Computer keyboard question

[HudsonHawk]

Questions for you hardware gurus...

So all of the sudden, the backspace and delete keys on my keyboard stopped functioning.  After doing some research, I believe it's in the physical keyboard, as the onscreen keyboard works fine.  So...is this a legitimate diagnosis?  Is it possible to change the internal keyboard?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Waldo]

Since you said "internal keyboard" I'm assuming this is a laptop?  If so, what brand and model?

The most common problem is that something small gets underneath the key and jams it.  You can tell this is happening if the key does not depress all the way.  You can try to clear it by pounding on the key really hard or holding the laptop at different angles and try to blow under the key real hard (compressed air is good for this).  If that doesn't work, you can usually remove the keyboard from the laptop (usually by screws underneath, although sometimes you have to disassemble the top bezel to some degree first) and try the same steps again.

If the key has full travel and the keystrokes simply aren't registering, it may just be time for a new keyboard.  Armed with your laptop's brand and model, you should be able to find a replacement on Amazon or eBay pretty easily.  Most of the ones I've ever bought are usually in the $30-50 range.

[HudsonHawk]

Since you said "internal keyboard" I'm assuming this is a laptop?  If so, what brand and model?

The most common problem is that something small gets underneath the key and jams it.  You can tell this is happening if the key does not depress all the way.  You can try to clear it by pounding on the key really hard or holding the laptop at different angles and try to blow under the key real hard (compressed air is good for this).  If that doesn't work, you can usually remove the keyboard from the laptop (usually by screws underneath, although sometimes you have to disassemble the top bezel to some degree first) and try the same steps again.

If the key has full travel and the keystrokes simply aren't registering, it may just be time for a new keyboard.  Armed with your laptop's brand and model, you should be able to find a replacement on Amazon or eBay pretty easily.  Most of the ones I've ever bought are usually in the $30-50 range.

Thanks.  Its an Asus U47A (the same one I bragged about a few weeks ago).  Not sure how to disassemble, but perhaps I can find that online as well.  The keys travel all the way, theyre just not registering, and the onscreen keyboard works fine.  So that makes me think its the physical keyboard.  Ill look around and see what I can find.

Thanks for the advice.

[Waldo]

For that model it does looks like you have to remove the entire top bezel - palmrest, keyboard, and touchpad.  From my searches you can either replace just the keyboard or the entire bezel in one piece.

I can't find any specific instructions for the U47A but here would be the basic steps to replace it:

1.  Remove the necessary screws (probably all of them) from the bottom
2.  Remove the bezel (you may have to gently pry it off)
3.  Disconnect flex cables from bezel to motherboard
4.  Remove keyboard from bezel, attach new keyboard
5.  Put everything back together