NumLock During Boot

upnort · 03-17-2020, 12:04 PM

Any Slackers using NumLock during the boot stage? If so how?

By design the Linux kernel disables NumLock and ignores any related BIOS setting. NumLock must be enabled elsewhere by users.

Often this has no impact on users because NumLock can be enabled at the console in rc.local, login managers, and desktop environments. There is one notable exception.

Encrypted disks.

At that moment NumLock is disabled. Hardly the end of the world but a nuisance for users acclimated to using NumLock.

Not directly related to Slackware, but I found this and this.

Suggestions and ideas welcomed.

Thanks again.

TracyTiger · 03-17-2020, 02:02 PM

The configuration firmware on the motherboard (BIOS) of three of my computers has a setting for numeric lock and it works for me (USB connected keyboards). I use LUKS with a typed passphrase needed for the root partition. Perhaps the numeric lock option effectiveness during boot varies between manufacturers.

The nitpick I have is setting up LUKS in laptops for the elderly. The laptops they have (in these particular cases) don't have a firmware setting to disable repeating keys with continued keypress (whatever it's called) during boot.

They hold the keys too long when typing even a simple passphrase (4 characters) so the computer doesn't boot. The keys are not echoed to the screen so they don't see their mistake.

My workarounds are to change the external keyboard to mechanical switches, use an Apple iphone stylus to press the passphrase keys, change to a single character passphrase, and or rebuild the system without encryption or no encryption on the root partition.

My experience is that these two items, numeric lock & repeating keys, during boot vary from computer to computer. Most of my stuff is older so newer computers may be more consistent.

EDIT: I just realized that the numeric lock indicator is lit but none of my passphrases actually use the numeric keyboard. I will test to confirm.

TracyTiger · 03-17-2020, 02:59 PM

I just now added a LUKS key for my root partition that uses a numeric digit and it works correctly when using the numeric pad on boot. That is the motherboard setting of having the numeric lock on during boot works on my particular computer.

I have an ASUS motherboard with an AMI UEFI/BIOS Utility from 2012 on the firmware. The setting is labelled "Bootup Numeric State". So in this case I'm just lucky to have a motherboard where numeric lock is settable on bootup.

Does anyone have a computer that allows disabling the "key repeat" during boot?

chrisretusn · 03-24-2020, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upnort

Any Slackers using NumLock during the boot stage? If so how?

I don't use encrypted disk but I do set NumLock to on during the boot stage. Perhaps this will spark and idea or two.

Here is the applicable section form my rc.local:

Code:

# Turn on Num Lock
if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.numlock ]; then
  /etc/rc.d/rc.numlock on 
fi

And the rc.numblock file:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Turn on Num Lock

# Turn on Num Lock 
numlock_on() {
  if [ -x /usr/bin/setleds ]; then
    echo "Turning on Num Lock"
    CLITTY=/dev/tty[1-6]
    for tty in $CLITTY; do
      /usr/bin/setleds -D +num < $tty
    done
  fi
}

case "$1" in
'on')
  numlock_on
  ;;
*)
  echo "usage $0 on"
esac

setleds is part of the kbd package in Slackware. The rc.numlock I had to create.

upnort · 03-24-2020, 11:48 AM

Quote:

The rc.numlock I had to create.

I do something similar but sadly that does not fix the NumLock state in between the boot loader launching and rc.d boot scripts.

bassmadrigal · 03-24-2020, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upnort

I do something similar but sadly that does not fix the NumLock state in between the boot loader launching and rc.d boot scripts.

I suppose another option would be to add setleds and any dependencies/libraries to the initrd and then edit the init script to change numlock's state.

upnort · 03-24-2020, 01:08 PM

Quote:

I suppose another option would be to add setleds and any dependencies/libraries to the initrd and then edit the init script to change numlock's state.

Yes, refer to the links in the original post.