T520 Start button broken

[freeagent]

The start button on my t520 keyboard is not working. No tactile feel like other buttons.

Is there any other way to start the computer? I do have wireless keyboard, but of course no start button!

I removed the keyboard and the bezel around the upper strip of buttons. So it is not just catching.

Looks like I need a new keyboard. Any suggestions? I am in Ontario, Canada.

[kfzhu1229]

The start button on my t520 keyboard is not working. No tactile feel like other buttons.

Is there any other way to start the computer? I do have wireless keyboard, but of course no start button!

I removed the keyboard and the bezel around the upper strip of buttons. So it is not just catching.

Looks like I need a new keyboard. Any suggestions? I am in Ontario, Canada.

I had a repairathon with 6 broken T520/X220 keyboards at once time and was able to successfully repair one keyboard by redrawing traces.
I can say if you remove the top button bezel and then remove the buttons themselves, you will see some metal domes that depress down to click and then press the power button. As far as I remember in this case the metal domes themselves are NOT the conductor but rather depress down the membrane pads underneath.
If you push down the metal dome with say a screwdriver, it makes no tactile sound? Does the laptop turn on still?
It is possible to replace the dome yourself without extensive work and just grab a dome from say the microphone mute button.
I rather not throw that out just because of that as I have had horrible luck with these keyboards reliability, out of the 6 keyboards, 1 was broken by me (my fault), 2 are "working pulls" that turn out to be defective, then 3 more for parts, all of them have various amounts of trace damage.

[freeagent]

I got the laptop to start after pushing and tapping button many times. I set up settings to come on any time A/C is applied, but that didn't seem to work. Right now, I got laptop on and will leave it on. I have to go out. When I get back I will see if I can find a replacement keyboard on ebay or Amazon. Or find a work-around so that I never need to use the start button.

Cheers

[TPFanatic]

Pulling the CMOS battery will cause the laptop to boot the next time AC is plugged in. This loses BIOS settings but it should get the machine to power on.

[kfzhu1229]

I got the laptop to start after pushing and tapping button many times. I set up settings to come on any time A/C is applied, but that didn't seem to work. Right now, I got laptop on and will leave it on. I have to go out. When I get back I will see if I can find a replacement keyboard on ebay or Amazon. Or find a work-around so that I never need to use the start button.
Cheers

Again try the steps of disassembling the buttons and see if it's a very easy to fix mechanical problem. If not, there is also the sketchy way of fixing it by hot wiring directly to the power button trace. if you disassemble the button bezel and then remove 2 screws and the metal bracket, you will see exposed pins of the ribbon cable (yes the ribbon cable is in fact modular!). One of the pins is responsible for the power button (and just the power button). Solder a wire to there and then you can turn on the laptop by shorting that wire to the chassis of the keyboard!
If you are interested in that, I will go dig to my stash of taken apart broken T520 keyboards and find out which pin is the power button

[freeagent]

Thanks for the ideas!

I left laptop on while I was out. It must have hibernated when I closed the lid. When I came back, the start button was lighted, but hitting it did nothing. Tried many times, then I hit Fn button and for some reason it came back to life!

I have to go away for weekend, so will have to shut her down!

Meanwhile I will try and order a new keyboard.

[kfzhu1229]

Thanks for the ideas!

I left laptop on while I was out. It must have hibernated when I closed the lid. When I came back, the start button was lighted, but hitting it did nothing. Tried many times, then I hit Fn button and for some reason it came back to life!

I have to go away for weekend, so will have to shut her down!

Meanwhile I will try and order a new keyboard.

Well one more thing about these is that if you set the laptop to go hibernate when you close the lid, you can actually wake it up by opening the lid again! If you put the laptop to sleep, you can wake it up either by power button press or Fn press.
If you really give up on that keyboard, then I might offer you again an opportunity where I will buy it up.

[freeagent]

I didn't know that the Fn button would wake the unit from sleep. But I tried it again and that works! So I can just put unit to sleep instead of shutting down! But if I want to check out that button again, I will have to shut down and take my chances on getting started again.

In BIOS there is a setting to start computer any time A/C is applied. In otherwords, bypass the start button. When I tried that it didn't work. Maybe I did something wrong. That would solve my problem if it would work and save me about $50!

[freeagent]

I can say if you remove the top button bezel and then remove the buttons themselves, you will see some metal domes that depress down to click and then press the power button. As far as I remember in this case the metal domes themselves are NOT the conductor but rather depress down the membrane pads underneath.
If you push down the metal dome with say a screwdriver, it makes no tactile sound? Does the laptop turn on still?
It is possible to replace the dome yourself without extensive work and just grab a dome from say the microphone mute button.

How do I remove the button? I don't want to do any further damage! I will have to shut down to check it out more closely. Just want to be sure I know what I am doing when I try to check out those domes!

Picture here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g1ud3yin ... 3q3rv&dl=1

[axur-delmeria]

Besides buying a replacement keyboard, you could get a Series 3 Mini Dock, as it has a power button wired to the Thinkpad via the docking connector.

[freeagent]

How do I remove the button? I don't want to do any further damage!

Picture here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g1ud3yin ... 3q3rv&dl=1

A guy on Reddit posted this link. Just what I needed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6NfIZ8jDY

[kfzhu1229]

A guy on Reddit posted this link. Just what I needed!

Yup that's the way to do it. Then you see the metal dome and you inspect what's wrong with the metal dome. If needed donor the microphone mute or the thinkvantage button and get the power button working

[freeagent]

I got the laptop to start after pushing and tapping button many times. I set up settings to come on any time A/C is applied, but that didn't seem to work. Right now, I got laptop on and will leave it on. I have to go out. When I get back I will see if I can find a replacement keyboard on ebay or Amazon. Or find a work-around so that I never need to use the start button.

Cheers

I reset the BIOS to start on A/C. It now works (must have not saved setting first time )
With this BIOS setting, I can switch laptop on using the computer switch on my power bar/surge protector. I turn it off using Windows "Start" . So no need for the Lenovo start button.

But I will still try and fix it! But no urgency

[freeagent]

Yup that's the way to do it. Then you see the metal dome and you inspect what's wrong with the metal dome. If needed donor the microphone mute or the thinkvantage button and get the power button working

I found that the mute and mike buttons are not same as the power button. This may need some (compressed!) pictures!

Button strip showing where lights (L) and buttons (B) are:


Difference between left hand buttons and power button:


The broken button - Have now used crazy glue to fix, but no need to use it when on A/C power because BIOS allows auto start on A/C. Crazy glue joined the pieces OK, but there is one small part missing. So for now leaving outer button off. Only needed for battery operation.

[kfzhu1229]

I found that the mute and mike buttons are not same as the power button. This may need some (compressed!) pictures!

Oh you mean the plastic button itself is broken? I was not aware of that I thought you meant the metal dome is deformed and stuck or something.
So again the metal dome presses down perfectly when you poke it right? if it's just the plastics I have the replacement plastic for you if you truly want that - I have all my parts T520/X220 keyboards I can even give you two of these power buttons if you wish

[freeagent]

Oh you mean the plastic button itself is broken? I was not aware of that I thought you meant the metal dome is deformed and stuck or something.
So again the metal dome presses down perfectly when you poke it right? if it's just the plastics I have the replacement plastic for you if you truly want that - I have all my parts T520/X220 keyboards I can even give you two of these power buttons if you wish

Yes dome works fine if I push down on it. So all I need is the plastic push button. I lost one little piece, so I made one out of some scrap plastic. But it is only held on by the crazy glue and it is the part that pushes the button. I doubt it would last long if I even use it! I can get by the way it is, but wouldn't mind getting a replacement if you have one. Don't feel obliged, but you could probably just me send one by letter mail. I will PM you.