replacing laptop keyboard

[photo_chick]

Not a photo question but I'm hoping that some of the IT pros here can help me out with real world experience.

My wonderful 13 year old who I love dearly (I keep repeating that to myself right now) spilled Dr. Pepper on her laptop. It boots, loads Windows but half the keys are dead (not just stuck) and the backlight on the keyboard is dead.

I've found the part. What I want to know is how hard is it to swap out a keyboard. I've built, repaired replaced parts and pillaged parts on many desktops so I'm not a novice at this but I've never opened a laptop. I've also taken apart many Xbox controllers to clean and repair so I'm familiar with cleaning sticky off things sticky shouldn't be on. I'd like to think this is the same thing as a desktop just on a much smaller and more compact scale. Am I delusional here, or is it really as simple as opening it up, hooking the new keyboard up and putting fifty million little screws back in?

 

[wiigirl]

My suggestion is searching Youtube for your computer name and "replace keyboard". There are tons of instructional videos and you can see exactly what it takes to do it.

 

[photo_chick]

I've already done that. My experience has been that nothing is ever as easy as it looks on the tutorial. I'm just trying to get some real world feedback and I know there are at least a couple of people on here who probably have some experience doing this.

 

[hakepb]

When I used to do Dell/HP/IBM warranty hardware repair...it was as generally as easy as removing the correct screws on the bottom (now they are usually marked with a keyboard logo). Then gently pry up the keyboard (not the keys) near the bottom or arrow keys.
Then gently remove the ribbon connector (which usually requires sliding the "lock" 1/16" away from the connector)
Then reverse to put it in. (Slide in ribbon, lock, press keyboard in, tighten screws, all screws even if you didn't touch them before ) It used to be a 5 minute job on a familiar laptop for me.

The last few keyboards I have removed have had little tabs or locks around the top and sides of the keyboard..and you have to release those before the keyboard will pop out... And those take me about an hour to figure out...I do recall a few older laptops that required removing a top plate because there were 2 hidden top driven screws.

And of course on any laptop repair, pull the power cord AND remove the battery first!

It sounds like you can do it based on your repair history, just work on a table with good lighting.

 

[hakepb]

I've already done that. My experience has been that nothing is ever as easy as it looks on the tutorial. I'm just trying to get some real world feedback and I know there are at least a couple of people on here who probably have some experience doing this.

I'm like that on car repair. You hear an experienced (even backyard) mechanic say he's done a few of those, it only takes an hour...that will take me 8 hours

 

[photo_chick]

I'm like that on car repair. You hear an experienced (even backyard) mechanic say he's done a few of those, it only takes an hour...that will take me 8 hours

Yep. I watch those videos and they're in and out in 8 minutes. And I know nothing can possibly be that easy for me.

 

[cjstarr]

photo_chick the main thing is to find your model on You-Tube, follow along with what the person is removing to release the keyboard, and go s l o w!!!
I know that on a Toshiba I have to take the screws out of the back of the laptop first, then I use a stiff Guitar pick to release the snaps that are located around the laptop. You will find that they hold the bottom and the top of the laptop together. Just start on one side, insert the pick and slide it around around to the other side slowly and you will feel the snaps release.

 

[photo_chick]

OK. It's ordered and we'll see how it goes.

Thanks to all who responded. As always, you guys are awesome.

 

[photo_chick]

Just an update... got the part finally. Got it replaced and it works just fine. The actual connections were super easy. As was getting to it. It was physically getting the blasted thing in where it's supposed to go (turned out to be the type that has to pop in from the top). It took me about 2 hours. Not a perfect job, I gouged it a little getting the new one in. However, it was only $60 for the part as opposed to the $200 the local geek shop wanted to fix it so I think my 13 year old can live with a little battle damage. She's thrilled to have her laptop back.

I've now totally overcome my fear of opening a laptop. Thanks for the support.

Next job.. pulling apart my old R1800 printer to fix the printhead and set it up with Cone Inks selenium print inks.

 

[mom2rtk]

You're a brave soul. And I'm duly impressed.

Wanna follow one of those "easy" tutorials and replace my 12 year old's cracked ipod screen for me?

 

[photo_chick]

iPods aren't supposed to be difficult once you get them open. I've got a first gen iPod I've been trying to replace the battery in. I still haven't managed to pop that sucker apart. Every couple weeks I sit down with the thing and play with it for a while, trying to get something in the seam to get it open with no success. I usually give up when I cut my finger with the stupid little flathead screwdriver.