--datadir=/usr/share/kbd: This puts the kbd data files (fonts, keymaps, and such) in the /usr/share/kbd directory, as the FHS suggests. rm /usr/share/kbd/keymaps/i386/qwerty/defkeymap.map.gz: There are some problems with having a defkeymap.map.gz when that file wants to load another keymap file. Instead of running loadkeys with the -d option to load the defkeymap.map.gz file, we have come up with a slightly modified method that we use in the loadkeys bootscript (see chapter 7). We don't load a default keymap, but instead load the proper keymap directly, which you will need to specify in a configuration file which that bootscript uses. This method overcomes this bug. However, if you want to create a defkeymap.map.gz file regardless, here's how you should do it: cd /usr/share/kbd/keymaps && ln -s <path-to-keymap> defkeymap.map.gz Replace <path-to-keymap> with the path to the keymap you have selected, relative to the /usr/share/kbd/keymaps/ directory. For example, if you have chosen the US keymap, you would replace it with i386/qwerty/us.map.gz.