Anyone pull a key off the keyboard before?

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awdark · #1 Post by **awdark** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:26 pm

Hi, my thinkpad's spacebar is getting finikie. About half the spaces I push aren't detected and I always hit the space with my right thumb. If I hit it with my left thumb or right in the middle, it works okay just doens't like the right side.

So im hoping it would be like a normal keyboard where I could pop off a key and clean it a bit but I pried a little and somehow doubt its that easy.

So any info?

ryoustra · #2 Post by **ryoustra** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:55 pm

I'm not sure about removing the keys themselves, but the keyboard itself is not hard to pop off. For my T21, which should be similar to yours, there are two screws somewhere in the middle of the bottom of the laptop to remove. Then, by removing the battery, there's access to the keyboard from below. Just press up from underneath and carefully pop the keyboard out from above.

If you're not able to re-work the key at this point, you can get keyboards from ebay for under $20.

awdark · #3 Post by **awdark** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:55 pm

Ah, I may have to. My typing is becoming difficult to understand when I omit random spaces

And it would be nice to have rough keys again

Orevin · #4 Post by **Orevin** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 4:14 pm

It's not a problem at all. You just have to be carefull not to break the brackets.

awdark · #5 Post by **awdark** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 5:00 pm

So just pry carefully from the bottom or top?

S4MUR41 · #6 Post by **S4MUR41** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 6:38 pm

its easy, remove the batteries, take out the 2 long screws underneath that have arrows pointing to them. After that look where the batteries were and ull see a metal plate, push that up, it just pops off. I had to remove mine too, after that clean it then it will snap back into place then just screw back in.

#7 Post by **JaneL** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 7:15 pm

Item #8 in the FAQ.

Orevin · #8 Post by **Orevin** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:45 pm

If I understand the OP correctly, the question is not how to remove the keyboard, but a single key. These information can not be found in the HHM or FAQ

awdark · #9 Post by **awdark** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:02 pm

Er yeah
I have taken my thinkpad down to the empty case before (dead mobo)

I just want to find out if I can pry my spacebar off safely so I could maybe clean it a little under beause its no longer responsive.

btw, no input on http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=26869 ?
I have been eying the T23 but dont know if its a gamble worth taking.
Might be worth it for the keyboard >__< then sell the rest here

#10 Post by **rkawakami** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 9:09 pm

I have a picture of a couple of keytops removed from a 600X keyboard at:

http://www.rkawakami.net/ibm_600x/trackpoint/

Doesn't look like you can get at anything to clean from the top side of the keyboard.

dsvochak · #11 Post by **dsvochak** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:35 am

So im hoping it would be like a normal keyboard where I could pop off a key and clean it a bit but I pried a little and somehow doubt its that easy.

From the pictures of the 600X keyboard, the keys appear to be attached in the same manner as every keyboard I've seen.

In most cases, the spacebar is attached with a wire about the thickness of a paperclip instead of the 2 white plastic holders pictured.

Good luck.

awdark · #12 Post by **awdark** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:38 am

Thanks for that link

I tried prying it up but I think it has two of those clippy things on each side and the wire thing. And for some reason I think the button the spacebar depresses is stuck to the key itself as well.

>_< I will learn to spacebar with my left thumb.

tselling · #13 Post by **tselling** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:53 am

The clippy things have a rubber like thing under them. The one on the right is probably getting worn from use. If you are careful you can remove the two clippy things and put the worn one on the left. But it takes alot of patience to get them put back properly.

dsigma6 · #14 Post by **dsigma6** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:43 pm

two times i removed a space bar from a laptop, and two times it was never the same after that.

awdark · #15 Post by **awdark** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:15 pm

dsigma6 wrote:two times i removed a space bar from a laptop, and two times it was never the same after that.

okay thats kinda the data I wanted, well wanted a more optimistic view but thats still info that I wanted.
Im used to standard keyboards so I just grab the screwdriver and pry.

dsigma6 · #16 Post by **dsigma6** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 11:12 pm

hey maybe i just have the know-how of a 6 year old.

Anyone pull a key off the keyboard before?

Anyone pull a key off the keyboard before?

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