nautilus ctrl + drag-n-drop copy problem

[reeder]

Using 2.6.10-gentoo-r6 (from gentoo-dev-sources), xorg-x11-6.8.0-r4, gnome-base-2.8.1-r1, and nautilus-2.8.2-r1 on x86.

I wanted to make a copy of a file using nautilus. The docs (Help->Contents) said that I could grab the file, then press and hold the ctrl key, and drag to the new location. But every time I try the copy does not happen, there is no error message, my cursor changes to a + in half of a frame (like shown for the copy operation in the docs), and I am STUCK!

In more detail, here is what I did:
1) Press and hold the left mouse button over the file I want to copy.
2) Press and hold the ctrl key on the keyboard (cursor changes now)
3) drag to another file browser window (showing another folder)
4) release both mouse button and ctrl key
5) curse that my cursor is still the plus, I can't change window focus, no menus function, and no buttons function.

The only way out seems to be to kill nautilus (Alt-F4 seems to do the trick). I have tried releasing the ctrl key first and releasing the mouse first and releasing them simultaneously (which we know is never exactly simultaneously). I've also tried dragging the file over a folder shown in the tree view of the side panel, and it fails in exactly the same way.

I can move files (deletes from old place) by simple drag-n-drop, but can't seem to get the copy function to work with drag-n-drop. Copy and Paste do work, but I was hoping for the faster to execute drag-n-drop variant.

Any clues? Need any more info?

Thanks,
-- William