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T500 key doesn't work and replacement

T400/T410/T420 and T500/T510/T520 Series
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fje
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T500 key doesn't work and replacement

#1 Post by fje » Sun Jul 17, 2022 8:13 am

Hi, as I told in my previous thread, my T500 "decided" to live a second life and it works again.

Now I have another problem. A couple of keyboard keys doesn't work. I feel I found a place where to buy them, but I have a couple of doubts:

1.- Is the plastic cup under the key cap responsable not only of restore the key to its up place but ALSO of making the needed contact to send the keystroke command? I mean, does that cup have at the bottom some kind of carbon contact to do it? that, if damaged, could explain it doesn't work anymore? I feel it is this way, but I'd like some confirmation.

2.- So, if this is the problem with my two damaged keys, as I presume, my second problem is how to replace the plastic cup. The keyboard in my T500 is the one that seems to have the plastic cup retained at its bottom by some kind of green plastic circle. How could then the cup be taking out and the new put in? I saw several videos about key replacement, but all of them show how to take out the cap and the plastic hingle, no one that I could find explains how to do it with the cup.

Thanks again and kind regards.

Javier
600E, T42, T500, T440S

RealBlackStuff
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Re: T500 key doesn't work and replacement

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:36 am

Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
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fje
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Posts: 142
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:36 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

Re: T500 key doesn't work and replacement

#3 Post by fje » Sun Jul 17, 2022 2:53 pm

Hi, thanks for your quick answer. I already knew the site you refer to, but I would still ask fot confirmation I am right with my assumtion on question 1.-

And regarding question 2.-, it is not clear in their installation guidelines how to deal with the "green" cup, should I "unglue" the old one and apply the new one with glue? As far as I can see it, it seems to be hold by a green holder, not glued.

Anyway, thanks again.

Regards

Javier
600E, T42, T500, T440S

RealBlackStuff
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Re: T500 key doesn't work and replacement

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Mon Jul 18, 2022 12:46 am

1) for how that cup is working, see here: https://www.oscium.com/sites/default/fi ... board4.pdf
With the laptop ON, to test a cup (with the key removed), use something blunt to gently press on the cup all the way down.
If it does not work, you may need to replace the keyboard.

2) to replace the cup, carefully pull the old one out. Don't leave anything behind.
Apply a small amount of (super)glue around the OUTER rim of the new cup and seat it in the center of the hinge assembly.
Sometimes the rubber cup will firmly sit in place by itself, but it is better to use adhesive.
Allow ample drying time before installing the key cap!
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

fje
Sophomore Member
Posts: 142
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:36 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

Re: T500 key doesn't work and replacement

#5 Post by fje » Mon Jul 18, 2022 1:47 am

Thanks again for your answer.

1.- Thanks for the reference. Looking at it, I am not sure which kind of keyboard the T500 one is. But looking at the second point (is the rubber cup OK?) I feel it is BUT it is NOT the responsable of doing the contact that indicates the key is depressed, But this seems to be job of the "black paper" that covers all the keyboard under the keys and that should have the contact (or do the capacitor work) to close the circuit and indicate which key has been depressed. I felt that contact (carbon contact I saw in other devices) was in the bottom of the cup, but it seems it is not there, but in the black paper.

2.- In the case of my T500 keyboard it seems that the cup is not positioned/glued, it seems it is hold by a green ring that has a small open point in one of the sides, so probably it has to be taken of the ring forcing it up.

Finally, if the keyboard is working as I presume in point 1.-, I feel the best (and probably only one) solution is to replace the full keyboard (also the Enter key starts now to give problems) even in a different language, better the most similar to Spanish or any international one, and change the different key caps to the ones in my current one, as the Windows definition of Keyboard = Spanish should do the correct key mapping, is this correct?

Thanks again and best regards
600E, T42, T500, T440S

RealBlackStuff
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Re: T500 key doesn't work and replacement

#6 Post by RealBlackStuff » Mon Jul 18, 2022 3:15 am

In the T500/W500 HMM the 3 columns for keyboards are (from L to R): Alps-Chicony-NMB
Check the P/N or FRU of your keyboard, it's probably one of these: 42T4009, 42T4073, 42T3944.
But you can also replace it with any keyboard from the T60/R60/T61/R61/ (their NMB would be the best, and all of them are sturdier than the T400/T500 keyboards), or from the T400/R400/T500/W500.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

fje
Sophomore Member
Posts: 142
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:36 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

Re: T500 key doesn't work and replacement

#7 Post by fje » Mon Jul 18, 2022 5:05 am

Thanks again... I will look for the T60 ones.

I found 39T7451/52, hope these are good ones.

Best regards
600E, T42, T500, T440S

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