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| Fix PC Problems | |
| November 2000• Vol.6 Issue 11 Page(s) 38-39 in print issue | |
Fix Common Keyboard Problems |
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[FIX]
[COMMON]
[RICH]
[GRAY]
Cookie crumbs, paper clips, dead beetles, hair, peppermint tea . . . it’s amazing what can wind up inside a keyboard. Although the mouse is handy for moving around your screen and doing many tasks, the keyboard is still your primary input device on your computer. And with 84 to 101 keys and a large, mostly open surface, it takes only a small foreign object or a little dust to adversely affect its operation. Keyboards are generally hardy though, and through routine maintenance and light troubleshooting, you can avoid or fix some of the most common troubles you may encounter.  Cables &
Connectors. One of the common problems you will face with your
keyboard will be in the area of cables and connectors. Like the mouse,
many keyboard cables develop problems from abuse, such as when you yank or
tug on your keyboard’s cord or accidentally knock the keyboard off your
desk. The points where the cable connects to the motherboard and the
keyboard also can become loose or damaged due to the stresses placed on
them. When you boot up and receive errors that say the keyboard is not
attached or has failed, you may have problems in this area.To check cables and connectors, first shut down the computer. Carefully examine the cable, making sure it isn’t bent, stretched, or visibly damaged or frayed. Make sure the connectors that plug into the back of the computer and the keyboard are not loose. Unplug, if you can, and physically inspect them, checking to see that the pins on the inside aren’t bent, pushed in, or broken. Firmly push the plugs back in and reboot to find out if the problem persists. When it comes to plugging a new keyboard into your computer, don’t force the connector into the port. A couple of different keyboard ports exist—AT and PS/2 are the most common—and you’ll need an adapter (available at most computer supply stores) to use a certain keyboard type with a different port type. Before you go buy an adapter though, note the number of pins and holes on both keyboard and port so you’ll get the right one. Some computers also feature two ports: one for your mouse and one for you keyboard. Make sure you have each one plugged into the correct port, or you’ll have problems using either one. Clean Is Key.
As mentioned, keyboards are fertile ground for the collection
of all sorts of stuff. Whether it’s simple dust and crumbs or a full cup
of coffee, getting it out of your keyboard before it does any damage or
hurts your keyboard’s performance is a priority.There’s not a whole lot you can do to prevent dust and grime from getting into your keyboard (using a dust cover when you’re away from the computer can help), but you can diminish the buildup of food particles by keeping all foods away from your computer. As debris builds up in the keyboard, your keys may stick or become defective. This is why you need to regularly clean your keyboard. To remove simple items such as dust and crumbs, first shut down the computer and unplug the keyboard. Flip it upside down and gently shake or tap the back. A can of compressed air works well here to dislodge materials. If this doesn’t dislodge the debris, you may have to remove a few keys and use a soft-bristled brush. Before you begin removing keys, make sure you note each one’s place on the keyboard so you’ll be able to put them back correctly. To remove the keys, it’s best to use a special key-pulling tool (available at your local computer supply store). Pull carefully when removing keys and remove only as many keys as necessary. If you can help it, don’t remove the Spacebar. A wire running through this key holds it level, and it can be difficult to remove and get back on correctly. Once you remove the keys, use a soft-bristled brush to dislodge the material and then blow it free with compressed air. Replace the keys, plug the keyboard back into the computer, and reboot to see if the keyboard works. If you’re having trouble with specific keys, use an electronics-grade contact cleaner on the offending key switches. With the keys removed and after a thorough cleaning, squirt a little cleaner down into the contact. If there is a small plastic or rubber boot on the contact, you can usually lift it up a little so you can reach the contact to spray it. Depress the key several times to work the cleaner in. If possible, avoid using a vacuum cleaner to clean your keyboard. Vacuums can build up a static charge, which can potentially damage your keyboard. Staples and paper clips. You should immediately take care of objects such as staples or paper clips that fall into your keyboard. These can jam keys and cause them to short out, and they can really do some damage if they fall into the circuitry. If something of this nature does fall into your keyboard, don’t move the keyboard. Shut down your computer, remove the nearest key(s) to the item, and pull the item out with non-magnetic tweezers or needle-nosed pliers. Spills. Liquid spills are probably the biggest threat your keyboard faces. If you do accidentally spill something into your keyboard, immediately shut down and unplug the PC. Tilt it to drain the liquid out, then rinse the area where the liquid went in with distilled (preferably) water. You may have to disassemble the keyboard housing (remove the screws in the back) to do this thoroughly. The problem with spills such as coffee or soda is that these types of drinks are not just liquid. Most beverages, including regular water, contain solids in the form of sugars, dyes, and minerals. Because these can coat the printed circuit board and damage the contacts, you should immediately rinse out these substances with distilled water. In addition, any dust in your system will turn into glue in the presence of a sticky liquid. |
Keyboard Properties.
If you’re having troubles with the way characters appear on
your screen after you type them, you can fine-tune many options with the
Keyboard Properties dialog box. To access the dialog box, select the Start
menu, Settings, Control Panel, and then Keyboard. Most of the keys on your keyboard have a repeat rate; if you push and hold a key, it will start repeating. On the Speed tab, you can select the repeat delay (how long the system waits after you depress a key until it starts repeating) and the repeat rate (how fast a key will repeat when held down). You can test these rates on the Speed tab in the text box at the bottom of the Character Repeat section.
The Language tab shows the keyboard languages and layouts you have and lets you easily add or switch between them. If your keyboard starts spitting out strange letters or accents or consistently prints a character to the screen that is different than the one you typed, it could mean the settings on this tab are off. You can quickly set a language/layout as a default by highlighting it and clicking the Set As Default button. Clicking Add pulls up a list of available languages that you can add to your system. ( NOTE: To install any languages that are not on your system, you’ll need to insert your Windows installation CD-ROM.)
Another area in which you can change your keyboard’s controls is on the Keyboard tab in the Accessibility Properties dialog box. To access it, open the Start menu, select Settings, click Control Panel, and double-click Accessibility Options. From here, you can set up additional keyboard features that let you use the SHIFT, CTRL, or ALT key by pressing one key at a time; ignore brief or repeat keystrokes; and hear tones when you press the CAPS LOCK, NUM LOCK, or SCROLL LOCK key.
Miscellaneous
Problems & Solutions. Some other things to keep in mind
when troubleshooting your keyboard
include:Reboot. Rebooting as a first step in most aspects of computer troubleshooting is a good strategy and can fix many problems.
Mix and match. If you have access to another keyboard or computer that will fit the offending keyboard or computer, try one part with the other (your keyboard/other system, or vice versa) to see if you can figure out whether the problem is with your keyboard or system.
Switches. Some keyboards may have a switch on the bottom that makes them more accessible to different types of computers. If you’re having problems, you might have accidentally changed this switch.
Sloppy booting. Be careful you’re not holding down a key while booting because this can cause errors.
Software conflicts. Even though software conflicts are rare, some applications have issues with some keyboards. If your keyboard acts screwy with only one program, try the keyboard or software company’s Web site to see if any documentation exists on the problem. In addition, check any Readme files that might have come with the program.
It Is Your Choice.
Keyboard performance is subjective, and given the amount of
time you’ll be spending on one, you may want to consider spending a few
dollars to replace a keyboard that doesn’t work or feel right to you if
none of the above solutions fixes your keyboard problems. 
by Rich Gray
| What You Need To
Know Benefits Keeping your keyboard running smoothly will make sure you can input data without problems. Tools A key-pulling tool, a can of compressed air, an electronics-grade contact cleaner, and distilled water Time A few minutes for simple cleaning and troubleshooting or a couple of days if you need to air-dry a wet keyboard Skill Level Easy to Intermediate Cost A few dollars for cleaning supplies |
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