keys not working

Quasar

Hi my lappy has suddenly developed a problem with four keys: shift, z, x, c. All in a row exept the \ which is unaffeted. I lifted the keys to clean them but they still don't work and I'm having to use the osk for those letters and the shift function, which is a pain.

The lappy is 4 years old. Is it worth having it repaired, or would the cost make it more economial to buy a new one?

pendulum

The keyboards are about £30-£45 new where we order them from and Labour brings the job up to about £80 - £90, the dilemma of whether to repair or just buy a new one almost always crops up when people bring older laptops in which need new keyboards (or screens etc), usually if the quote is under £100 we find they agree to the repair but if it hits the magic £100 mark they will rather buy a new one.

If you use it a lot and could genuinely benefit from a new one I'd probably say get a new one and sell the old one on eBay for spares, or get a keyboard/donor laptop off eBay and read some instructions and have a go at fitting it yourself, keyboards seem to go about £20 - £25 on eBay.

enigma52

or just buy an ordinary keyboard and plug it in, about £7

KingL

it is possible that one end of the ribbon connector (that connects the keyboard with the guts of the machine) has become 'unplugged'.

Google for how to dismantle your make/model. There are lots of step-by-step instructions (including narrated videos on YouTube) out there. Taking the keyboard off is usually the first step.