How To Fix the Alt+Print Issue in Ubuntu 10.10

The following tutorial will teach you how to fix the Alt+PrintScreen issue, if you want to take a screenshot of a current window, in the Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat) operating system.

The problem: If you use the new Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat) operating system, you will no longer be able to use the Alt+Print key combination to take a screenshot of the current window. This is because Alt+Print is in conflict with the magic SysRq key.

The solution: To enable Alt+Print in Ubuntu 10.10 we have to disable the magic SysRq key.

So, follow the tutorial below in order to re-enable the Alt+Print key combination, to make screenshots of current windows...

Hit the ALT+F2 key combination, check the "Run in terminal" option, and paste the following command:

sudo sysctl -w kernel.sysrq=0

A terminal window will open. Type your password when asked and hit enter. The terminal window will automatically close. That's it! Try the ALT+Print key combination and it should pop-up the screenshot utility, with a screenshot of the current window.

Optional steps:

Step 1 - If for some reason, after a system reboot, the issue reappears, hit ALT+F2 key combination and paste or type the following command:

gksu gedit /etc/sysctl.conf

A text file will be opened, just paste or type the following line, at the end of the file:

kernel.sysrq = 0

Step 2 - If for some reason, you want to enable the magic SysRq key again, hit the ALT+F2 key combination, check the "Run in terminal" option, and paste the following command:

sudo sysctl -w kernel.sysrq=1

A terminal window will open. Type your password when asked and hit enter. The terminal window will automatically close. That's it!

Happy hacking!