bumby@math.rutgers.edu (Richard Bumby) (03/01/90)
Although this is a follow-up, my attempt to post it as such failed. The original article has expired, so I am working from my copy of the failed posting. In article <5044@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken Mandelberg) writes: > Two keys on the top row of my T1000 keyboard have developed troubles > . . . I guess it must be releated to wear. > > Is there a way to repair them? > -- Since the subject has been raised, I would like to add my F2 key to the list. I actually noticed a little sluggishness when the machine was new, so I don't think it is use-related. I don't know whether single keys can be fixed, or how much a new keyboard would cost, but I, too, would like to find out. -- --R. T. Bumby ** Math ** Rutgers ** New Brunswick ** NJ08903 ** USA -- above postal address abbreviated by internet to bumby@math.rutgers.edu voice communication unreliable -- telephone ignored -- please use Email
davidc@vlsisj.VLSI.COM (David Chapman) (03/02/90)
In article <Feb.28.17.03.29.1990.12758@math.rutgers.edu> bumby@math.rutgers.edu (Richard Bumby) writes: >In article <5044@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken >Mandelberg) writes: > >> Two keys on the top row of my T1000 keyboard have developed troubles >> . . . I guess it must be releated to wear. >> >> Is there a way to repair them? >> -- > >Since the subject has been raised, I would like to add my F2 key to >the list. I actually noticed a little sluggishness when the machine >was new, so I don't think it is use-related. Mechanical keys (the cheapest kind for full-travel) can get dirt in the contacts. Even if you keep your laptop in its case all the time (you *did* buy a case, didn't you?), they can get dirty. Usually you can pry off the keycaps without damaging anything. If so, you can scrape the contacts with a knife blade or wipe them with a swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. You might want to shake the computer upside down to dislodge any dirt, or use a can of compressed air to blow it out. I've done this on standard keyboards many times. My Z-88 has the rubberized keyboard, so it doesn't have this particular problem (instead, some of the keys got mashed when I put something on it :-( Disclaimer: this advice is worth what you paid for it. -- David Chapman {known world}!decwrl!vlsisj!fndry!davidc vlsisj!fndry!davidc@decwrl.dec.com
coryc@sequent.UUCP (Cory Carpenter) (03/05/90)
In article <15505@vlsisj.VLSI.COM> davidc@vlsisj.UUCP (David Chapman) writes: >In article <Feb.28.17.03.29.1990.12758@math.rutgers.edu> bumby@math.rutgers.edu (Richard Bumby) writes: >>In article <5044@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken >>Mandelberg) writes: >> >>> Two keys on the top row of my T1000 keyboard have developed troubles >>> . . . I guess it must be releated to wear. >>> >>> Is there a way to repair them? >>> -- >Usually you can pry off the keycaps without damaging anything. If >so, you can scrape the contacts with a knife blade or wipe them with >a swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. You might want to shake the computer >upside down to dislodge any dirt, or use a can of compressed air to >blow it out. Not to cast disparagement on David, but pulling the keycaps off a T1K won't get you anywhere. (Except to the stems of the keys, of course.) After some hundreds of hours of (ab)use, my T1K developed the same problems, most notably with the `F4' key which is used extensively with several of my favorite programs. The solution to this problem requires guts, perseverence, and willingness to play fast and loose with one's warranty. (Or perhaps not: I've never been too clear on manufacturer's attitudes toward opening the cases of our expensive toys.) Rubbing alcohol -- mmm... maybe. You'd be better off with electronic-grade alcohol or freon, since they lack the lanolin or other lubricants used in rubbing alcohol. Tweak (tm) contact enhancer might also work. At any rate, the solution I used involved opening the case of my T1K (remove six Phillips screws on the underside, and carefully release the plastic locking tabs on both sides and at the rear above the DB25 connectors), detaching the keyboard and LCD cable connectors, and removing the printed-contact board for the keyboard (secured by some dozen rather small Phillips screws). Once the contact-board is removed, the contacts can be cleaned at will, using your method of choice. (A standard pencil eraser also works very well.) Once the contacts are clean, don't ignore the rubberized bridges (or whatever the #$^%@ they're called) on the underside of the keys. This is where your cleaning solution, applied with a cotton swab, will be the most useful. Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly. (Take some care with your LCD cable: it's rather bulky and can distort the bottom of the case if not routed properly.) (When it comes right down to it, the procedure is almost identical with cleaning the contacts on a Commodore VIC-20 or -64 keyboard, except that a soldering iron is not require for detaching the leads to the shift-lock key.) Hope this helps out, and in apology to David, removing your keycaps can be useful if you want to clean out the dirt, dust, and other skuz that builds up between the keys. -- ______________________________________________________________________________ | Cory R. Carpenter | "The world had never had so many moving parts | | Sequent Computer Systems | or so few labels." | | {uunet}!sequent!coryc | --William Gibson, `Mona Lisa Overdrive' |
km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken Mandelberg) (03/11/90)
I want to thank Cory for his followup to my original article about the
problem I was having with some bad keys on my T1000.
His comments were completely correct. When I disassembled the keyboard
per his instructions, I found that there was an oily residue on the
printed circuit board on the contact points where the bad key posts
press the board. After cleaning the circuit board, and reassembling the
keys worked just fine.
This could not have been fixed by removing the keycaps from the
outside. I have had more than my share of experience (and success)
repairing ADM3a keyboards from the outside, but this just won't work on
a T1000. It is a bit painful having to remove dozens of little screws
to get at the circuit board, but that is really the only choice.
--
Ken Mandelberg | km@mathcs.emory.edu PREFERRED
Emory University | {decvax,gatech}!emory!km UUCP
Dept of Math and CS | km@emory.bitnet NON-DOMAIN BITNET
Atlanta, GA 30322 | Phone: (404) 727-7963davidc@vlsisj.VLSI.COM (David Chapman) (03/13/90)
In article <5125@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken Mandelberg) writes: >... When I disassembled the keyboard >per his instructions, I found that there was an oily residue on the >printed circuit board on the contact points where the bad key posts >press the board. After cleaning the circuit board, and reassembling the >keys worked just fine. > >This could not have been fixed by removing the keycaps from the >outside. I have had more than my share of experience (and success) >repairing ADM3a keyboards from the outside, but this just won't work on >a T1000. It is a bit painful having to remove dozens of little screws >to get at the circuit board, but that is really the only choice. I don't have my posting, but I don't think it was the original one I wrote on this topic. In particular, I prefixed that one with "if your keys are the spring-contact type..." or some such thing. Our network connection has a tendency to crash (#@$#@!!! NFS) and I couldn't post it. I don't have a T1000 so I couldn't comment knowledgeably, alas. The key (couldn't resist) point is that the contacts get dirty. Keep your laptop in a case whenever you're not using it. P.S. Someone else commented on my choice of rubbing alcohol: You can buy rubbing alcohol without lanolin. If it's present it should be listed as an ingredient on the label. Rubbing alcohol is cheaper than other solvents and I can use it to kill bugs on my houseplants. :-) -- David Chapman {known world}!decwrl!vlsisj!fndry!davidc vlsisj!fndry!davidc@decwrl.dec.com