Fn Key issue

[Linux-fuer-Einsteiger]

Hello,

i have SpiralLinux on a Fujitsu Liifebook and got problems with the Fn keys.
Id like to have to normal keyboard but for example : when i press k there will be a 2 on my Desktop. I am from germany and i already try to put in my german (qwertz keyboard) but it will not work. Do you have a solution for me? Thx forward

[geckolinux]

Hi there, that sounds like the NumLock function somehow got activated. Also it's possible that you selected the wrong keyboard layout in the Calamares installer.

[janxkoci]

This laptop already had Spiral Linux MATE and XFCE, as well as several other distros in the past (elementaryOS, Ubuntu MATE, Xubuntu), and none of them (IIRC) were activating NumLock on login. So I don't think it's in the bios.

I know from the past that some beginner-friendly distros tend to activate NumLock, but I've only seen this with real dedicated numpad (I used to have external keyboard years ago). Now with Spiral Linux Budgie it's the first time I see this on a laptop keyboard with Fn-activated NumLock.

[marwenius]

Based on this post, there are two options that can be set:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.keyboard numlock-state "false"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.keyboard remember-numlock-state "true"

Additionally, you can install the numlockx package and set the value NUMLOCK=off in the configuration file /etc/default/numlockx.

[janxkoci]

Here is what I see in dconf editor:

This is showing the state as I first opened it, but I tried to flip all the switches to no avail.

I'll try the numlockx package, bookworm seems to have it too..

PS: numlockx was already installed, and the config was set to NUMLOCK=auto - I've changed it to off and I'm gonna reboot, wish me luck... 🤞

[janxkoci]

Hooray - it worked! 😁

set the value NUMLOCK=off in the configuration file /etc/default/numlockx.

This solved the problem for me, thanks!

[geckolinux]

Good, thanks for confirming. It must be a Budgie thing that it is setting somewhere, I'm not surprised that the dconf switches didn't help, Budgie is a bit weird with its semi-dependence on Gnome while also having some independent settings of its own.

[Orcrist9691]

I also run Spiral Gnome on a Fujitsu Lifebook. The problem you have discribed is 99% the NumLock as already suggested.