keyboard issue... need help
 

so i spilled a glass of water on my keyboard earlier... now neither the caps lock or shift buttons work. everything else does, and i only got water on the far left column of keys. esc tab ` still work, but caps shift, on both sides, and ctrl do not.

pulled the keyboard apart and there was a little water on the 3 layers or printed plastic, but nothing obvious. the caps lock will not engage the light on the right side either. this keyboard is a hp and is about 2 years old...

Time for a new keyboard!

or type without the shift and caps function... no exclamation marks for me... drat, this pisses me off...

Spray heaps of Methylated Spirits (Denatured Alcohol) over the keyboard where you spilled the water and then blow it with an air compressor or hair dryer...........the meths will disperse the water and dry without residue, may work after that :)

it is completely dry now, but i am guessing that the minerals in the water bridged a circuit. i even took the plastc sheets out and held them up to the light in that area, no dice. i will restart the computer now, just wanted to see what you guys thought...

I had broken my g key, well, it wouldn't work, so my dad left the whole keyboard outside in the burning sun.


Brought it back in, and it magically worked.
Was hot as hell, but it still worked.

Good luck!

i will give that a try tomorrow...

Unless you have a really nice wireless KB, or some specific/special style, they are very cheap to replace. C'mon linc, break down and spend $25 on a new KB! :wink:

That is what I was trying to say, just get a new one, it is only the stock hp POS and 2 years old at that.

I dry electronic components by putting them in a rubbermaid container with rice in it overnight. With modern keyboards, though, you have to do that before you plug em back in. If they're wet when they're plugged in, they short & you pretty well have to replace them.

Good thing they're cheap.

- Tony

You can always use the right shift key for everything. ... or are both shift keys fried?

Both are gone, I guess i will have to get a new keyboard. This will be my last post a work today... So I get to go home and enjoy no caps or shifting...

The sun trick didn't work for ya?

My dad left em out for about 1-2 hours.

I take it your KB uses membrane switches? Why not pull it apart and clean the contacts with DnA? They should all be printed on one piece of plastic, so assuming it is "take-apartable" it will be easy to clean. :yes:

it is actually 2 layers of plastic with printed circuits on both. in between them is another layer of clear plastic with holes which allow the two sheets to make contact when the keys are depressed. i have eyeballed them quite a bit and cannot find anything that would cause a bridge... i guess i burned it out.