If your laptop keys are sticky, or some of them are missing, or the keyboard isn't working at all, you can usually replace the entire keyboard yourself for between $20 and $60. The operation isn't as hard as you might think, and performing it has the advantage that you don't have to remove and replace each key individually. Though every laptop is different, removing your laptop's keyboard usually involves simply unsnapping a cover, removing a few screws, and disconnecting a cable.
If you're up to the challenge, you can tackle this project in the comfort of your own home. Take care, though: A working laptop is a terrible thing to waste, and PCWorld accepts no responsibility for any damage to your machine that might occur if you try to take it apart. Furthermore, if duplicating our process requires actually opening your entire laptop--if, say, you have to remove anything more than a handful of screws--you should call a professional. And finally, before you do anything else, check to see whether the laptop is still under warranty. If it is, you may be able to get it replaced for free.
Find a Replacement Keyboard
The first step of the replacement process is to obtain the right keyboard for your laptop. Compare prices by checking eBay, Google, and online stores that specialize in replacement hardware, such as LaptopKeyboard.com, Spare Parts Warehouse, and LaptopsKeyboard.com. Make sure that the keyboard you buy is for your laptop's exact model number, which you may find printed on your screen bezel or on a label attached to the underside of the laptop. You can simplify your search further by specifying the keyboard's part number, which you may be able to find on the laptop manufacturer's website or by calling their support/service department.
Replacing the Keyboard
For more-precise instructions on how to replace your particular laptop keyboard than the general steps provided here, check online. There's a small chance that your laptop is unique and has a very different replacement process from the standard one outlined here. Check with your laptop manufacturer and with the site where you bought the replacement keyboard to see whether they offer specific instructions for DIY repair. Some manufacturers provide service manuals with detailed instructions on a variety of servicing tasks; if not, try searching the Web for 'how to replace keyboard' with your laptop's model number.
Now let's get started! Confirm that you purchased the appropriate replacement, by placing the new one on the laptop, and seeing if it appears to be the right shape and size. Next, gather your tools: a small Phillips screwdriver for removing the small screws, and a butter knife or other small, thin, flat tool for prying off any covers.
Make sure that the laptop is powered completely off: Unplug the power cord and take the battery out.
Examine the cover/trim piece that sits between the keyboard and the screen; it usually affords access to the keyboard. Check for and remove any screws that appear to be helping hold the cover piece on. Some pieces also cover the screen hinges, which may have small screws on their backs.
Before removing the cover, be aware that it may have a data cable on the back that's connected to the laptop. This cable is important and usually doesn't have much slack, so be very cautious when removing the trim piece that holds your laptop's keyboard in place. You don't want to rip the cable from the laptop and ruin the connector or the cable.
When the cover is loose, gently remove the cover/trim piece with your bare hands; if necessary, carefully use a butter knife or other thin flat tool to pry it up. The cover should snap off fairly easily with a small amount of force--don't use extreme force or you may break it. If it doesn't seem to be coming off, recheck for any remaining screws that may be holding it on--even underneath the laptop--and remove them.
Once you've removed the cover/trim piece, set it aside. If it's attached to the laptop via a data cable, carefully try to move it out of the way without damaging the cable. Then find and remove the screws holding the keyboard in place; there are usually two to five such screws, located along the top of the keyboard.
Before pulling the keyboard up, note that the back of the keyboard attaches to a data cable that in turn is connected to the laptop. This cable usually doesn't have much slack either, so be very careful when pulling it up. It is crucial to avoid ripping the cable from the laptop and ruining the connector.
Carefully pull the keyboard up (without ripping the data cable from the laptop) and unlatch the data cable connector, usually by flipping up the small latch on the connector. Next, remove the data cable and set the old keyboard aside.
Pick up your new keyboard, align it (without setting it down), and attach the data cable to the connector on the laptop, usually by inserting the flat cable as far as it will go and then flipping the small latch on the connector back down to grasp it. With the data cable connected, set the keyboard in place, being careful not to pull at or damage the cable in any way. Reinsert the screws to hold the keyboard down and reattach the cover/trim piece, which usually requires a little force to snap back into place. If you removed any screws from the cover earlier, reinsert those as well.
Once you're done with these steps, you can reinstall your battery and boot up the laptop. If everything went smoothly, you should have a perfectly working keyboard at a fraction of the cost of having a professional repair service do the work!
You may have heard about “mechanical keyboards” in some articles around the Internet. If you haven’t, they’re keyboards that usually come with quite a high price tag but use special keyboard switches that make mechanical keyboard users swear off regular keyboards for life. You might be interested in purchasing a mechanical keyboard yourself. Perhaps you’re an avid typist, or you enjoy playing games that require heavy keyboard usage.
After you type the password, you can select the Automatically Unlock on This Computer from Now On check box to store the password in Windows 7's password cache.Figure H When you insert the BitLocker To Go encrypted drive in Windows 7 system, you will immediately be prompted for a password.Once you click Unlock, you'll see an AutoPlay dialog box that prompts you to view the files or use ReadyBoost, as shown in Figure I. When you click the Open Folder to View Files button, you will be able to access the drive and its contents as you normally would.Figure I When the AutoPlay dialog box appears, click the Open Folder to View Files button. Windows 7 professional bitlocker missing. Using a BitLocker To Go encrypted drive in Windows XP/VistaWhen you insert the BitLocker To Go encrypted drive in a Windows XP or Vista system, you will see an AutoPlay dialog box that prompts you to install the BitLocker To Go Reader, as shown in Figure J. If you wish, you can select the Show Password Characters as I Type Them check box, so that you can see the letters; otherwise, you'll see asterisks. When you click this button, it will take just a moment to install and run the Reader.Figure J When you insert the BitLocker To Go encrypted drive in a Windows XP or Vista system, you will be prompted to install the BitLocker To Go Reader.You'll then see the BitLocker To Go Reader dialog box, which will prompt you to enter your password, as shown in Figure K.
Before you go to the store and pick up the first mechanical keyboard you see, there’s a little something about mechanical keyboards that you should know. They often come in colours that begin with “Cherry MX” at the start, such as “Cherry MX Blue.” Here’s an example.
Don’t be mistaken – this is not referring to the colour of the keyboard itself! You cannot purchase a Cherry MX Red and Blue keyboard and expect them to perform identically as if you bought the red and blue variants of a specific car model. But what do these “Cherry MX” colours mean, and which should you buy?
Keyboard Switches, and Why They Matter
First things first: let’s discuss what “Cherry MX” means. The “Cherry” part refers to the Cherry Corporation who began producing keyboards in 1967. This makes them the oldest keyboard manufacturer in the world.
In the 1980s Cherry began to make a brand of keyboard switch called the Cherry MX switch. Keyboard switches are placed underneath the keys of a keyboard; once a key is pressed, it triggers the switch and lets the computer know that the key has been pressed. These days mass-market keyboards use the dome-switch keyboard which uses little rubber domes under each key to figure out what the user pressed. Dome-switches are cheaper and easier to make, but users report that the keys feel “mushy.” That’s due to the keys being swapped from a mechanical switch to pushing down on rubber.
Why do we care about how a key feels when it’s pressed? For people who use a keyboard on a subconscious basis, the feel of a keyboard can mean everything to them. Proficient typists want to fly through words as they type, so they want a keyboard that requires as little effort as possible to type on. On the other hand, gamers who favour accuracy over typing speed will want keys that require more effort to activate so that accidental key presses don’t ruin their game.
Big fat awesome house party game download. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the different colours you can buy and what each one does for the keyboard.
The Colours
There’s a range of switches you can buy, but the “main” ones you’ll find are “Black,” “Red,” “Brown,” and “Blue.”
Black
Black switches are designed to require the most amount of pressure before the switch activates. This means accidental key presses are less likely to happen compared to a regular keyboard. They also give very little feedback when pressed. Black switches are ideal for those who want to make deliberate and error-free keypresses such as gamers. As a downside, they can be quite fatiguing to use for long periods of time.
Blue
Blue switches are on the opposite end of the spectrum. Blue switches focus on very light and effortless keystrokes, which are ideal for those who type a lot. They also provide a solid tactile and audible feedback, meaning that speed typists can mentally “register” each key press. In fact, their audible feedback is almost too good; blue keyboard owners report very loud clicking while typing which can easily distract those close by.
Brown
Brown switches are the middle ground between blue and black. If you like the sound of a keyboard that’s good for typing but also want to play games on the side, brown switches are often heralded as the perfect choice. They give a little bit of tactile feedback, so you’ll be able to “feel” and validate each press. It does mean that you sacrifice getting a more specialised keyboard in exchange for a “jack of all trades.” On the other hand, if your computer activities aren’t specialised in itself – typing one moment and gaming the other – the brown keyboard will be ideal.
Red
Red switches are akin to brown ones but are more recent in design. Red switches have a similar ease-of-press as
Remember that you don’t have to purchase a specific switch of keyboard simply because of the recommendations above. It’s entirely possible for a gamer to love blue switches or for a typist to prefer brown over blue. Think about what you’d want from your keyboard – something light and quick, solid and definite, or a mix of both – then purchase the keyboard right for you.
Image Credit: YouTube, Wikipedia
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