Quick Computer Question (laptop)

I have a quick computer question. I'm an aviation electronics guy so, pretty knowledgeable about tech stuff, but I don't mess with laptops very often other than just use them. Thus, I have a question.

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad i7 model 20LES1XG00

My (Enter) key has begun to stick in the depressed position (which is an obvious problem). It will eventually pop up and seemingly function normally after I open the laptop, but I have no idea why it is doing this. Sometimes it can take a few minutes for it to pop up. My guess is it's got something sticky under the key cap. If it was just a normal keyboard I'd pop the keycap off and see what's going on underneath it, but this being a laptop I don't think it's that easy.

How difficult is it to open a laptop like this to get at the keyboard?

It's a good laptop and I don't have any issues with it otherwise, so I'd like to keep using it, but I'm worried that one day that (Enter) key won't pop up when I need it and then I'll be screwed. Knowing "Murphy" and his laws, this will happen at the worst possible time.

Advice appreciated.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

support.lenovo.com...

Hope this helps.

a reply to: network dude

Wow! THAT was WAY helpful!!!

THANK YOU (very much!).

It was a lot easier than I thought. Only down side is, as I suspected, the keyboard itself is not really serviceable. It just has to be replaced (which I can now do). Just have to source one, but that should be easy enough.

Thanks again!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

How difficult is it to open a laptop like this to get at the keyboard?

Given you have the screwdrivers, not very...

Changing keyboard on thinkpads shouldn't be hard either. From what I've seen by lenovo they are well labeled inside.

I'd have a replace keyboard handy just in case, you can still try and clean first and see if it fixes the problem...
Thing with laptop keyboards is they are like one unit so individual key treatment would be harder...

I've always found a helpful YT video to get me trough those unknowns.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It sounds like there may be some gunk under the key that's making it stick. If the spring were broken then it wouldn't come back up.

If you want to try to remove just the top of the key and then clean the mechanism below it, here's another video that shows you how.

I still have an IBM Thinkpad from late the 2000s and I used to do this on mine. I still think IBM made some of the best keyboards... not sure about quality control now.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It was a lot easier than I thought. Only down side is, as I suspected, the keyboard itself is not really serviceable.

You cannot pry the keys off with a small screwdriver you use for terminal blocks ?

That sucks if that is the case , you have to dismantle and send the keyboard to the manufacurer for 1 stuck key...

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

link to amazon keyboard for $30

a reply to: Encia22

Back when it was $100 to get a replacement, that was the best option. But if you break the tiny plastic clip that holds the little metal hinge, you lost the keyboard. (I did that a lot)

replacement is pretty easy and a new one just makes the whole computer "feel new". and isn't it all about "feels" these days?

a reply to: Encia22

This was ALSO very helpful!

Thanks for this!

Maybe I'll try that first. Then, if I FUBAR the clips, I've got ND's video above for the whole keyboard.

a reply to: network dude

I went ahead and ordered it. Might as well replace the whole thing. The space bar key is worn through the coating on the key. I always wear out space bar keys under my right thumb.

I have had to take apart the keyboard and spray the keyboard key parts a couple of times already on the wife's computer. The daughter did it once with something supposedly that they recommend in places on the net, it didn't solve the problem.

I have some electronics cleaner spray, that works good, using some paper towel to sop up any stuff. For that towel, I try to use the Viva towels for stuff like that, less lint. The electronics cleaner I have is safe for plastic too, it is a name brand cleaner which has some minor lubricating properties. I got it from a music store originally, but have found it in an autopart store, not really cheap, a little can costs eight bucks. But it works great. I have automotive electronics and connector sprays in the garage all the time....but I use that small can for intricate stuff. I also have MAF sensor spray in the garage, but I don't think that would be good either.

After you figure out how to take the case apart, it is a simple project...Big q tips are also beneficial.

I have taken keyboards for computers apart too, now I just get a new keyboard if I can't get it clean from above. Watch when blowing out keyboards with a compressor, one hundred seventy five psi is too high, I have a high port and a regulated port on my eighty gallon. I grabbed the wrong hose one time...keys flew all over the place

a reply to: rickymouse

Yeah, I have long wood handled Q-tips made especially for electronics, along with several different cleaning chemicals for different types of boards and traces. I just never took apart one of these low profile keyboards before.

Regarding regular PC keyboards, I actually like building those from scratch, just as a hobby. My goal is usually to try to get as close to the old IBM Model F and Model M keyboards. I can get pretty darn close too, especially with the new Corsair Red Smooth & Linear mechanical keyswitches. Shoot, come to think of it, I could probably even do a post on that! (How utterly boring would that be, right???) LOL!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You could try a spray can of electrical contact cleaner.

Id try a little drop on the plastic to make sure it isn't solvent for any of the plastics.

Then spray on a fair bit to wet the area behind the key and using a drinking straw, shove it behind the key and blow really hard to dislodge any built-up gunk, while brushing behind the key with a soft long bristle paint brush.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Most computer parts replacements are easy these days, even in laptops, although some makers appear to be in some kind of race to see who uses more screws. I once had to undo 18 screws to be able to add memory to a laptop.

Although most people today are too lazy for it, if people knew how easy these "repairs" are, many would do them themselves.

Well, just as kind of a follow up (for anyone who cares). This did not go so well.

Turns out there are about (31) different variations of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1. From the video linked by Network Dude I thought this was going to be a slam dunk. After careful examination, I ordered a replacement keyboard. Received the keyboard and began dismantling the keyboard as shown in the video. Right away I noticed that things weren't going as easy as what was shown. When I got the trackpad keys off (in pieces) I discovered there were no screws underneath as shown in the video. Then I took a much closer look at the keyboard. Something was different, but I couldn't see it right away. To all outward appearances everything looked identical. So I decided to consult Lenovo.

Lenovo support steered me to the actual service manual for this particular unit (which BTW has some really cool tricks I never knew about for laptops and even computers in general...like major hacks, kind of stuff...but that's for another post). The service manual broke down every single nut, bolt, screw, device and connector inside the machine...except for one. You guessed it, the keyboard! Why? Back to Lenovo tech support this time. It was a very brief discussion.

Turns out the keyboard is actually bonded to the keyboard bezel (essentially the case). It is not a "CRU" (customer replaceable unit in Lenovo terminology), and it is not even a "FRU" (factory replaceable unit). I've come up with a new acronym and nicknamed the part a "FTC" (Fk' The Customer) part. It is not replaceable. The manual shows you how to remove every single other component, down to even the motherboard, but you cannot replace the keyboard...even though I'm sitting here looking at the damn replacement keyboard sitting right in front of me!! Just no way to install it.

In the process, I also discovered that removing individual keys is not nearly as straight forward as the video Encia22 linked. The keys are different, and not attached the same way. The keys are actually glued to the plastic clip underneath, and not just casually glued on there either (think like epoxied). So, you can't get the cap off with a non-metallic electronics pry tool like he shows in the video. It breaks the clip in the process. There's a tab almost 1/4" long which goes up underneath the keyboard bezel for each key. Lenovo clearly did not want people taking these keys off!

Bottom line...F'in laptop is now toast. I have it back working well enough to salvage what is on it but it looks like it got taken out behind the woodshed for a beating. Time for a new laptop I guess. Dammit!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

sorry to hear that. I have not run across anything like that in my 24 years as a technician. Laptop screens yes, but not keyboards. That's the most replaceable part on a laptop, as it gets the most abuse. Lenovo screwed the pooch on that one is sounds like. In the interim, you can use an external keyboard and mouse until you decide what to buy next.

I have had good luck getting refurbished laptops from Amazon. Cheap, and usually loaded. Core I7 with 32gb ram and an SSD hard drive.

an example

Good luck, and again, sorry you had "that guy" as a laptop.

a reply to: network dude

No worries, it was worth a shot. Sure looked like it was going to be a slam-dunk. It was kind of funny, when I got the full service manual from Lenovo, they have this table with an exploded parts diagram of the laptop and all the components. Off to the right of each part number there are two columns; one of them has the CRU/FRU designation and the other has the Lenovo part number. In those columns for the keyboard it just has a big bold "N" (I guess standing for "NO!"). Their terminology breakdown didn't even say what "N" stood for; I had to look it up. It was one of the only parts without a part #.

Don't get me wrong, Lenovo's are great machines and I've had great luck with them, but I always wondered about this particular laptop. Just something about it never felt right, and I was always waiting to find out what it was. In some ways it was almost too good to be true. It's super light and super fast (like rocket fast); did everything I needed it to do. I'd bought it because I needed something lighter to travel with. I've carted that thing all over the world and it always worked. Plus, the battery life is just phenomenal! It will stay on for an entire week without charging! (seriously too). It was also quite a bit less expensive than my previous Lenovo (like almost half). I never understood why. Now I think I do. I was always waiting for some weird thing to crop up because, like I said, it seemed almost too good to be true.

It was probably time for a new box anyway, but I hate setting up new machines. I have so much stuff which needs to get re-installed and then configured, just such a PITA.

Oh well!

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: network dude

It was probably time for a new box anyway, but I hate setting up new machines. I have so much stuff which needs to get re-installed and then configured, just such a PITA.

Oh well!

Have you considered cloning/migration tools to avoid reinstalling everything on a new PC?

a reply to: Encia22

Never had one of those tools or services work worth a damn for me. Always turns out to be more work than just starting from scratch.

What tools are you suggesting? Maybe I've missed some.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Sorry, I haven't used any in over a decade. The last was Acronis for cloning the entire HD.

I guess it is more laborious to clone just the installed 3rd party programs, I think there would be some complications along the way with registry entries.

I believe Micro$oft has a migration tool, but I remember reading it uses an M$ account and cloud to do the dirty work; I haven't checked if it can be done via an external HD or a special USB cable Pc-2-PC.