Keyboard Mapping Mixup

Asked by jwalling

Keyboard Mapping Mixup 22662

I purchased a laptop (ZaReason LightLapSR/ASUS S62E) in December 2007 with Ubuntu 7.10 preinstalled.

After a recent routine Ubuntu software update the keyboard map got scrambled. Several keys on the right side of the keyboard were misassigned. For example: when I press the J key, I get the number 1. When I press the number 0, I get the / character.

The keyboard works correctly when I login at bootup. For example the J key works correctly. After bootup completes, the keyboard defaults to the same mixup each time.

The mixup is consistent across all applications and when I sudo as root.

Several packages were updated just before I noticed the problem. Unfortunately, I didn't record the names of the packages.

If anyone has a solution to fix the keyboard mapping mixup (short of reinstalling Ubuntu) please share.

Thanks,
John

-----------------------------------------
INPUT
OUTPUT

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H 5 1 2 3 0 N 6 * Q R S T 4 V W X Y Z

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
a b c d e f g h 5 1 2 3 0 n 6 * q r s t 4 v w x y z

0123456789
/123456789

---------------------------------------------------
Xorg version 1.3.0 18-Jan-2008
coincides with the keymapping problem!!

Question information

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Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu xorg Edit question
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Solved by:
Earl Malmrose
Solved:
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Revision history for this message
Dines683 (dines683) said :
#1

have you tried system-> preferences->keyboard??

Revision history for this message
jwalling (wallingconsulting) said :
#2

I will verify with vendor

Keyboard model
Generic 105-key (Intl) PC

Revision history for this message
jwalling (wallingconsulting) said :
#3

Xorg version 1.3.0 18-Jan-2008
coincides with the keymapping problem!

Revision history for this message
Best Earl Malmrose (earl) said :
#4

It looks like NumLock is on. Press the <Num Lk> key to turn it off, which is directly above the plus/equals key at the top of the keyboard.

Revision history for this message
jwalling (wallingconsulting) said :
#5

Thanks Earl Malmrose, that solved my question.

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jwalling (wallingconsulting) said :
#6

I laughed for 3 minutes when I saw the solution. I get the Homer Simpson award for keyboard savvy. Thanks.
- John

Revision history for this message
sc0jack (sc0jack) said :
#7

Prolly worth noting that on some laptops (mine is a Sony Viao), there is a numberpad overlay on some of the right-hand-side keys that can be activated/deactivated via SHIFT-Numlock. Also, when I had an IBM Thinkpad at one point, there was a bug in the firmware that meant that this keyboard overlay would sometimes get switched on for no apparent reason. There was a later firmware that could be downloaded that fixed the issue.

I realise that the user's issue was solved already - this just seemed to be the right place to put this further info.

Scott.

Revision history for this message
Leon (leonbo) said :
#8

Had the same problem :D Numlock solved my issue.

Thanks !