First, let's rewind this story about a month. Snickers(my kitten) decides she's fascinated with my laptop and feels the need to hop up on the keyboard and watch movement on the screen every time I put it down. My son comes running into the kitchen one day with my caps and tab keys in his hand. The cat had somehow managed to pop them off. I try to pop them back on only to discover the plastic clips on the back of the keys are broken.
I take the laptop to a local computer guy to see what he can do. He can't help me out..doesn't have the right type of keys in stock. He gives me a few places to check out in the city since I was heading there later that day for work.
I bring the laptop in to the shops he recomended only to find out that they can't replace only a couple keys. THey have to change the whole keyboard. They don't have one in stock. If they order it, it's $75 for the keyboard and another hour labor for them to install it. The guy at the counter winks at me and says to check out youtube videos on how to replace the keyboard. He also gives me the number to the supply place where they order the parts saying it'll cost me around $50 to order it in myself and change it myself.
I bring the laptop home and browse around youtube. It's simple to change. A quick 5 minute job. So, I'm about to call the number he gave me and I decide...what the heck. I'll check out ebay to see if I can find one. I do. Actually, several that are the right one for mine...brand new!!! Price was.....get this....$17 plus shipping. It's an original replacement keyboard for my laptop made on this side of the ocean. Sold out of the same place the guy gave me the number to call. So I buy it last week. I go to the post office today and it's already in.
I took it home, followed the instructions on the video, and ten minutes later, I have a new replacement keyboard installed and ready to go.
It's very simple. Above the keyboard, there's a plastic strip that clips in place. Take a flat screwdriver and gently pry under the strip between the escape and f1 key. Then between the f4 and f5 key working your way down till the plastic strip pops off. On some laptops there are 6 screws holding the keyboard to the laptop. Mine only had two screws. Simple so far....Take the screws out and gently pry the keyboard up until it pops out. There's a ribbon that plugs into the keyboard. It's held in place by a plastic clip. Some clips flip up, some slide. Mine slid. I slid it out and popped the old keyboard right out. Be carefull when installing the new keyboard to make sure the ribbon is in the proper place and the plastic clips are holding it properly. Then, it simply a reversal of the removal process. Make sure the new laptop clips in at the bottom first then gently pop the top into place, reinstall the the screws, gently pop the plastic strip back on, and you're done.
Word of caution though...it's always a good idea to unplug the laptop and remove the battery before doing something like this so you don't unintentionally arc it when you unplug the keyboard.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcM9knr_P4Q&feature=related"]YouTube - Toshiba Satelite P100: Removing and Replacing the Keyboard[/ame]
I take the laptop to a local computer guy to see what he can do. He can't help me out..doesn't have the right type of keys in stock. He gives me a few places to check out in the city since I was heading there later that day for work.
I bring the laptop in to the shops he recomended only to find out that they can't replace only a couple keys. THey have to change the whole keyboard. They don't have one in stock. If they order it, it's $75 for the keyboard and another hour labor for them to install it. The guy at the counter winks at me and says to check out youtube videos on how to replace the keyboard. He also gives me the number to the supply place where they order the parts saying it'll cost me around $50 to order it in myself and change it myself.
I bring the laptop home and browse around youtube. It's simple to change. A quick 5 minute job. So, I'm about to call the number he gave me and I decide...what the heck. I'll check out ebay to see if I can find one. I do. Actually, several that are the right one for mine...brand new!!! Price was.....get this....$17 plus shipping. It's an original replacement keyboard for my laptop made on this side of the ocean. Sold out of the same place the guy gave me the number to call. So I buy it last week. I go to the post office today and it's already in.
I took it home, followed the instructions on the video, and ten minutes later, I have a new replacement keyboard installed and ready to go.
It's very simple. Above the keyboard, there's a plastic strip that clips in place. Take a flat screwdriver and gently pry under the strip between the escape and f1 key. Then between the f4 and f5 key working your way down till the plastic strip pops off. On some laptops there are 6 screws holding the keyboard to the laptop. Mine only had two screws. Simple so far....Take the screws out and gently pry the keyboard up until it pops out. There's a ribbon that plugs into the keyboard. It's held in place by a plastic clip. Some clips flip up, some slide. Mine slid. I slid it out and popped the old keyboard right out. Be carefull when installing the new keyboard to make sure the ribbon is in the proper place and the plastic clips are holding it properly. Then, it simply a reversal of the removal process. Make sure the new laptop clips in at the bottom first then gently pop the top into place, reinstall the the screws, gently pop the plastic strip back on, and you're done.
Word of caution though...it's always a good idea to unplug the laptop and remove the battery before doing something like this so you don't unintentionally arc it when you unplug the keyboard.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcM9knr_P4Q&feature=related"]YouTube - Toshiba Satelite P100: Removing and Replacing the Keyboard[/ame]
