The keyboard will not work and the 9 with a padlock light is on how do i fix this

Karen Crain,
The padlock with the number 9 turns on when the numeric keyboard is enabled.Click the numlock key on the keyboard and it should go off.
Thank You,
Dell-Jesse L
Dell Social Media and Communities

That is your number lock key is turned on, which means that your 9 key keypad is ready to use. If you press the number lock key on your keyboard the light will go away but your 9 key numeric keyboard won't work until you press the number lock key again.

That means the unlock is on. To disable it you can try hold the Fn key and press the F4 key or the key with the padlock and the number 9 on it.

Is the Num Lock light lit? This light is the one all the way to the left of several on the computer to the left of the power button (it looks like a padlock with a 9 in the center). The integrated number pad is probably active. Press to toggle this feature off. The Num Lk key is to the right of the various function keys but to the left of the keys labeled Insert and Delete.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

If the computer still works, consider yourself lucky.

More than likely swapping the bad keyboard out with a new one will resolve the issue, ebay's usually the cheapest place to get a replacement keyboard.

In the meantime a usb keyboard will get you by.

Hope this info helps!

That is the number keypad lock.

In the back of the computer under where the keyboard and mouse plugs in their are 4 little lights .these light should be light up either green or yellow. here is the link to the site where you can download the Owners manual pdf 997 kband you look on page 35-38 it will show you the diagram of the lights to see if any match up to yours.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim2400/en/index.htm#online_documentation

Most likely you have your numlock key turned on by mistake. Look on your computer and see if there is a light with a padlock and a number in the padlock. It is probably lit up. Now look for a key on your keyboard called "numlock" and press the key once. See if the light goes off. When you have the numlock key on some of the letter keys will work as numbers like a calculator. When you turn it off the keys are back to letters.

This means the number lock is on - in the upper right hand corner of the keyboard is a series of 4 keys.  Far right is delete, then (from the right) insert, Prnt Scrn, and Num Lk.  Hit the Num Lk key, and the number 9 with the padlock should shut off.  Your keyboard should now work normally.  
Any more problems, let me know!

It is better to run the dell diagnostics, when you see the dell logo keep on tapping f12, then choose utility partition and do an express on your system.