5.2 live CD remaps keyboard to numeric keys!

[gychang]

I have thinkpad T42, so some keys on the right hand side has dual function, so "i" key also is "5". When I tried my iso burn to DVD and it seems to work but it changes my keyboard to everytime I want "i" (to activate my wpa encryption for wireless) it actually types "5".

Is there a work around?, I do want to install to HD after I make sure this can be fixed.

gychang

[joeoden]

Same thing happens with our HP (Presario) C700 Notebook when running SL 5.2 Gnome (amd64) version with the live DVD (has been doing this since SL4) I have not had this problem using the KDE versions

Once Sabayon is installed to hard drive (on my system) the problem disappears

Workaround while testing the live DVD, I just press the fn key and sys rq key on the keyboard to switch off the numbers

Sorry about that it is the fn key and numb lk key (scroll key) on the keyboard to switch off the numbers

[gychang]

thanks, will try installing on HD and see if the problem disappears.

gychang

[Fitzcarraldo]

Sounds like Num Lk is enabled.

Just out of interest, what type of keyboard is specified in the system settings? Evdev-managed keyboard, or is it a different type of keyboard?

[gychang]

likely default, US keyboard.

gychang

[Fitzcarraldo]

There are two user-configurable parameters that govern how the keyboard behaves: the 'model' (e.g. "IBM ThinkPad R60/T60/R61/T61", "Generic 104-key PC", "Evdev-managed keyboard", and so on) and the 'layout' (e.g. "USA", "United Kingdom", "Brazil", "Spain", "Afghanistan", and so on).

Even though I have a laptop with an 87-key keyboard localised for the UK (e.g. the symbol above the key with the number "3" on it has the UK currency pound symbol "£" instead of the US "#" symbol), I have configured the OS for a keyboard model of "Evdev-managed keyboard" and a keyboard layout of "United Kingdom" (well, actually I have configured three user-switchable keyboard layouts: "United Kingdom", "Brazil" and "Spain"). This would translate to an X.Org command of setxkbmap -model evdev -layout gb,br,es.

I don't have access to a Linux PC with GNOME here in the office, but you should be able to use the GNOME system settings to configure your keyboard model and keyboard layout (i.e. two separate parameters). If the actual i.e. physical layout of your keyboard is a US layout then you can configure the layout as such, but, if it is not already configured as such, try changing the model. Normally this should be configured to be 'Evdev-managed keyboard' because the X.Org evdev generic input driver (x11-drivers/xf86-input-evdev) is used in SL.