nms@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (n.m.scribner) (11/23/89)
I have a c64, vintage about 1986, whose space bar does not function every time it is struck; frequently, it takes serveral taps to get a space. The key does not seem to stick, or show any other obvious mechanical problem. Has anyone had experience fixing similar problems? Thanks, Neal Scribner (ATT-BL, Holmdel NJ)
sauder@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (8908) (11/24/89)
In article <6058@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> nms@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (n.m.scribner) writes: >I have a c64, vintage about 1986, whose space bar does not function >every time it is struck; frequently, it takes serveral taps to get a space. >The key does not seem to stick, or show any other obvious mechanical problem. >Has anyone had experience fixing similar problems? > >Thanks, >Neal Scribner (ATT-BL, Holmdel NJ) I once had the same vintage 64 AND the same problem. I used mine as a word processor and really banged on the keys. In fact, I wanted a 128 so bad that when this happened, I just bought a 128. But I loaned my 64 to an Electrical Engineer friend of mine who simply pulled all they keys off the keyboard and cleaned the contact points. Now it works great! He said it wasn't very hard. -- Jeff Sauder sauder@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu
scott@max.u.washington.edu (11/24/89)
In article <6058@cbnewsh.ATT.COM>, nms@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (n.m.scribner) writes: > I have a c64, vintage about 1986, whose space bar does not function > every time it is struck; frequently, it takes serveral taps to get a space. > The key does not seem to stick, or show any other obvious mechanical problem. > Has anyone had experience fixing similar problems? > > Thanks, > Neal Scribner (ATT-BL, Holmdel NJ) The problem is caused by the accumulation of dust over the years between the contacts of the keys. Fixing the problem is simple but you need to open the computer and requires some very simple desoldering. To start with, remove the three screws located at the front-bottom of the computer. (At this point, go to the bathroom or kitchen and touch your hand to the faucet to discharge yourself of any static electricity). After removing the screws, you will be able to open the computer up. Now remove the keyboard cable from its socket and the "power-on" LED cable from its socket (when removing this cable remember how it was plugged in). Unplugging these two cables you will be able to remove the top part of the computer from the mother-board. When you look at the underside of the keyboard you will be able to see two bare-wires soldered. You need to desolder these two wires from their respective places. Having done that, now comes the fun part; you need to remove all those little screws dotting the underside of the keyboard. With the screws removed, you will be able to remove the underpad of the keyboard. You need to clean this pad with a little soup and a dishwashing cloth. You will also want to clean the underside of each key with a glass-cleaner and cloth. Having cleaned all that, now comes the part of putting everything back together. And hopefully after all that your keyboard. will be more responsive. Sincerely, Scott K. Stephen
ss60fhl@sdcc4.ucsd.edu (Milo D. Cooper) (11/26/89)
In article <6058@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> nms@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (n.m.scribner) writes: =>I have a c64, vintage about 1986, whose space bar does not function =>every time it is struck; frequently, it takes serveral taps to get a space. =>The key does not seem to stick, or show any other obvious mechanical problem. =>Has anyone had experience fixing similar problems? => =>Neal Scribner (ATT-BL, Holmdel NJ) Open up your keyboard and clean under the spacebar with rubbing alcohol. This worked for me for a while; but now almost all my keys are faulty, though I've cleaned the keyboard several times. My keyboard's just old, I guess... -- |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| ________| MILO D. COOPER '89 That black guy with the hat. |________ \ |______________________________________________________| / /________\| |/________\
gt4662b@prism.gatech.EDU (BRANHAM,JOSEPH FRANKLIN) (11/27/89)
In article <4136@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>, sauder@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu (8908) writes: > >I have a c64, vintage about 1986, whose space bar does not function > >every time it is struck; frequently, it takes serveral taps to get a space. > >The key does not seem to stick, or show any other obvious mechanical problem. > >Has anyone had experience fixing similar problems? > > I found that taking the keyboard apart and cleaning the keys didn't help much. What I had to do was replace the rubber parts which are attatched to the keycaps. It is a simple matter to pry the keycaps off with a screwdriver. For replacements, Radio Shack used to sell some old Commodore 16 Keyboards for about $3.00 each. You may still be able to find some. These are almost indentical to a c64 keyboard, and you can rewire the matrix a bit to get it to work-though the restore key will be missing. -- BRANHAM,JOSEPH FRANKLIN Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 "I know my familiar is a vampire duck, just don't mess with it." Internet: gt4662b@prism.gatech.edu
stephenc@tekgen.BV.TEK.COM (Stephen Coan) (11/28/89)
In article <10936@max.u.washington.edu>, scott@max.u.washington.edu writes: > ... > (At this point, go to the bathroom or kitchen and touch > your hand to the faucet to discharge yourself of any static electricity). > ... > Sincerely, > Scott K. Stephen Please NOTE! DO NOT go running around your house to discharge yourself. This only works if your computer is AT the location where you do the discharge. On the way back, you are going to acquire a charge again, and this may be worse than the one you had when you started out. Best Bet. After the case is opened, touch the top of the large metal sheild covering the VIC II chip. This IS GROUND, and will safely bring you and the computer board to the same potential. DO NOT touch any other parts first, as a discharge anywhere else will likely do some terrible damage. Hope this helps. -- Steve Coan tektronix!tekgen!stephenc (503) 627-1794
trejo@nprdc.arpa (Leonard J. Trejo) (11/29/89)
In article <6058@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> nms@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (n.m.scribner) writes: >I have a c64, vintage about 1986, whose space bar does not function >every time it is struck; frequently, it takes serveral taps to get a space. >The key does not seem to stick, or show any other obvious mechanical problem. >Has anyone had experience fixing similar problems? > >Thanks, >Neal Scribner (ATT-BL, Holmdel NJ) I have a related problem and thought that those who read the original article might be able to help. My son discharged a static charge from his hand to the joystick of our Comm 64. after which the machine continually echoes spaces after boot up. Most of the keys do nothing. The machine is unuseable, even with cartridges that don't need the keyboard. I remember a while back how other subscribers to this newsgroup had complained of static fouling the joystick ports and a hardware fix for the problem. Anyone have a clue what chip or component I should look at? I really don't want to "log a service call" on the machine. I'd be very grateful for any help or advice. LJT ============================================================================ ARPANET : trejo@nprdc.navy.mil UUCP: ucsd!nprdc!trejo U.S. Mail: Leonard J. Trejo, Ph. D. Phone: (619) 553-7711 Neuroscience Laboratory (AV) 553-7711 NPRDC, Code 141 San Diego, CA 92152-6800
gt4662b@prism.gatech.EDU (BRANHAM,JOSEPH FRANKLIN) (11/29/89)
> I have a related problem and thought that those who read the original > article might be able to help. My son discharged a static charge from > his hand to the joystick of our Comm 64. after which the machine > continually echoes spaces after boot up. Most of the keys do nothing. > The machine is unuseable, even with cartridges that don't need the > keyboard. > > There are two possibilties here. One is that the chip which deals with the joysticks is dead (most likely). The other is that your joystick has died in some manner and one of the switches is being held down. I believe that the chip which drives the joysticks is located directly next to the keyboard connector. On some C64's it is actually socketed, and you can pull it and replace it with a new one for about $20. (Note that there are two chips in line with the keyboard connector which are the same type of chip. Both handle much of the C64's I/O. As an experiment, if both are socketed, you might try switching them. If your joystick problem goes away, but you have some problems with your disk drive....) Cheers-Frank Branham -- BRANHAM,JOSEPH FRANKLIN Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 "I know my familiar is a vampire duck, just don't mess with it." Internet: gt4662b@prism.gatech.edu
jgreco@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Joe Greco) (11/29/89)
In comp.sys.cbm article <4803@arctic.nprdc.arpa>, trejo@nprdc.arpa (Leonard J. Trejo) wrote:
<= stuff about joystick port zap deleted =>
>Anyone have a clue what chip or component I should look at?
The joystick ports are connected to the same CIA that the keyboard is -
"U1". It's the 6526 CIA that is right next to the keyboard connector.
Replacing it will probably run about $15 and be a snap if it is socketed.
If not, get someone who is experienced in chip removal to socket it. Not a
project for the lighthearted.
--
jgreco@csd4.csd.uwm.edu Joe Greco at FidoNet 1:154/200
USnail: 9905 W Montana Ave PunterNet Node 30 or 31
West Allis, WI 53227-3329 "These aren't anybody's opinions."
Voice: 414/321-6184 Data: 414/321-9287 (Happy Hacker's BBS)dan.copeland@canremote.uucp (DAN COPELAND) (11/30/89)
>From: nms@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (n.m.scribner) >Orga: AT&T Bell Laboratories > >I have a c64, vintage about 1986, whose space bar does not function >every time it is struck; frequently, it takes serveral taps to get a >space. The key does not seem to stick, or show any other obvious >mechanical problem. Has anyone had experience fixing similar problems? Take the keyboard apart (all 1Million little screws and unsolder the shiftlock key (carefully) and clean the board contacts and the key rubber... this will cure it for a while (my return key used to act this way and a cleaning used to cure it) If the conductive rubber has gone try swapping the space rubber with a seldom used key i.e. the back arrow or the british pound key. --- * Via ProDoor 3.1R
unhd (Layton C Cote) (12/01/89)
In article <2630@lgnp1.LS.COM> phil@lgnp1.LS.COM (Phil Eschallier) writes: >a friend of mine is looking to buy a C64 (used of course). if you are >interested in selling one, please send me email. -- phil@ls.com > C O M M O D O R E 1 2 8 S T I L L 4 S A L E : ------------------------------------------------- Anyone interested in buying a BRAND NEW(never used) c128 system: --------------------- A friend of mine is selling the complete system, since she needs ibm (yeeuch!) compatibility. It must go soon. SYSTEM INCLUDES: (all still in unused condition) C=128 computer C= Monitor \ Okimate 20 color printer (brand new too) -----------------> COMPLETE OAK-FINISHED DESK UNIT / 2 1571 disk drives Original unused software: Integrated word processing Data Manager/ report writer games... price: asking ~ $900 OR best offer(make one, please!) contact: Mary McNeil home: (603) 485 8040 work: (603) 472 7000 Or if you can't get in touch with her, leave me email(with offer,etc.) and i will arrange something with her. (btw, the desk unit is one of those nice ones with a monitor shelf, drives shelf, printer shelf, etc, not the plain one piece style) ___ _ ---UUCP:uunet!unhd!lcc770--------/ //--------------------------| |-------- |---------------------------\_//--------------------BITNET:l_cote@unhh---| | \ DISCLAIMER: Of course expressed opinions are mine and don't \| \______________necessarily_reflect_those_of_my_employer___________________|