Macbook Keyboard Fix

[greenyouse]

Hi all,
I had some trouble getting FreeBSD to work correctly in VirtualBox on my macbook (mid 2007 2.16 GHz model), so I thought it might be helpful to show how I enabled the function keys and scroll lock (slock) on my macbook. Thanks to Harry Jensen for the info on how to tweak the keyboard map .

First go to apple/system_preferences/keyboard and check the box that says "use all F1,F2, etc. keys as standard function keys".

Then start up FreeBSD and dump the keyboard map file to a new file called "mykeys"
$ kbdcontrol -d >mykeys

We'll change the "mykeys" file so "Ctrl+nlock" (nlock is numlock) will set "slock".

Find line with scancode "base" 069, or where "nlock" fills
the entire line. It should look like this

069 nlock nlock nlock nlock nlock nlock nlock nlock O

Change column 3 from "nlock" to "slock"

The line now looks like:

069 nlock nlock slock nlock nlock nlock nlock nlock O"

Edit /etc/rc.conf

keymap="/home/xxx/mykeys" #where the file is

This is possible to test before you reboot.

As root, issue the command:
# kbdcontrol -l mykeys

Now hitting "fn+nlock" followed by "crtl+nlock" should allow you turn on scroll lock! To take scroll lock off just enter the same two sequences. Hitting "alt+f1,f2, etc." buttons will also allow you to switch screens between virtual consoles.

To use the function buttons like normal type "fn+f1, f2, etc."

 

[nosmarterthanyou]

Works, thank you!

I just installed FreeBSD on a VM in VirtualBox on my mid 2008 MacBook Pro, and this was exactly what I needed to add a scroll lock capability. My keyboard doesn't even have a numlock, so I set the slock on the control column for the number 4. So, I just hit ^4 for scroll lock, then I can scroll with the arrows or page-up and -down with fn+arrow.