Coffee spilt on Laptop and now keyboard broken

Creminator

Hello all,

my tool of a brother-in-law split coffee on the mother-in-laws laptop (HP 530).

None of the keyboard keys will work

The computer will boot up fine and I can open applications but I have to use the software keyboard.

Does anybody know if there is chip/component that specifically looks after the keyboard? or know of any reason why the keyboard won't work but the rest of the laptop seems to be?

Thanks

Mick

seamus

The keyboard itself is likely fried or shorted. If there was sugar in the coffee, you can write off the keyboard.

Have a look on ebay, you should be able to get an exact replacement fairly cheap. Dead easy to fit.

Creminator

Thanks Seamus

he puts sugar in the coffee? I've noticed the fan on the underside of the laptop isn't working either.

So you think that it might be gone or does it only turn on when the laptop temp rises to a certain point?

thanks

Mick

MunsterCycling

http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-500-510-520-530-444340-031-Brand-new-Keyboard-UK_W0QQitemZ310187594052QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_ComputerComponents_KeyboardsMice?hash=item48389f1144

Not cheap so time to tell the dumba$$ to put his hand in his pocket.

Fan should only turn on when needed.

MC

seamus

I'm assuming at this stage, it's been a day or two, so any damage has already been done. When any liquid is split on a piece of electronic equipment, the first thing you don't do is try to turn it on

Dunno about the fan, depends on the laptop. Some fans only come on when the temp gets high.

The problem with sugar in the coffee is that the liquid evaporates and leaves a sticky sugary coat across the electronics which can act as a short circuit in some circumstances. So unless you can strip it down, completely wipe it off and dry it out, then it's screwed.

I would say the first thing you do now is stop turning the laptop on . Strip it down, remove the keyboard and see if any coffee seems to have run down underneath it. If it all looks OK, get yourself a replacement keyboard and you should be ok.

biko

Is there important work on the laptop? Does the mouse work?
If so you may want copy the files over to a USB before you start work on the laptop, in case you break it completely*.

*prob won't happen but better safe...

Creminator

The mother in law only found out the laptop was broken when she tired to turn it on and nothing happened, she removed the battery and coffee poured out.

Straight onto the phone to the brother in law said he split coffee on the floor while using the laptop and put the laptop onto the split coffee (?????).

That's BS of course as the keyboard is busted.

M-in-L put the laptop into the hot-press for 24hrs before trying it again and it came on but had broken keyboard and she didn't know about the software keyboard.

its 50 yo-yos for a new keyboard - so at least it's not too bad