I followed instructions on here on how to take apart my TR to upgrade the HDD. When I put the keyboard ribbon back and booted the machine, some of the keys are not working. I reseated the ribbon many times but still some keys will not work. A USB keyboard works fine. I’ve purchased another keyboard from ebay and I have the same issue - the same keys are not working. Any ideas on how to proceed?

Thanks.

I take it you are closing the brown clasp once the keyboard ribbon is inserted? it should be up at a 45% angle when open and pushed down level when shut.  If yes try putting a few layers of tape, ( sellotape or similar), on the back side on the keyboard connector to make it thicker overall.. make sure you don’t cover any of the traces on the connection side.

BladeRunner - 16 January 2008 08:48 AM

I take it you are closing the brown clasp once the keyboard ribbon is inserted? it should be up at a 45% angle when open and pushed down level when shut.  If yes try putting a few layers of tape sellotape of similar on the back side on the keyboard connector to make it thicker overall.. make sure you don’t cover any of the traces on the connection side.

Thanks for the sellotape suggestion. That appears to have resolved the problem I was having. You’ve saved me a minimum of £160 that Sony would have charged me for sending out a courier and collecting it, and possibly an additional £80 or £400 depending on whether they had decided to replace further parts or even the motherboard. I owe you one.

No problem… and it only takes one pin not to be making a good contact, and due to the small voltages and current used some keys won’t work, I think the spring force of the mobo connector tails off over the years a bit too..

Oh and always ask on here first, just about everything on TR is resolvable at sensible cost… except perhaps the infernal camera & the screen if you crack it…....

What does this ribbon look like? i have the exact same problem.

Supplementary question: does someone have a step-by-step on removing the keyboard. Or perhaps to back up step, what’s the best way to clean the crumbs and dust from under the keys? Mine’s a very lived-with laptop.

Mr Sheen, and a blow gun

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/household-products/mr-sheen/

http://cdn.overstock.com/images/products/3/L11183127.jpg

Spray keyboard liberally, wipe keys firmly with soft cloth, they should come up clean, repeat if required then use a blow gun (compressed air from an airline), and blow between the keys, this will blow out the mr sheen that has gone between the keys, and clean and remove the dirt etc.

don’t use to much pressure and you can do it with keyboard in the TR, (better to remove it), but make sure to protect the screen, because it could be cracked with the pin point pressure from a blow gun.

I use this method often with standard keyboards too