fn keys depending on your Laptop model.

  2. If for some reason you are unable to get it done with your physical keyboard, this should help:

    1. execute onboard in a terminal. This will open an on-screen keyboard.
    2. click 123, then NumLock. After every click check if your Laptop keyboard is back to normal.

    NumLock key on the onboard keyboard (after hitting the 123 key)

Notes:

rosch
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    there is no numpad on the laptop neither exists a numlock button () – ndp Oct 18 '12 at 12:53
  • Well Ubuntu is seeing one. What about Fn keys? Is there one for NumLock? If not disable the Numlock on the external keyboard. – rosch Oct 18 '12 at 12:56
  • nope, unfortanetly macs dont have this kind of things, is there any 'detect keyboard layout and functionality' command? – ndp Oct 18 '12 at 13:10
  • So your laptop is a Mac and on the external keyboard you are unable to disble the Numlock? At least the external one should have a Numlock button. On Mac keyboards it is the "clear" button: http://kb.parallels.com/en/5182 – rosch Oct 18 '12 at 13:16
  • The laptop's keyboard is like this http://lowendmac.com/mail/mb07/art/macbook_keyboard.jpg Disabling the num pad on the external keyboard does nothing (i can still use the external keyboard numpad and the laptop's keyboard is still messed up) (btw thx for the answer :-) ) – ndp Oct 18 '12 at 13:27
  • At least that jpg show the small numbers of the integrated numpad I have been talking about :). Also try Shift+clear and check if the keyboard comes back. Hit that combination several times if not working the first time. – rosch Oct 18 '12 at 13:42
  • thats why I said 'like' :p my keyboard doesnt, anyway it didnt work after several tries. I'll try searching for the configuration file which should list what it thinks each keyboard is finally I found an acurate picture of the keyboard http://www.sonyvaiopart.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/k/e/keyboard_6.jpg – ndp Oct 18 '12 at 13:51
  • let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/6158/discussion-between-rosch-and-northpole) – rosch Oct 18 '12 at 13:52
  • @rosch - Thank you! Last year, I have installed a distro based on Ubuntu 12.04 on a Toshiba laptop. This device worked fine but was left aside for several months. After a long gap, I have connected this laptop to the internet and did the update and upgrade. At the time of this process, the laptop had an external keyboard, mouse and monitor. Well, now, I have noticed that the keyboard often starts to behave odd. When I want to write, I got new windows opened, tabs closed, etc. I have executed in terminal the command "onboard" and typed just the number "1", and everything went back to normal! – Cristiana Nicolae May 04 '16 at 20:19
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I had this problem running Linux Mint. I plugged my external keyboard in again and pressed the numlock key to turn numlock off. Solved!

Bill
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  • It seems to be specifically Cinamon desktop related, since I tested it with MATE and it's working properly. I opened an [issue](https://github.com/linuxmint/cinnamon/issues/8912). – Aritz Oct 28 '19 at 10:29
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I found an answer to my problems with my Samsung keypad after it had been used with an external keyboard in which it does not function well. The instructions were given at Ask Ubuntu:

  • Put off the unit with the external keyboard and restart it with the external keyboard.
  • When the laptop is in the state ready to use, from the external keyboard simultaneously hit the keys NUMLOCK and SHIFT and try to hit a key which is lock before if it is reinstated.
REDFACE88
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