If nothing happens when you hit 1,2,3 that means Maya 8.5 doesnt have the smooth preview.
Smooth preview and Mesh Smooth are 2 different things mate. The preview is just that...a preview. The Mesh Smooth is a final proper smooth...if you use that then save it...you are buggered as it will BAKE it with all those divisions.
Remember they are TWO different types of smooth
cheers bullet
bullet1968
"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes