Numpad disables after logging into unity

Adding the command numlockx on to Startup Applications

Some commands break if you add them to startup applications, because the command needs a fully loaded desktop to run successfully, and Startup Applications runs the commands too early.

If the command

numlockx on

works once you are logged in, I am pretty sure it is a matter of timing to make it work as a startup application. You can add a little break to make it work.

Since Startup Applications creates a .desktop file in ~/.config/autostart to run the startup command, you need the “regular” syntax to add a complicated command (including the break) to be used in a .desktop file, which is in this case:

/bin/bash -c "sleep 15&&numlockx on"

Possibly, you need to play a little with the sleep 15 to optimize.

Edit

An alternative method to run the command at startup is mentioned here, but the result is the same.

EDIT

If your startup procedure (-time) is unpredictable for some reason and/or the numpad is set to off repeatedly by some process during startup, you can make sure it works correctly by adding the script below to your Startup Applications

It keeps an eye on the Numpad, to be set on during the first minute after startup (log in):

#!/bin/bash

n=1
while [ "$n" -ne 60 ]; do
if [ "$( numlockx status )" != "Numlock is on" ]; then
  numlockx on
fi
sleep 1
n=$((n+1))
done

Add to Startup Applications: Dash > Startup Applications > Add, add the command:

/bin/bash /path/to/script.sh