Numlock OFF at login

**mikegsmith** · February 8th, 2012

I'm using Ubuntu 11.10, dual boot with Win7, GRUB2 as boot manager. BIOS set to turn Numlock ON, which it does. But then just prior to GRUB menu screen, Numlock goes off so key pad is not available at login.

I've been working through a few of the suggestions at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/NumLock. Specifically, the following:

Option 1, regarding System Settings > Keyboard Layout > Options > Miscellaneous compatibility options. This works but not until after the log in screen. I need to be able to use the numeric keypad for my password.

Option 2. Install numlockx. I've done this and confirmed that it is correctly installed by issuing numlockx on/off commands from the terminal.

Option 3, regarding sudo sed -i command, which I guess is making changes to the /etc/rc.local file. This suggestion is so bewildering that I've avoided it.

Instead, I've edited the /etc/rc.local file by adding the line: "user/bin/numlockx on". It didn't work.

If Option 3 is indeed my solution, will someone please explain it to me?

Option 4, re Enabling NumLock from startx. I added the "user/bin/numlockx on" line to the /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc file. It didn't work.

It appears to me that the remaining options are not relevant.

I'm a newbie patiently crawling up the learning curve. Unfortunately, the learning curve has flat-lined for me on this issue.

Thanks to those who are so generous of their time in helping us beginners.

**Krytarik** · February 8th, 2012

Originally Posted by mikegsmith

Option 3, regarding sudo sed -i command, which I guess is making changes to the /etc/rc.local file. This suggestion is so bewildering that I've avoided it.

Instead, I've edited the /etc/rc.local file by adding the line: "user/bin/numlockx on". It didn't work.

If Option 3 is indeed my solution, will someone please explain it to me?

It just sets "/etc/rc.local" like shown below, which you've supposedly done yourself manually, only without the prior check if "numlockx" is installed.

Either just copy & paste the content from below, or at least make sure you have both set the path right (as you've stated it incorrectly twice in your post) and placed the command above the "exit 0" line.

"/etc/rc.local":

Code:

#!/bin/sh -e
#
# rc.local
#
# This script is executed at the end of each multiuser runlevel.
# Make sure that the script will "exit 0" on success or any other
# value on error.
#
# In order to enable or disable this script just change the execution
# bits.
#
# By default this script does nothing.

# Numlock enable
[ -x /usr/bin/numlockx ] && numlockx on

exit 0

Regards.

**mikegsmith** · February 9th, 2012

Originally Posted by Krytarik

It just sets "/etc/rc.local" like shown below, which you've supposedly done yourself manually, only without the prior check if "numlockx" is installed.

Either just copy & paste the content from below, or at least make sure you have both set the path right (as you've stated it incorrectly twice in your post) and placed the command above the "exit 0" line.

"/etc/rc.local":

Code:

#!/bin/sh -e
#
# rc.local
#
# This script is executed at the end of each multiuser runlevel.
# Make sure that the script will "exit 0" on success or any other
# value on error.
#
# In order to enable or disable this script just change the execution
# bits.
#
# By default this script does nothing.

# Numlock enable
[ -x /usr/bin/numlockx ] && numlockx on

exit 0

Regards.

Krytarik: Thanks for your quick response. I edited the rc.local file and used cut/paste to plug in the command line exactly as you suggested. Unfortunately, to no avail. My Num Lock setting still turns off just before the GRUB menu appears. Three questions:

1) Is it possible that GRUB is causing this?
2) The rc.local comments talk about "changing the execution bits." Could this be pertinent?
3) Any other trouble-shooting suggestions?

Again, thanks for your help.

**Krytarik** · February 9th, 2012

Originally Posted by mikegsmith

My Num Lock setting still turns off just before the GRUB menu appears.

Actually, even if the "numlockx" thing works, NumLock will still be disabled until "rc.local" is eventually run, which is one of the last things in the boot process.

Originally Posted by mikegsmith

1) Is it possible that GRUB is causing this?

Apparently; didn't think of that too much till now, but yes, it seems so.

Originally Posted by mikegsmith

2) The rc.local comments talk about "changing the execution bits." Could this be pertinent?

That's just referring to changing the permissions of that file so that it may not be executed; by default it's enabled, of course, but you can check that via "Properties -> Permissions" in Nautilus.

We are still talking about that NumLock shall be enabled at the login screen, that is, LightDM, right, not already at the Grub menu? Or have you password protected your Grub?

**Krytarik** · February 9th, 2012

Originally Posted by Krytarik

We are still talking about that NumLock shall be enabled at the login screen, that is, LightDM, right ... ?

Thinking of which, provided that we are still up for that, invoking "numlockx" from LightDM might work better than running it via "rc.local":

https://answers.launchpad.net/lightdm/+question/173666

**mikegsmith** · February 9th, 2012

Originally Posted by Krytarik

Thinking of which, provided that we are still up to that, invoking "numlockx" from LightDM might work better than running it via "rc.local":

https://answers.launchpad.net/lightdm/+question/173666

Bingo, Krytarik!! You got it. I knew that GDM didn't handle the login function any more because I had tried, without success, the old numlockx solutions that worked under GDM. But I didn't have a clue as to what replaced GDM in current Ubuntu releases.

Your link to the lightdm issue provided the answer. Studentz at that link offered the following:

This work for me

sudo gedit /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

add the next line at he end

greeter-setup-script=/usr/bin/numlockx on

I edited the lightdm.conf file as recommended, and my problem is solved. Thanks for all your help. Now if I can only figure out how to mark this question Resolved.

**Gremlinzzz** · February 8th, 2012

Menu -> System -> Administration -> Keyboard & Mouse -> Keyboard ->"turn on Numlock on Startup"

**mikegsmith** · February 9th, 2012

Originally Posted by Gremlinzzz

Menu -> System -> Administration -> Keyboard & Mouse -> Keyboard ->"turn on Numlock on Startup"

Gremlinzzz: Thanks for your suggestion. Is it possible that your suggestion applies to a version of Ubuntu prior to ver. 11.10? In 11.10 I don't find any settings path that leads to the option: "turn on Numlock on Startup."

**Gremlinzzz** · February 9th, 2012

your suggestion applies to a version of Ubuntu prior to ver. 11.10?
wasn't thinking your mostly right i looked it up on the guide
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Oneiric
probably old advice