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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: hypernova on April 19, 2012, 07:20:40 pm

Title: Laptop keyboard/touchpad issues
Post by: hypernova on April 19, 2012, 07:20:40 pm
My laptop is having more and more troubles.  I'm now losing all usage of the keyboard while it's turned on at some point usually.  I have to restart it to regain keyboard functionality.  Sometimes the keyboard won't work on a fresh boot.  In addition, I'd lost the touchpad buttons as well over a year ago.  Right click doesn't work, and the left click actually does a right click (no, it's not backwards in the settings).  I use an attached wireless mouse to use it.  Tapping the touchpad won't change anything.  However, when I click both buttons on the attached mouse, the left button on the touchpad regains its left button functionality again, and works normally (while right still doesn't work).  So essentially, using an outside apparatus "fixes" the mouse buttons on the inside.

Also, at seemingly random points, buttons take on a new action.  The mouse stops working corretly, and left click sends the browser back a page (luckily Opera keeps my text I may be typing saved).  I have to right click, then left click, and all is well again.

I really love this laptop, and don't want to let it go just yet.  I just installed a lite version of 7 on here, and the freezing issues that i had while running Vista during the last year or so have completely disappeared.  This version of 7 runs great!

So what's the issue?  I was thinking it's the case itself, since that's what the touchpad is a part of.  I think I'll undo the touchpad cable inside, and see if that keeps the keyboard not working issue away.
Title: Re: Laptop keyboard/touchpad issues
Post by: kahlid74 on April 19, 2012, 09:29:55 pm
So, off the top of my head, either the leads/connections on your keyboard silicon are going or you spilled water on it when it was on or a substance with sugar and didn't actually clean it (just washed it off).  Did you spill something on it?

If you didn't, the next part depends on how deep into soldering and electrical work you want to get.  I would want to take the keyboard out and start pulling keys off and visually inspect it for any defects.

If you don't want to get super gritty I would look for your laptop on ebay and try to find a broken one for cheap, then you can just transplant the touchpad/keyboard and you'll be all gravy.
Title: Re: Laptop keyboard/touchpad issues
Post by: knave on April 20, 2012, 01:33:08 pm
Don't overlook the possibility of new touchpad drivers on the manufacturers website that may address your issues.
Title: Re: Laptop keyboard/touchpad issues
Post by: hypernova on April 20, 2012, 07:01:08 pm
I've tried that, knave, drivers weren't the issue, unfortunately.

No spills on it.  I'll take it apart eventually, it's just a very time consuming project.