HP Pavillion DV 6000 Keyboard not working after replacement

[minigendo]

I was asked to repair an HP Pavilion DV6000 running Windows Vista with a malfunctioning shift key. After investigating the issue, it seemed like the keyboard would need to be replaced.

I purchased a replacement online, and performed the repair. To my vexation, the new keyboard did not work. I reinstalled the original keyboard, only to find that it no longer worked either. Unfortunately, I did not operate the machine immediately before attempting the repair, so I can not say for certain that my repair is the cause for the malfunction.

At first I suspected an operating system issue. However, I am unable to use the keyboard to access the bios screen, so it would appear to be OS independent. I am able to use a USB keyboard to operate the machine instead.

The removal and install was simple, and as far as I know nothing went wrong. No parts appear to be broken.

Can anyone recommend any further diagnostic steps or possible repairs?

My thanks for your time, and my apologies for the trouble.

 

[Saga Lout]

Check then double check the ribbon cable is in properly and held down tightly. It has only to be a tiny bit scewed sideways for the connections not to work properly.

 

[minigendo]

Check then double check the ribbon cable is in properly and held down tightly. It has only to be a tiny bit scewed sideways for the connections not to work properly.

My thanks for your advice. I have checked, then double checked, then triple checked, and so on that the ribbon cable is well seated and firmly in place, though I will do so again in the morning to be thorough.

Attempting to isolate the problem further, I swapped the HP Pavillion keyboards in for that of a Gateway laptop I had lying around. While there was not a direct match between keys pressed and output produced, I was able to get output from both of them. Using the gateway keyboard on the HP, however, still produced no output (though there are too many variables for this to be conclusive).

At the moment, the most likely seeming error is that something happened to the ribbon connector either during the initial removal, or during the installation. I'm uncertain how I would confirm that it is the part that's acting up, however.

 

[Saga Lout]

Hmm - it's odd that the problem should jump from a single key playing up to no recognition whatever. Can you use the onscreen keyboard to go into Control Panel>Keyboard to see if there's a clue in there somewhere? My Vista know-how is fading fast but you should be able to mouse your way to the Ease of Access sub-section of Accessories in the All programmes menu.

 

[minigendo]

Hmm - it's odd that the problem should jump from a single key playing up to no recognition whatever. Can you use the onscreen keyboard to go into Control Panel>Keyboard to see if there's a clue in there somewhere? My Vista know-how is fading fast but you should be able to mouse your way to the Ease of Access sub-section of Accessories in the All programmes menu.

My thanks for your response. Unfortunately, the problem is OS independent. The keyboard doesn't work in the bios setup, Windows Vista, or when using a Linux on a disk program.

The single key to entire keyboard are probably unrelated. The single key appeared to be mechanical failure of that one keyboard switch, which is why I purchased the replacement keyboard.

The critical event for the unresponsive keyboard was probably the repair (I didn't activate the machine directly before the repair, so I can't be certain), as after that point the keyboard did not work at all.

It's possible I purchased a defective replacement, AND somehow broke the existing keyboard during the install procedure. This seems unlikely though as output of some sort was able to be generated on another computer.

Assuming that isn't the case, the only thing I have left to consider is that I somehow broke a portion of the motherboard during the install. The connector which attaches the ribbon cable seems the most likely candidate, as it was the only part of the board I manipulated during the install.

 

[Saga Lout]

Assuming that isn't the case, the only thing I have left to consider is that I somehow broke a portion of the motherboard during the install. The connector which attaches the ribbon cable seems the most likely candidate, as it was the only part of the board I manipulated during the install.

I'd struggle to see how you could have upset something so crucial as to knock the whole system off even if you were a bit heavy handed on that ribbon cable. A USB keyboard should still be able to take over.

 

[minigendo]

Assuming that isn't the case, the only thing I have left to consider is that I somehow broke a portion of the motherboard during the install. The connector which attaches the ribbon cable seems the most likely candidate, as it was the only part of the board I manipulated during the install.

I'd struggle to see how you could have upset something so crucial as to knock the whole system off even if you were a bit heavy handed on that ribbon cable. A USB keyboard should still be able to take over.

My thanks for your response. I fear that there may be a misunderstanding. As I wrote in the initial post, I am able to use a USB keyboard to operate the machine just fine. Given the amount of time now spent on trying to get the laptop keyboard working, I am tempted to buy a small one and simply give it to the computers owner along with an apology.

As I continue to tinker, I was able to get the laptop keyboard to produce some output after cleaning off the ribbon cable, and the cable connector with isopropyl alcohol. It's peculiar, any key that will produce output will do so multiple times, and then not again until another key which produces output is pressed.

So pressing 5 would generate 5555555555, and then 6 would generate 6666666666; etc. The number of times it repeats is seemingly random. Other keys will work only if another key is held down first.

I have no idea what could be causing that behavior. Isopropyl alcohol bridging connectors in the ribbon connector? Some of the tines on the ribbon connector having bent out of shape?

 

[Saga Lout]

I have that repeating key problem in a Sony Vaio on my bench at the moment. It's a non-replaceable keyboard because it only comes out downwards, meaning the whole machine has to be taken apart. Sony has made it that way to be certain of getting the job of replacing it. Two weeks ago I had an HP Pavilion which was exactly the same.

At least you can get to yours but it seems that new keyboard you have is unuseable. How does the original behave now? I ask only because you need to decide whether just the cable or its connector is faulty.

 

[minigendo]

I have that repeating key problem in a Sony Vaio on my bench at the moment. It's a non-replaceable keyboard because it only comes out downwards, meaning the whole machine has to be taken apart. Sony has made it that way to be certain of getting the job of replacing it. Two weeks ago I had an HP Pavilion which was exactly the same.

At least you can get to yours but it seems that new keyboard you have is unuseable. How does the original behave now? I ask only because you need to decide whether just the cable or its connector is faulty.

My thanks for your continued responses, I'm sorry this has dragged on.

After sitting for some 20 hours without power, the computer manifested another behavior. With the original keyboard installed, for a few minutes after powering up it worked as it had before I attempted repair. The control key which did not work, still didn't work, but other wise the keyboard worked fine. After two minutes or so it seemed to break again going unresponsive, although some keys could do the repeated key thing it was doing before. I swapped to the new keyboard, and found that it would also do the repeated key behavior. I swapped back in the original one, but the behavior hadn't changed (still broken).

To summarize, sitting without power for a long period of time restored function temporarily to the original keyboard. Once back in the broken state, neither keyboard worked. I still don't have sufficient data to say with certainty that both keyboards aren't broken, but the impression I get is that the problem lies on the board rather than keyboard.

 

[Saga Lout]

I tend to agree with your last sentence. We can't win them all.

 

[jarotech]

Hi, the problem lies in the keyboard controller, when it's hot the section for the keyboard is not functioning, when it's cold for a long time it functions. To verify if that chip is the culprit, use a component cooler, after spraying, if the keyboard is functioning, then the chip is bad.

 

[minigendo]

Hi, the problem lies in the keyboard controller, when it's hot the section for the keyboard is not functioning, when it's cold for a long time it functions. To verify if that chip is the culprit, use a component cooler, after spraying, if the keyboard is functioning, then the chip is bad.

My thanks for your response. What you propose seems reasonable, but I am unable to confirm it in the manner you recommend. I don't have any component cooler, and don't believe I could get to the chip without stripping most of the computer out of the case. One point against what you describe is the length of time it takes for function to be restored. If the culprit is temperature, I would have expected this to happen more rapidly. Could a build up of charge do something similar?

 

[minigendo]

I tend to agree with your last sentence. We can't win them all.

My apologies for troubling you again, but there was one last thing I wanted to bounce off of you. After leaving the computer without power for another day, the original keyboard was actually working for an extended period of time the following morning. Fool that I am, I decided to try swapping in the new keyboard. This behaved very poorly, with only some keys producing sporadic output. When I swapped the original back in. There are really too many factors to say with certainty, but this seems to indicate a possible cause is that the new keyboard somehow caused the whole mess. Could a defective laptop keyboard negatively effect the function of keyboard controller it was plugged into?

 

[Saga Lout]

I would say it's possible because I'vwe unpacked brand new ones which don't work. I doubt, however, that the manufacturer would agree with you if asked to stump up for a replacement motherboard and the fixing charges.

 

[LuukeMan]

Hey guys,
I'm having a similar Problem with my HP Pavilion g6 2212sg. After taking out the keyboard and cleaning it (really washing and then drying it), it showed some of the Symptoms you mentioned. Very few Keys worked just fine, most of them produced sporadic or no Output at all. In addition, some of them produced more than one letter i.e. hitting "a" would produce "ad" or "asd". After trying to connect the cable multiple times and really watching it to be accuratly on the Pins, it would be a little better some times, more Keys would work but still just about half of them.

I personally think it hast something to do with the Pins on the end of the cable, or the Motherboard because you could see certain portions of the keyboard working and certain areas not working at all. Like one of the lines in the cable was broken. I will also try to clean it with alcohol tomorrow because I'm getting a "d" with so many others Keys even like "2" on the Numpad which makes it seem like a bit of fat from my fingers could have caused this.

I see this post is already 2 months old. Any solutions yet?

Thanks

 

[ffg7]

what part did you wash & what did you wash with?

 

[LuukeMan]

The keyboard itself with water and dish soap and then whiped the metal under the keyboard (I guess you could Call it Case?) with some soap.

While cleaning it with alcohol today I noticed that I might scratched the Connector a bit.
I think I will just buy a replacement keyboard.

Do you think it is possible that the ribbon Connector could get damaged while normally removing the keyboard?

PS: I also used some Air pressure düster Spray thing for the inside, which sometimes causes some condensation but normally it dries off really fast and I also give it some time to make sure it's dry.

 

[ffg7]

you just scrapped your keyboard by using tap water.

 

[LuukeMan]

Although it seems like it I don't really think that's what damaged it. I'm normall really good with Hardware and also logically thinking it shouldn't hurt anything, even electronics, as long as it isn't Connected to any Power source. It's just metal and plastic.

Oh yeah and the reason I Cleaned it is I poored lemonade over it some time ago and it was sticky but still Working.

 

[ffg7]

is also conductive plastic. if you had used de-ionized\distilled water only then would have been alright.