Laptop Keyboard Mystery...Continues...

Hello,

I stumbled upon this board while searching for help with a Laptop issue. I have a hp ze4101 and I hadn't used it for say about a year(Before that I used it for a month after purchase and then put it away). The laptop was working fine then I go to turn on and I can't login(XP Home Service Pack 2) So I try a ps/2 keyboard and it works fine. So after playing with it to no avail I reinstall XP sp2(tried no sp2 then tried with....nothing). I have to do the reinstall with the ps/2 keyboard. I get through the new install and nothing, then I get my bro's laptop which is the same as mine and I get his working keyboard and try it with mine. Nothing. Put his keyboard back in his pc and it works fine. I cleaned the connection to the mb with distilled water and alcohol and let it dry for 24hrs. Try again, nothing. I'm at my wits end. Everything on this Laptop works except for the keyboard. Since its a laptop I want it to be portable and not have to lug around a external keyboard. Anyone think of anything that would help me in my quest of getting this thing to work. I forgot to mention that the touchpad does still function. I think its the keyboard controller on the motherboard but I can't justify getting a new mb(from HP which will cost more than the laptop itself...LOL!) on a hunch. Sorry to ramble, just need some help.

Skealo

 

Keyboard may be shot if something happened to it. Try pressing the Reset button on the bottom of the laptop. If that does not work, then most likely you will have to send it off to get it fixed.

Try taking it into a local computer repair shop to have them look at it, instead of taking it to GeekSquad.

 

Why do you think its the Keyboard. I tried the exact same model except it was a working keyboard and still nothing? Reset button did nothing, unfortunatly.

 

Because from the post you have stated that the keyboard does not work, but an external one does, so that means the chipset for the keyboard works, but there is something wrong with this particular units keyboard.

 

I think that the chipset may work however I'm questioning the keyboard connection. I was rambling a bit last night and I wanted to clarify that my bro has the same laptop and his keyboard works fine so I switched them and his keyboard didn't work on mine but it works fine on his. Also, you don't think it has much to do with the motherboard?

thanks for the quick responses.
Skealo

 

Could be bad connector on the motherboard.

 

why not try downloading a service manual for your laptop from hp website. From that you can disconnect the keyboard from the laptop then reconnect it to make sure that the connection is secure. Of course only do this if you are confident enough and know the risks. Also by doing that you void any warranty.

 

Did the work for him: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00246219.pdf since I want to put this one to bed.

 

thanks brownizs for finding the link, how did it turn out skealo?

 

Hmmm. In my original post I had mentioned that I did this very thing. I took a working keyboard out of my bro's hp ze4101 and put it in mine and it didn't work. Thats why i thought it wasn't the keyboard, brownizs. I guess I didn't make that clear. Sorry.

 

You did make it clear, but from the sound of the original post, you where talking about using a PS/2 keyboard, not the keyboard built into the Laptop unit.

What you need to do is take it in for repairs if you want to use the built in keyboard. They do make small portable type keyboards that you can plug into the PS/2 slot for using, due to some laptops come with smallish keyboards built into them.