document updated 15 years ago, on Jan 22, 2009
- HOWTO re-attach an individual laptop key:
- basic geography
- there are three plastic pieces that need to go together: the outer visible piece, and two white plastic pieces that form an "X" underneath
- there are four metal hooks that secure the bottom of the "X" to the main body of the keyboard (i.e. the PCB)
- Step 1: Fully attach the two "X" pieces to the keyboard first, without the top piece (you can't just smash all three pieces down and hope it randomly assembles itself)
- This step can be tedious.
- Detach the cap from a nearby key so you can see how the pieces on your specific keyboard are supposed to look once you get the thing to go together properly.
- MAKE SURE you have the orientation of the pieces correct. There are two things to get right:
- orientation about the normal vector — that the correct piece is attached to the top two hooks, and the correct one is attached to the bottom two hooks
- orientation about the hook-axis — that each piece attaches to its two hooks in the proper orientation
- If your keyboard has both short hooks and long hooks, it may be possible to 1) assemble the two "X" pieces all by themselves, 2) slide the assembled "X" unit first into the long hooks, and then 3) extended it enough so that it can fit into the short hooks.
- Step 2: After the two "X" pieces are attached and operating smoothly, the lid should easily snap on top.
- external links:
[1]
[2]