Thinkpads Forum

I want to do the classic keyboard swap, but the selection of parts available locally is rather sparse.

Do I need an 's' keyboard specifically or will a "standard" keyboard do? Can I go wild with ancient keyboards like T400? (I like their layout better.)

Same question for palmrests. I found a T410 palmrest available locally, will that fit in my T430s?

There is no "s" keyboard on the older models. No you can´t use the T400 keyboard. Any T410(s) to T420(s), or X220, T520, W520 etc. keyboard will fit.

You need the T420s palmrest, the T410 palmrest won´t fit.

Very helpful, thank you indeed @Ibthink.

For posterity, I was able to successfully install a T420s keyboard and palmrest into the T430s.

I did not bother taping the keyboard pins off. Risky as I understand, but everything works completely uneventfully; no shorting that I could tell/smell.

After reflashing the EC all the keys are working perfectly, as expected (except for the CapsLock light, of course).

The ribbon on the T420s palmrest is a little offset to the right, so I sort of had to contort it to plug it in, but I got it in correctly on the first try and everything on it works.

Thanks again Ibthink.