Cleaned keyboard and now it's dead!

[Elemdee]

Originally Posted by TechLady

Ok! Client's HP laptop appeared to have a stuck key...

http://pancakeonastick.com/hmmm/wtf1.MOV

Did that every time, everywhere, although after reboot it sometimes picked different characters. When I made the movie it was 3, another time it was c. And the the system fan was going like mad trying to deal with this apparent permanent key stroke.

Seems like you might have a few issues going on here, because the system fan going like mad wouldn't have any direct relation with a key stroke issue. I suspect if you remove the heatsink you'll find a layer of dust smashed together like insulation, keeping the system too warm and raising havoc. Clearing that out and replacing the keyboard will probably do the trick.

[RedFoxComp]

Originally Posted by TechLady

As I said, I never unplugged the keyboard in the first place. The cable is jammed into the socket extremely tightly, and I would have to use a great deal of force to remove it, which didn't seem worth doing. So I am not sure what unplugging it would do when it was never unplugged in the first place--and doing so might break the socket or slice the cable.

Won't turn on with battery removed either.

Eeep! All flat cables on a laptop are ZIF (zero insertion force). There is either a tab that flips straight up or pulls out on either side parallel to the motherboard. How hard were you pulling on the cable?

I never bother cleaning a keyboard. If there are repeating or missing keystrokes it just gets replaced (as mentioned it's usually liquid damage and any fix is temporary until another key goes.) The only time I repair is when someone brings me one with the keys popped off and there are no broken parts.

[TechLady]

Well as someone suggested it is indeed the keyboard. It boots and works with it removed and a USB keyboard. Strange. Also, this morning I noticed the keyboard reeks of Windex...