Keyboard not working 365xd

[zz28zz]

The laptop has been running great for the 3 years I've owned it.
Batt has always been marginal and lately it's not much use at all.
I've been running off ext power the whole time with it.
A couple of days ago it wouldn't do anything when attempting to power unit on.

Friend said to remove the batt and it would boot. Didn't boot for me. I re-installed batt. Still no boot. Friend removes batt and gets it to start booting. Friends takes off with my batt (says maybe he can get one cheap). Anyway, when it finally finishes booting I noticed the keybd doesn't work at all. Mouse and buttons work fine.

The clock wouldn't keep time or date so I tried to remove cmos batt and broke the batt holder

Rigged up a 3v power source (2-AAA's connected to cmos batt contacts).
I set the cmos time and it's keeping good time. Gutted and old laptop batt and connected an external 12v batt thru the main batt contacts. Unit sometimes gives an "error 301". Sometimes it boots up normally, however the keyboard still doesn't work. I checked the 3 ribbon cables for the keybd as best I could without disassembling anything. They look ok.

The laptop should be happy power wise now.
Tried deleting the keybd from the device manager and let windows re-install on boot-up. Keybd still not working.

I can't close the keybd all the way at the moment with all the wires in the way but I did toggle what looks like a keybd closed switch (right under the F-10 key), that didn't help.

Any ideas???

[Thane_Bitter]

Hi
If you have one, try plugging in an external keyboard. You could also try running the self test program that is accessible via the main BIOS menu.
Is it possible to repair the CMOS battery holder, what part did you break off? There was some discussion in a recent thread about how a dead CMOS batter can caused keyboard problems. http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=22606
The Main system battery is 10.8 Volts, so technically your overvolting the system (this is not good), you should be able to boot without the main battery installed.
The small switch which you describe will put the system into standby when you close the lid, depending on what OS you use it may not put the system to sleep (win NT w/ PCMCIA card for example)
You can access the keyboard connectors by removing the “top cover" beside the keyboard tray. Use a small screwdriver to pry up the rubber screw plugs on the left and right side of this cover. Remove the screws, and carefully pry up this cover from the keyboard side, the back portion of the cover has clips that slide under the Lid casing. The connectors should be visible now, try and reseat them (this information is found in the hardware maintenance manual)

The hardware maintenance manual for this series was called “tpvol3.pfd”, it is still available from IBM’s website, search for it by the filename.

I also found this from the user guide:

from page 198 "IBM ThinkPad 365X/365XD: User's Guide"
30x
(Keyboard error)
Verify that nothing is pressing on the system keyboard or the external keyboard.
Turn off the computer and all attached devices. Turn on the computer first; then
turn on the attached devices.
If there is still a problem, do the following:
If the computer has an external keyboard connected, do the following:
– Turn off the computer and disconnect the external keyboard; then turn
on the computer. If no error occurred, your external keyboard might be
damaged. Have the external keyboard serviced.
– Verify that the external keyboard is connected to the correct side of the
external input-device connector.
– Verify that the external input-device connector is correctly connected to
the computer.
If the preceding items are correct, disconnect the external input-device
connector from the computer and verify that the operation of the system
keyboard is correct. If the system keyboard works correctly, have the
external input-device connector or the external keyboard serviced.
Test the computer by selecting the Start icon in the Test menu of
Easy-Setup.
– If the computer stops during testing and does not continue, have the
computer serviced.

(c) 1996 IBM Corp.
edited for link info

[zz28zz]

Thx for the reply!
I got the cover off and inspected/reseated the ribbon cables for the keybd.
They looked OK.
Tried ext keydb, no help.

There's a window that pops up after the 301 error occures. It allows for sys board test,memory,HDD, floppy, serial, parallel ports, audio, video, ect. Everything tests OK in there.
Is that the CMOS window you're talking abt?

On the cmos batt holder, I broke the 2 fingers on the right side that hold the battery aginst the pos terminals on the left side.

The last time I was inside the laptop I disconnected my make-do cmos batt and the laptop lost the time. When I booted it back up, it wanted me to set the time. The keybd worked for setting the time. I was able to type the #s in. I thought I had fixed it, but when it booted into windows, the keybd didn't work. Tried "restarting in DOS mode", but keybd didn't work in a DOS window either.

I'm now powering laptop off the ext power jack. Main batt still not re-installed.

Sounds like the little switch you're talking abt is by the right-side screen hinge. The switch I was talking abt is right under the F-10 key if you lift the keybd. Looks like it "makes" when the keybd is closed.

I just removed the cmos batt power, rebooted. It gave 173 and 163 errors on boot-up. I was able to type in the time and date from the keybd. Since the keydb works for setting time/date, seems like it's not really a keybd or ribbon cable issue. Is there a bios/cmos setting for the keybd?? I can't find one.

Tried booting from a win 98 start-up floppy disk, got to where you select to start with or without cd-rom support, keybd didn't work. Wasn't able to select anything.

Thx for your help.

[zz28zz]

I've played with removing cmos power and rebooting. If I get a 163 (time date not set) and a 173 (config data lost), the keybd works for setting time and date.

If I just get a 163 error, the keybd will not work for setting time and date.

Problem seem related to the config data. How is that addressed??

[Thane_Bitter]

I need to correct myself after taking a look at my 365XD, the main battery voltage is 9.6v (not 10. - still 12v is a bit too high.
I removed my CMOS battery to simulate the condition you system is in, and I too got the same 2 errors, which is as expected. But after you set the time and click ok, the system should reboot (with no errors) and load the OS. [I am not a fan of that type of battery holder - the button cell sprang up a few inches into the air as it came out - it’s practically a mini catapult]
I realize this may not work, but as the system reboots press and hold "F1", hopefully your TP will go into the BIOS tool called EZ-Setup.
Click on "config" and then "initialize". You should also check the "start-up" menu and configure the boot order, if you have an external floppy, choose “floppy 2" as the first device, and then the "cylinder" (hard drive). When your set, choose restart - and hopefully you system will boot up error free.
I did notice that there is a connector to the left of the CMOS battery; it might have been bumped when your friend pulled the battery - check to see if it’s seated.
If the "time not set" error appears again, there must be something wrong with the CMOS battery (or the external system you rigged up), check the polarity, voltage and wiring.

Thane

[zz28zz]

I've found my AC adapter and I'm running off that now. No longer applying 12v to batt terminals. Main batt not installed. CMOS batt contacts still being supplied with external 3v power source.

I can get into EZset-up by holding the F1 key and turning on power. Did the config and init. Set the boot sequence as you mentioned (I do have an ext floppy connected).

On restart, I get the 301 error. If I kill the power before the restart gets going and re-apply power after abt 30 secs, the machine will do a normal looking boot-up w/o any errors, but keybd still doesn't work. If I then do a normal shutdown and power-up, I get no errors, and keybd is still dead.

The connector left of the cmos batt is ok. Assuming you're talking abt the ribbon cable connector.

I only get the 173 and 163 errors if I induce them by removing cmos batt power.

Considering the "F1 key at startup" command works and I can type in the clock/date settings after inducing the 173 error (see above); it seems like the keybd is working until the config data is loaded.

When I enter the config screen, I don't see anything abt the keybd. All I see is memory, sys board, and init. Is there a way to see more of the config info? Like keybd info??

[Thane_Bitter]

Unfortunately there is no separate keyboard test built into EZ-Setup. There is however a "test" option off the main menu of EZ-Setup which offers a system board test. If your ThinkPad passes that, I think your keyboard is defective and would have to be replaced.

[zz28zz]

I'm starting to think the BIOS got hosed.
Tried to update the bios with a downloaded file from IBM, but during the install process I needed to hit the "enter" button to proceed....

A few days ago I won a dead 365xd off EBAY. When it arrives, I'll have some spare parts to troubleshoot with. I'll try a keybd swap first.

Thx for your replys!
I'll let ya'll know what I find.