The keyboard on my laptop gave out: first it was the “e” key, and then eventually, I couldn’t type words with any letters in the top row. Not a good sign. Blowing air didn’t help. Reinstalling drivers didn’t help. I had three choices: replace the keyboard, use an external keyboard, or buy a new laptop.
I opted for #2 for a few weeks, trying out a couple of different bluetooth keyboards, then one day Jake looked on ebay and saw a replacement keyboard for my laptop for $18, including free shipping from China. I was in.` I had never replaced a keyboard before, but decided it was worth a shot. Jake said he had done this before, and offered to help, so I reluctantly believed him. The keyboard arrived within two weeks of placing the order, as promised.
We looked on YouTube and found a video showing how to perform the surgery. I knew it would take us longer than 3 minutes and 18 seconds:
Armed with some tiny screwdrivers, a pair of pincers, and some Scotch tape (which came in handy when we broke one of the gates that held a ribbon cable), the YouTube video became our guide as we carefully dismantled my laptop. We labelled all the screws, and the parts that we disassembled.
The whole process took about 2 hours, and we ended up with a few extra screws that we weren’t sure where they went, but overall the operation was a success. The computer powered on, the keyboard responded, and I was able to type words with vowels other than ‘a” once again. The keys seem a bit bouncier than before, I think that’s because the metal plate got bent a bit when we removed it to access the keyboard underneath. I’ll get used to it.
Now I am the proprietor of a new keyboard once again capable of typing words whose letters all appear in the top row. The new keyboard may not last in perpetuity, but at least I have a new skill to add to my repertoire.
