flaky keyboard problem on HP Pavilion N5170 - the solution

Original post (November, 2002):

"We have an HP N5170 Pavilion laptop that has just developed a keyboard
problem. the problem is that from time to time all of the keys in the
QWERTYUIOP bank of keys except for TY stop working. All other keys continue
to work fine. Nothing has ever been spilled on the keyboard and it is clean.
Same problem whether I boot XP from the HD or WIN98 from a floppy (i.e. not
a virus). If I plug in an external keyboard all of its keys work, while the
laptop keyboard continues to have the same problem.

I would guess I need a new keyboard and can get one for $130, but worry that
the real problem is in a key-code reading chip not on the keyboard itself.

Any thoughts?"

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Solution (August, 2003):

I took the access panel off as if to remove the keyboard (to replace it),
disconnected the keyboard connector, then re-connected it. Put the thing
back together and it's worked fine ever since. Must have been a "bad"
contact.

I was going to send it to HP via Radio Shack who act as HP's front-end for
service, but no need, as it developed.

Hope this helps someone else.


- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist,
Visual Basic programmer)