So it's done! And successful. Following up tips from Bill and Don, I managed to stumble upon a service manual for another Compaq laptop, and searching harder I actually found one for my own model. Turns out, Bill, that two screws under the laptop did have to be removed before I could pry off the button cover on the top (because there weren't any sliders). Lucky I managed to find out because I was extremely close to prying it off straight away, which would have caused significant damage.
After I managed to take the keyboard out (another risky op, in retrospect, because of the thing that connects the bus to the motherboard), I gave it a liberal washing in ethanol. I tried cotton swabbing underneath the keys too but it didn't work too well, and serendipity! The shift key popped out, which allowed me to give the little rubber spring thing a bath. So right now everything's peachy. Thank goodness. Getting Compaq to fix it up for me would probably have cost me a 1gb CF card equivalent. My September-Oct *ist D plan is still intact. Patience, me.. Thanks for everyone's help. Regards, Ryan PS. In response to: >laptop keyboards are not serviceable. you replace them. they replace them. >if you could get them into a large enough ultrasonic bath, that is probably >about the only thing. > >Herb... Guess there's a first time everything. :) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ryan Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 9:48 AM Subject: Re: OT: Compaq Evo n160 and Fruit Punch > mrkane was helping me with similar info (the 3 sliders). I don't think my > laptop has those, but that 'bezel' does seem like the ticket. I'll schedule > surgery for sometime this afternoon and will let you know how it goes. > Thanks! > > Lasse, there was an old lady who swallowed a fly.. :) > > Regards, > Ryan > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Don Sanderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 12:18 AM > Subject: RE: OT: Compaq Evo n160 and Fruit Punch > > > > 99% percent of them are now "liquid resistent" and can be hosed down with > > Windex. > > The problem is getting them OFF the laptop to do it! > > Most of the Compaq's I work have 2 or 3 little sliders at the top of the > > keyboard that release it. > > The others need to have the "bezel" that covers the indicator lights (at > the > > top below the LCD) removed first. > > > > Don > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: mike wilson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2004 9:03 AM > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Subject: Re: OT: Compaq Evo n160 and Fruit Punch > > > > > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > Ryan Lee wrote: > > > > Apart from sending my laptop in for an overpriced CLA, anyone with any > > > > ideas? > > > > > > 40degrees, no starch, light spin. (unhelpful, probably....) > > > > > > I thought all laptop keyboards are membrane types? > > > > > > mike > > > > > > > > > >
