I just ran into this in my vivid test installation (no, just like the OP, I will not jump through silly hoops requested from the penalv-bot only to have the issue at hand ignored). Setting to 'confirmed' and 'affecting me'. In fact, my computer hung after I tried the volume keys.
As with almost any kernel bugs, don't hold your breath for Ubuntu providing a fix, though. It seems the kernel team's only job is to introduce bugs not present upstream. Your best bet is to test the mainline kernel provided by Ubuntu and if the problem if you can reproduce the kernel there as well then report it upstream. Ubuntu won't ever bother and the only way to fix things in Ubuntu is to fix them upstream. Sad but true in case of the kernel. Just like the OP, the problem was gone after a reboot. I came to this ticket because I experienced bug 1354180 and that ticket referenced this one. ** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu) Status: Expired => Confirmed -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Kernel Packages, which is subscribed to linux in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1353129 Title: [REGRESSION 2014-08] Volume up/down keys, and printScreen key, have stopped working Status in linux package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Status in unity package in Ubuntu: New Bug description: All of a sudden, the volume keys from the keyboard have stopped working. The volume control on the top right corner of the screen does work if used with the mouse. I have both an external usb keyboard with dedicated volume + and - keys, and the builtin laptop keyboard where the volume +/-keys are the combination of the Fn key plus the up/down arrows. All these used to work up to a few minutes ago. Now none of them works. I think they stopped working with the last reboot. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04 Package: linux-image-3.13.0-32-generic 3.13.0-32.57 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-32.57-generic 3.13.11.4 Uname: Linux 3.13.0-32-generic x86_64 NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.2 Architecture: amd64 AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC0: teo 2303 F.... pulseaudio /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: teo 2303 F...m pulseaudio CurrentDesktop: Unity Date: Tue Aug 5 23:13:35 2014 HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=ff7e702a-a05a-47fd-8c14-551e81f9e9e3 InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-10-11 (298 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424) MachineType: Acer Aspire V3-571G ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-32-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=5830b30e-69e8-4bb4-8a2b-bc2b43c7414a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 RelatedPackageVersions: linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-32-generic N/A linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-32-generic N/A linux-firmware 1.127.5 SourcePackage: linux UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-05-24 (73 days ago) dmi.bios.date: 10/15/2012 dmi.bios.vendor: Acer dmi.bios.version: V2.07 dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag dmi.board.name: VA50_HC_CR dmi.board.vendor: Acer dmi.board.version: Type2 - Board Version dmi.chassis.type: 10 dmi.chassis.vendor: Acer dmi.chassis.version: V2.07 dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrV2.07:bd10/15/2012:svnAcer:pnAspireV3-571G:pvrV2.07:rvnAcer:rnVA50_HC_CR:rvrType2-BoardVersion:cvnAcer:ct10:cvrV2.07: dmi.product.name: Aspire V3-571G dmi.product.version: V2.07 dmi.sys.vendor: Acer To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1353129/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kernel-packages Post to : kernel-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kernel-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp