These keys work in gnome, fluxbox, window maker, e16, and form a console.

But they do not work in kde 4:4.3.1-1 or xfce. So it seams to be something in the way these to desktops are interacting with the underlying system.

So far google has not even hinted at a solution.

My system;
Debian Squeeze amd64 fully up to date on a HP dv9000 series laptop.

I have several other machines with debian & kde install (older versions) and they don't have this problem. I can narrow the time that they quit working down to after the 4.3.. update. At that time the system tray began to malfunction so I explored other desktops. That proccess brought me to install xfce 4.6.1-1. In running xfce a little I discovered that the keys didn't work.

Exploring the system tray malfunction in kde brought me a mesured level of success in getting it to work well enough that I am able to run kde again. My favorite desktop.

Could something that xfce installed be causing a conflict? I have not tried uninstalling it. I have tried using gdm instead of kdm but that didn't change anything.

The keys also don't work if a modifier key is used. Turning of the num-loc does not allow the navigation keys in the numeric pad to work in kde although they do in xfce.

Any ideas?

Open System Settings > Regional & Language > Keyboard Layout. Make sure "no layout" is selected.

Thanks,

I have disabled the keyboard layout and that didn't change anything. Yes I did logout, restart the x-server and log back in. I have also uninstall xfce and did the restart thing and that also has not changed anything.

Any other ideas?

It seams that the navigation keys in the numeric keypad now function somewhat. They will work in kmail and opera but not in konsole.

Remember that the base system functions correctly. If I switch to a shell with ctrl-alt-f* the keys work correctly.

This sounds like a keyboard layout issue. It seems that X is either being instructed to load, or is misdetecting your keyboard layout.

Try enabling the Keyboard Layout section I asked you to disable previously, and select the appropriate Make / Model / Keyboard Layout using the interface.

SOLVED

It seams that in the update/install that caused this to happen an .Xmodmap file was installed that was mapping those two keys to F13 & F14. Thanks to a person that came across my post and emailed me I found the solution.

All I did was rename the existing .Xmodmap file to .Xmodmap~ and create an empty file to replace it. Then logout, restart the xserver and log back in.

Thanks

encountered a same problem;
solved
thanks