Laptop Keyboard Problems

[pen]

Went to use the wife's laptop tonight and found that the 8,i,k,and comma are not working. All other keys seems to be fine. Laptop is ~4 years old, a toshiba.

Any recommendations other than hooking up an external keyboard?

Thanks,

pen

 

[RNLA]

Too much saw dust... Sorry I just had to say it before anyone else... No real idea, I have the left click mouse pad that is getting "worn in".

 

[pen]

Too much saw dust... Sorry I just had to say it before anyone else... No real idea, I have the left click mouse pad that is getting "worn in".

Hmm, maybe I shouldn't bring the laptop with me when running the chainsaw. Not sure how I'd keep up w/ hearth.com if I didn't though. hmm.

This is the first keyboard I have ever had a problem with. I do pound on them pretty hard as I touch type at about 80-90 wpm, and it's not uncommon for my keyboards to have the texture worn right off them where the fingers hit. Maybe I've just been lucky in the past.

Still using the logitech roller ball mouse I bought in the 90's. That thing is a storm trooper. Hate ditching an otherwise good laptop because of the keyboard but I just don't know what the cost would be like (or if it's possible) to fix or replace it.

pen

 

[Hass]

Do they just not press down at all? or are they just dirty?
Are they pressing down, but not all the way?
maybe something is behind them.
Laptop keys usually just pop right off, maybe something is behind them.

If it were a normal keyboard, I'd say the solution is to stick it in the dishwasher.
But laptop keyboards suck as far as that goes... since you have to put the whole thing in there

Mechanical keyboards should be good for 20-50million keystrokes, and rubber domes/scissor switches are usually go for 5-20mil.
I'd assume you have a scissor switch... But who knows.
Pop the keys off and look for crumbs and crap first.
Easiest and most likely solution.

 

[pen]

The keys depress and feel just fine. No crumbs or sawdust in it. I'm assuming it's a problem with the keyboard in terms of an electrical break maybe? Since the 8,i,k,and comma, which are not working, all line up on a diagonal.

Last week one day when I fired it up I noticed that the "i" wasn't working. I did a few a;slidht;aowusrjf;kjahsd;foujs and it started working just fine again for a couple of days. Now it seems like the problem has expanded.

pen

 

[Hass]

The keys depress and feel just fine. No crumbs or sawdust in it. I'm assuming it's a problem with the keyboard in terms of an electrical break maybe? Since the 8,i,k,and comma, which are not working, all line up on a diagonal.

Last week one day when I fired it up I noticed that the "i" wasn't working. I did a few a;slidht;aowusrjf;kjahsd;foujs and it started working just fine again for a couple of days. Now it seems like the problem has expanded.

pen

Well then I recommend using a lower case L for i, and |< for k, and perhaps & for an 8 until you can get a new laptop
parts for it, or even getting someone to take a look at it would cost more than it's worth.

How handy are you with electrical things?
8 i k are all controlled by the same connector on the ribbon cable that is connecting to your computer typically.
If you open up the back, it should be a 24 pin ribbon connector right near the keyboard. Pop it off, see if any look corroded/different from the rest. Some people have different solutions for cleaning them.
Some use erasers, some use a pin or paper clip... I prefer just a good helping of contact cleaner.

I was just hoping it was a piece of food stuck under the i or something

If you really want to save it... try what I said above.
Other options would be just to try hooking up a USB keyboard, see if it works. (If it doesn't work, it's probably a software problem)
Update your BIOS (sometimes this helps, I'm not sure why it would cause it to stop working then work again though)
Did you try plugging the computer in? sometimes on battery power it won't work.
I would also suggest spraying contact cleaner right in to the keyboard with the keys popped off... Then put the keys back on and press the hell out of the keys for a while and see if that helps. But since all 3 aren't working, this most likely wouldn't do anything but take out some aggression!

If all else fails, you can just buy a new keyboard.
But it's probably not worth it, especially if it's the mainboard connector... then you just wasted money instead.

 

[pastera]

Just replace the keyboard - did for my wife's LT when she spilled 'a little' coffee in it (I was on travel and it still was dripping a week later!)

A quick search brought up some cheap prices
http://www.sunvalleyus.com/laptopkeyboard/toshibakeyboard.html

 

[webbie]

Whether to get a new keyboard depends on the setup. On many of my laptop macs, the keyboard comes out with no screws at all.....just pops out the top and one connector.

Like these:
http://www.outletpc.com/xa9681.html#axzz1azsXHYmU

cheap enough. Check the situation on your particular model. Yeah, if it's more than one key, chances are that some contacts inside are getting corroded or worn out.

 

[pen]

Hass, happens when it's plugged in or not.

Guess it's time to get the big flash drive out, move things over and open it up to find out how this keyboard connects.

I'm surprised at the prices of the keyboards from the sites you guys posted. Much cheaper than I was expecting.

Appreciate the info.

pen

 

[Hass]

Hass, happens when it's plugged in or not.

Guess it's time to get the big flash drive out, move things over and open it up to find out how this keyboard connects.

I'm surprised at the prices of the keyboards from the sites you guys posted. Much cheaper than I was expecting.

Appreciate the info.

pen

check the ribbon first.
If the ribbon is corroded you'll have to clean it anyway.

 

[pen]

Hass, happens when it's plugged in or not.

Guess it's time to get the big flash drive out, move things over and open it up to find out how this keyboard connects.

I'm surprised at the prices of the keyboards from the sites you guys posted. Much cheaper than I was expecting.

Appreciate the info.

pen

check the ribbon first.
If the ribbon is corroded you'll have to clean it anyway.

Oh certainly! I come from a family of motorheads, computers are not something I have worked much on other than adding RAM or updating software but the empirical process of problem solving is still the same. The mother's side of the family is into motorcycles, my father's side is the 4 wheel variety. Shy of wheel alignments (although I have been known to do one pretty damn well w/ a tape measure and a few 2x10's), I (we) do all our own work. Diagnose first, buy parts second. Nothing worse than trying to help a person fix something who believes throwing money at the situation is going to help.

Thanks for the advice,

pen

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

I've replaced my toshiba keyboard a bunch of times. I get them for about $25 on ebay.

The wicked little parrot has an annual festivus feat of strength with the keyboard. She holds out for the year until we get slack and leave it open. Chooses her moment. Usually when I am outside working. She just loves the snap of those keys.