t42 NumLk defaults to "on" after sleep or shutdown

[Crazybasenji]

Hello and nice to see I'm not the only person hanging on to one of these "classic" laptops! Maybe someone has had this problem.

I've had this machine since 2009-ish, got it off-lease. After about a year dealing with the cranky, I deleted Windows and installed Ubuntu 10.04. Since then I haven't had any trouble with it, until just recently when I noticed it slowing down again. I thought I'd free up some space by moving my music files to a flash drive and playing them from that, and that works fine. I also ordered some additional RAM, which just arrived today.

BUT... Last week after I'd been listening to some music, I disconnected the flash drive and put the computer in sleep mode, and when I came back I couldn't log on. I noticed the NumLk light was on, so I turned it off (the light stayed on, though), and was then able to enter my password. Now EVERY time I put it in sleep mode, or turn it off or restart it, etc., I have to remember to turn off the NumLk before I do anything, and I had to keep turning it off when I was trying to make up a spreadsheet (OpenOffice).

Does this sound like a hardware issue, or do I need to post this on the Ubuntu forum, too?

Should I wait on installing the additional memory in case this thing is about to go belly-up?

[RealBlackStuff]

You can switch NumLock off in the BIOS, under Config/Keyboard-Mouse

[Crazybasenji]

Sorry to say that didn't work. I thought it did. I set it to "Off" and the light went off. But by the time boot-up finished, the light was back on and so was the NumLk. Then I tried each of the other settings. Neither of them worked.

[RealBlackStuff]

Check the Ubuntu or other Linux forums, I only know Windows, where it would be: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/154529

[Crazybasenji]

Thanks for the help. I just learned a valuable, and somewhat embarrassing lesson. When you use a wireless keyboard once in a while, be sure the num lock on THAT keyboard is turned off before turning off the keyboard. Big duh!