I've just tried to get the volume keys working on my laptop again. I'd previously looked at this, but not spent much time on it.

I found that I needed a program called "hotkeys" (which apt-get has a package for), and then I had to create a definition for my laptop keyboard.

For anyone else running a 2200, here's the file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<definition>
  <config model="Dell Inspiron 2200 Notebook">
    <volup keycode="176">
    <voldown keycode="174">
    <mute keycode="160">
  </config>
  <contributor>
    <name>Simon Quigley</name>
    <email>squigley@squigley.net</email>
  </contributor>
</definition>

(It's really hard to insert xml into a blog, without it being interpreted, so the indenting is probably wrong, I had to replace the tabs with non breaking spaces).

Anyway, once I had that file in /usr/share/hotkeys, as inspiron2200.def, I was able to "hotkeys -t inspiron2200", and have my volume keys work.

It even has a groovy OSD, to show the volume going up and down.

The only issue now, is that it changes the master volume control, and this volume control has no effect when I'm using headphones, only the PCM 1 and 2 effect the headphones volume.

Hmm, oh well, at least I should have hardware volume control when not using headphone, which is a start, so that in the office if my laptop starts making noise without the headphones in, I can just hit the mute keyboard combination, and shut it up.