Many BIOSs have a setting that will change the default for num lock. Have you checked yours to see if you can control it in the BIOS?
I'm using Kurumin 4Alpha2 (a Brazilian flavor of Knoppix).
I changed the option at kde to have the keyboard numlock on at startup but it only works at graphical interface. At text mode, nothing changed. Continue to have to tap the numlock key.
It's bad, because very often I forget to do it.
If anybody knows a magic formula to do it, please tell me.
Many BIOSs have a setting that will change the default for num lock. Have you checked yours to see if you can control it in the BIOS?
apt-get install numlockx
You may need to add numlockx on to the end of ~/.xsession or create a file ~/.profile and add it there.

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