Keyb flex on T42p

[Cecilia76]

Hallo,

I have a T42p - 2373HTG and a Thai italian keyboard. Since a few days the right side of the key (say from 'L' to 'RETURN') flex quite a bit when i press the keys. I don't know why but I remember someone here had the same problem and resolved it with a card??
Info welcome...

C.

PS: Buying a new key would resolve the problem?

[jcentrel]

I have the same problem with my T42P-2373N37.

[K. Eng]

To fix this problem:

(1) Remove the ThinkPad keyboard by removing the 4 type-3 screws on the bottom of the unit, pushing the keyboard slightly away from you, and lifting it out of the chasis. Be careful in removing the connector plug between the keyboard and system board.

(2) Turn the keyboard over. The back is a metal plate with holes. Tape thin pieces of packing foam (about the thickness of a penny or other small coin) underneath the Enter key, Home/End keys, and arrow keys, but DO NOT block any of the holes (or the keys won't spring back properly).

(3) Replace keyboard (remember to plug it back into the system board) and reinstall the type-3 screws.

I recommend downloading the ThinkPad Hardware Maintenance Manual (HMM) from IBM. You can find a link to it on the main thinkpads.com page.

[Cecilia76]

Thanks a lot. I just placed a sheet of paper folded twice and it seems to work nicely. I have a little flex yet but it's just a little.
Thanks anyway, C.

[syhead]

Here's another alternative:

Instead of forcing the keyboard up I figured a way of forcing it down. All you have to to is:

1) cut a square 8 mm long x 1-2 mm wide. The thickness that worket for me was the thickness of a credit card. I used a prepaid phone card made of hard plastic.
2) Press the keyboard down by pressing the down arrow key.
3) Place the small plastic square in the small gap between the case and the keyboard frame. This gap is located right in front of the down arrow key.

If the square has the right dimensions, it should fit just perfectly and should not appear (unless you look very closely, backwards). Adjust the dimensions as needed. You have to find a material with the right thickness. Finally, you have to be very patient when placing the square..lit's tricky. I did it by placing its tip first and than slowly moving it sideways.

Before you do this, press the keyboard all the way down by pressing the down arrow key. Keep it pressed, and with the other hand check if there is flex in the areas you mentioned. If you don't have the flex, that means that this fix will have some result!

[Cecilia76]

Thanks a lot