Hi,

It is a known problem. It seems to be caused by the keyboard pressing on and lifting the edge of the connection underneath when tightened down. Do an advanced search, and you will find many " fix's "

 

Message Edited by iamnemesis on 01-13-2006 11:10 AM

Hi,

I would reseat the KBD, and try it before screwing the KBD down. If you reload it, you will maintain the privacy of the earlier owner. It also means anything that shouldnt be there is gone, so if ever it is seized and checked you wont be accountable.

                                                                       Regards Chris

 

Hello.
I have a Dell Latitude CPX-J (750 MHz)laptop computer that i purchased (used) in 2004. This computer has given me more trouble then all my other computers combined and i was not at all pleased and said i would never buy another Dell.
About a week after i bought it the keyboard began giving me trouble. The usual number and letter keys, page up and down, whatever. I tried some of the suggestions i found in this forum such as making sure the big connector was pushed in properly, putting tape over the spots where the keyboard was touching components on the motherboard, etc. All worked for a week or so but then the problems returned.
After trying to clean the connectors with contact cleaner it got worst, perhaps due to me getting spray on the Motherboard (which i knew one shouldn't do). I had problems with the ENTER Key, SPACE bar and just about everything else. And when i would turn the computer on it would beep (and beep and beep) as if one of the keys were stuck down (none were) until Windows booted up. I tried removing the cleaner but the problems were still there.
Finally, in early December 2004, i thought i'd try something different. With the help of a magnifying glass, i took an old needle with a bent tip and tried scraping each of the little connector contacts of both the keyboard and motherboard until they showed some brightness. Then i put it all back together and, hey, everything worked! The keyboard did fail after an hour or so of use but the next time i booted it up it worked great and now, over a year later (January 28, 2006), it's still going strong without any problems.
I may have to do it again sometime but now i know what to do to fix it.
I don't know if this is the cause of everyone's keyboard problems but thought i'd pass it along as i think it is well worth trying. Even if you have replaced the keyboard or motherboard (with out success) it might be worth a try as the "new" boards may have been setting around in a warehouse long enough for the connectors to have become oxidized and had the same cause of problem as your old one.
Best of luck from a now happy Dell user (and yes, i would now consider buying another Dell).
Keith.