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    Keyboard repair

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by luee, May 29, 2007.

  1. luee

    luee Notebook Deity

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    the down arrow key on my Compaq 2000 felt soft so I tried to fix it. It came loose, can it be fixed easily? Thanx.
     
    luee, May 29, 2007
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  2. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    How was the key fixed?

    Maybe you can push it back on.

    Otherwise you might be looking for a new keyboard.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, May 29, 2007
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  3. luee

    luee Notebook Deity

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    No it does not spring up. It felt soft so I tried to reseat it and it came loose. I can use my mouse for the scroll function. Will I have to replace the entire keyboard?
     
    luee, May 29, 2007
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  4. beattie010

    beattie010 Notebook Guru

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    which part came away? it is well possible to superglue keys back on if you have a steady hand and still get OK performance.
     
    beattie010, May 29, 2007
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  5. luee

    luee Notebook Deity

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    The key itself, it went back but there is no spring. It is lying at the bottom of the stroke and there is no response, no bounceback.
     
    luee, May 29, 2007
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  6. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    Most notebook keyboards use rubber cones under the keys to provide the springiness. Did that cone launch itself somewhere? Can you try to look under another key and see what is beneath.

    I don't know whether you would be able to obtain a spare part or if you can improvise a spring.

    You could also use a keyboard remapping program ( here is one of several) to remap another key (eg the right Windows key) to be the down arrow.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, May 29, 2007
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  7. luee

    luee Notebook Deity

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    OK, thanks the remap tweak worked, I moved the down arrow next door to the right arrow which I never use. I think I see what happened but don't know if I can repair it. There are two clips that probably form the spring one a three sided rectangular and one a smaller rectangular with a hole in the center that slide down the center rod and spring back. Must have come loose with usage.
     
    luee, May 29, 2007
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