Compaq Presario r3000 Volume Keeps going Down

[rajkalyan]

Hey guys,
I have a Compaq Presario r3000 laptop.
It has an Athlon 64 processor and 1 gig of memory.
It runs Windows XP Pro and MEPIS, dualbooting.
The problem is that when on XP, the slider for the volume keeps going down.
As a side note, the buttons on the side for volume and wifi, the buttons don't work nor do they light up. 🙁
I uninstalled the HP QuickLaunch software that shows you what the Fn keys do. 😀
That didn't work.
I also tried taking the whole system apart, by the service manual, of course, and pulled off the system to check the cables.
That did not work either.
I am out of ideas right now...
Any ideas from you guys?

Thanks!
rajkalyan

 

[Guest]

I've had a similar circumstance on a client's laptop, and discovered that the multi-media remote control for his machine (which stored in the PCMCIA or Expresscard slot) was actually responsible for this symptom. We found that the buttons were being pressed just enough when it was stowed to cause the volume-down button to be activated. Once he stopped storing the remote in the PCMCIA slot, the problem stopped.

This doesn't mean your problem is this, but it's something to check.

Something else to check would be that no food or sticky liquid is in the area surrounding the buttons on the side of this machine that control the volume....even a slightly depressed button will perform the operation. Give them a wiggle and see if they feel sticky or at all out of perfect alignment on the left side of the laptop near the front.

You mentioned that you have disassembled the PC, the buttons that are on the left press inward against the buttons mounted on the system board, perhaps they are slightly ajar and inward from the proper position, which is forcing them against the momentary contact switches behind them.

The lights don't usually get activated unless *BOTH* the QuickLaunch (QL)software & the Easy Access Button Software (EAB) are installed.

 

[rajkalyan]

I see what you're saying.
I've cleaned the area out with a can of compressed air and I've left the keyboard by itself in rice to dry it up but still no dice.
I don't have a remote but that is a good observation.
The buttons can be pushed while the notebook is together in one piece and I can hear the click of the contact being pressed.
When I took it apart, I removed the board with the buttons on it, cleaned the connector with compressed air, and put a piece of a rubber band to insulate the connection and prevent contact.
Upon a reboot, the bar still went down but now there is no sound at all!
The little "ding" noise when you move the bar is gone.
Sound on the linux partition still works.
Now about the light, looking on the CD of software, there is only the QuickLaunch software.
There is no "Easy Access Button Software", but I'll look again.

Thanks!
-rajkalyan