Thinkpad/Laptop NumLock Issues

[NoOp]

I've struggled with the issue (gutsy, hardy, intrepid, jaunty) whereby
the NumLock (Shift-NumLk) has driven my crazy & not worked on my
Thinkpad (A21m, T21, T30 etc). The LED doesn't light, or stays lit,
Shift-NumLk causes the number keys (h, l, etc) into some accessability
mode & instead of getting numbers in the terminal (for instance) would
just move the cursor. See:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg-server/+bug/92482/
[NumLock gets enabled unexpectedly on my laptop]

I initially thought that it was some strange problem caused by NX;
yesterday I updated all of my NoMachine NX software and of course logged
into the A21m (jaunty) to test - today I boot and find that I am in
NumLk and can't get out without dropping to a tty terminal & toggling
Shift-NumLk. Forgetting about 92482, I first comment on
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-input-keyboard/+bug/325881>
[[jaunty] Numlock always on inside X, cannot be disabled, big issue for
laptop users]
and after digging further I find my old references to 92482. Test some
more, still can't get it to work.

Finally, I reread
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg-server/+bug/92482/comments/18>
and went digging on google and found:
<http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_get_special_keys_to_work#NumLock>

>> NumLock
>> 
>> On the ThinkPad 600, T20, T21, T22, T30, X20, X21, X31, X40, T42p,
> T43, R51, R52 and possibly other models, X does not recognize the
> keycode for NumLk = Shift+ScrLk. To fix this, add the following to
> ~/.Xmodmap in your home directory or /etc/X11/Xmodmap and run xmodmap,
> ex: xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap:
>> 
>> keycode 77 = Num_Lock
>> 
>> The following might work better for you:
>> 
>> keycode 77 = Num_Lock Num_Lock
>> 
>> because you will only get keycode 77 together with Shift (at least
>> on
> the T43)
>> 
>> This configuration also enables the respective LED.
>> 
>> Please note, pressing the Shift+ScrLk key combination, without first
> following the above configuration, will start an accessibility feature,
> which will allow the numeric keypad to maneuver the mouse pointer.
> Starting this accessibility feature and subsequently running xmodmap, as
> described above, results in the accessibility feature and the numeric
> lock LED functioning simultaneously. As such, the above configuration
> should be completed before the accessibility feature is started in order
> to produce numbers.

So, I figure what the heck & create two files:

~/.Xmodmap
and
/etc/X11/Xmodmap

and in both I add:

keycode 77 = Num_Lock Num_Lock

And then:

$ xmodmap /etc/X11/Xmodmap

Note: haven't tried 'xmodmap /etc/X11/Xmodmap' yet.

Logout/in and what do you know... not only does Shift-NumLk work, but
the LED also works! Thinking that it's just a fluke, I powerdown the
A21m, wait for a few moments, and power back up. NumLk is working
properly! Reboot a few times, still works :-)

I'll add to 325881 and 92482 after launchpad comes back up from
maintenance, but figured I'd post here in the meantime before my CRS
kicks in and I forget what I've done.

Now if I can just figure out why my sound is always coming up in mute on
the A21m I'll be happy... at least until the new great Ubuntu mystery.

Who is it that always .sig's: It's only a hobby? Oh right, Jim Smith:
Its only a hobby, only a hobby, only a hobby, only a ho............
:-)