gunked up key - United Bimmer Community

**Spieluhr** · 10-01-2005, 11:59 PM

hey guys, just now my "K" needs to be pushed really hard to work, what is going on with it. can I take it off and fix it or what

**komodo** · 10-02-2005, 12:06 AM

Ah, that happened to me on my old keyboard when I spilled coke on it.

Take something thin and pop the key off (just stick something under the key and pry, but beware, they SHOOT off). Then clean it with a damp paper towel or something, and push it back on (it'll click and pop back on). Just try not to get any water in the sensor area.

Now my keyboard is so delicate I can't do that though. It's TINY:

**BMWLotAttendant** · 10-02-2005, 12:11 AM

I was going to say...."K"?

Like key? There is no way...his e36 has an e46 "key"

Silly me.

Ummm, get a new keyboard?

witeshark · 10-02-2005, 12:18 AM

Or Maybe K, as in MIB the movie?

**Spieluhr** · 10-02-2005, 12:22 AM

and I forgot to mention I have a notebook, so im sure it's a little more delicate, but thanks harry, ill try

**komodo** · 10-02-2005, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spieluhr

and I forgot to mention I have a notebook, so im sure it's a little more delicate, but thanks harry, ill try

Oh wait, stop!

Most notebooks use a leaf-style key that's thinner, and if you pop them off they're almost IMPOSSIBLE to get back on again...

**komodo** · 10-02-2005, 12:26 AM

Here's an article on cleaning laptop keyboards, but be careful, if you mess it up, you gotta buy a whole new keypad, and for laptops, that might get a bit pricey.
http://www.computing.net/howto/simple/keyboard/

**Spieluhr** · 10-02-2005, 12:27 AM

ah shit, thanks for the help man.

**Spieluhr** · 10-02-2005, 01:12 AM

it actually almost feels like there is something underneath the key that is stopping me from pushing it down all the way, Ill get some of that compressed air tomorrow.

**94bmw325i** · 10-02-2005, 12:42 PM

compressed air works very well for cleaning keyboards, I didn't know the keyboard for my computer was so messy.

**catalyst** · 10-02-2005, 03:11 PM

Just pry the key off and clean up the area underneath man, on most laptops there is a small slightly springloaded peice of metal/wire that keeps the key up all the time, it is attached to the key via a plastic clip that lets the metal/wire thing pop off when to much upward pressure is applied. So the key will just pop off leaving the metal/wire thing behind, sometimes its a little hard putting the key back on, but you just have to wiggle it around to seat the metal/wire thing in the clips on the bottome of the key.

Hope that makes sense..

**Chris** · 10-04-2005, 05:23 PM

harry, i didn't know you were a lefty!

lefties harry and gogle will take over the world some day. just saying.

**komodo** · 10-04-2005, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisdoesntknow

harry, i didn't know you were a lefty!

lefties harry and gogle will take over the world some day. just saying.

How'd you figure I'm a lefty?

**Chris** · 10-04-2005, 05:41 PM

the mouse in the picture is on the left side of the desk.

**komodo** · 10-04-2005, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisdoesntknow

the mouse in the picture is on the left side of the desk.

Because I was sitting sideways kicking my feet up, so i moved the mouse over because I was too lazy to reach for it.

I'm right handed.