Laptop Parts Expert Blog

Laptop Keyboard Cables May 18, 2009

I get asked every now and then whether the cable on a laptop keyboard is connected. For those that are not aware, laptop keyboards have a thin Mylar wiring sheet under the keys that electronically send data to the keyboard controller on the motherboard. The sheet continues on to the cable which plugs into the motherboard. You can see from the example below how the cable is attached to the keyboard.

Bottom view of Sony keyboard

There are two versions of the cable that connects to the motherboard. There is the kind that has a connector that snaps into the motherboard and there is the kind that is a bare cable that feeds into a connector on the motherboard. They are fairly simple to install if you know where the mounting points are for the keyboard fasteners or screw holes. If you have lost the lock for the keyboard connector on the motherboard, you can read my earlier post here. If you need help finding a keyboard for a major brand laptop, please feel free to contact me at jeremy@laptoppartsexpert.com.

Keyboard Connector Missing April 29, 2009

Today, we got a call about the little connector that holds down the keyboard ribbon. This is a popular call. Unfortunately, the fastener end of the connector is part of the connector soldered to the motherboard and is not sold separately.

Our only suggestion is to call our friends at Preferred Computer Parts. They do motherboard level repair and they have some of these connectors. Their phone number is 818-885-4130. Hope this helps some of you.

The NEW Laptop Parts Blog April 26, 2009

Welcome to my new blog!
I hope to bring relevant topics to you, the reader, on laptop parts and laptop repair. To start out, I will offer an amusing anecdote from a question I get at least once or twice a month.

Every once in a while, I get a customer call and say that the keyboard they received must be defective because when they type, numbers come up instead of letters. So far, it has always been the same issue. Many people don’t realize that the 10-key to the far right of a desktop keyboard is built into the smaller laptop keyboards, from U-P and down to N->. As it turns out, all these people had the Num Lock key on and were typing in numbers on purpose without knowing it. So, if this has happened to you, you are not alone.

I will try to add a new item every day. If you would like to email me a question, you can send it to me at jeremy@laptoppartsexpert.com or instant message me if you have AOL IM at LaptopPartsSales. You can also visit my website for parts at http://www.laptoppartsexpert.com. Finally, please sign up for our twitter feed here: http://twitter.com/laptopparts. I look forward to the feedback.