Repair keyboard A31

[R3M1]

My darling, little, lovely daughther of almost three managed to escape our attention and demolished a few keys on the keyboard of our thrustworthy A31. We managed to put all keys back, except for one, the left-arrow key on the right-hand side of the keyboard. I do believe to have all parts, but still I am not able to fit the key back on its position, it just won't hold. As far as I can see, nothing is bend.

What I have:

Key with left-arrow
Black U-shaped little plastic
And a plastic X-type construction, looks like a little lift

Can anybody advise/guide me on how to put this back together?

[ryengineer]

There are many threads on such issue:

1

2

3

4

You can use search feature for more desirable results.

[Robbyrobot]

There are many threads on such issue...

But none that I can find with the most important information: pictures. Plenty of descriptions, and I'm sure they're quite adequate if you already have some experience - but a few pictures would be worth their weight in gold to someone who has to replace a key for the first time. Incidentally, the image in the first thread you cite doesn't exist anymore, or at least the link only led to the ImageShack starting page.

You can use search feature for more desirable results.

Haven't found anything with images up to now, and my question on the subject in the "ThinkPad T4x Series" area ("Replacing individual keys on T40 keyboard - photos please!") was virtually ignored.

That may be because replacing keys is simple despite what some people write, or it might just be that nobody has thought to photograph such things up to now.

[R3M1]

I will upload some pictures I took

[RWDPLZ]

I made a quick video on how to do it with my parts keyboard:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-JoG-7a6QUY

Make sure the four little tabs are still sticking up, slide the u-clip into 3 of the tabs, and pinch it to get it into the last tab. The button just snaps on.

It was hard to do one-handed while holding a camera

[R3M1]

I made a quick video on how to do it with my parts keyboard:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-JoG-7a6QUY

Make sure the four little tabs are still sticking up, slide the u-clip into 3 of the tabs, and pinch it to get it into the last tab. The button just snaps on.

It was hard to do one-handed while holding a camera

In one word RESPECT Thank you for making a fool proof instruction to re-attach the key.

In my effort though I managed to break the little black U-shaped plastic bit But looking at your instruction I wonder if I can super glue the white moving bit to the rubber keyboard nipple, this as a very last resort

Thanks, Merci, Dank je wel, Danke for this excellent video. You are my HERO!

[rkawakami]

I made a quick video on how to do it with my parts keyboard:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-JoG-7a6QUY

Excellent!

I put up a web site a few months ago detailing re-attaching a T23 left arrow key (what's with these particular keys popping off??), but a video gets the point across better.

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/ibm_t2x/keyboard/

edit: Here's the original thread: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=44547

[Robbyrobot]

It was hard to do one-handed while holding a camera

Still very informative - thanks for the effort! Just one small question... what's playing in the background (audio)? I first thought this was a description of what was being done, but it sounds like a radio.

[RWDPLZ]

Thanks for the kind words!

I forgot that camera has a built-in microphone. The audio is from CNN or Fox News in the background, when they were looking for that guy that shot some cops in Florida.