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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: thisispatrick on Wed, 18 August 2010, 18:31:40

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Wed, 18 August 2010, 18:31:40

So I took apart my Dell Quiet Key:
(http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/456/imag0001dd.jpg)
and when I put it back together it no longer worked.
I'm wondering if anyone else with this keyboard could help me out? Probably having problem where the rubber dome slide is supposed to slide into the controller thing or whatever.

This is what it looks like now:
(http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/3598/99507827.jpg)

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: ch_123 on Wed, 18 August 2010, 18:51:36

Quote from: ripster;214163

But don't wear shorts.

(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff132/dddouble/Misc/fry-see-what-you-did-there.jpg)

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: microsoft windows on Wed, 18 August 2010, 18:52:41

I like your Quietkey. Those Quietkeys with the sliders are some of the best-feeling rubber dome keyboards out there.

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Wed, 18 August 2010, 20:00:50

(http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/2335/imag0004x.jpg) (http://img411.imageshack.us/i/imag0004x.jpg/)


(http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5951/imag0005w.jpg) (http://img225.imageshack.us/i/imag0005w.jpg/)

In what order do I put the silver metal plate, the black rubber and the plastic layout. I tried to put the metal, rubber, layout (EDIT: woops meant bottom to top). The light lit up for a second when I pressed numlock then when i screwed it in it stopped working. Any help?

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Wed, 18 August 2010, 20:19:39

By the way I meant the order from bottom to top: Metal, rubber, layout.

Also i did clean it and it still does not work.
Can you please verify with you compaq keyboard?

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Wed, 18 August 2010, 20:47:54

Quote from: ripster;214195

Sorry, I tossed mine after taking pics (keys were all glossy and the domes were kinda mushy but as MW says, not bad at all).

I would just experiment as long as that metal bar doesn't short the contacts on the PCB you're fine.

And was there a ground strap anywhere?  Reconnect if there was.

Uh oh.
You mean the rubber piece?

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Wed, 18 August 2010, 21:04:14

(http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9573/imag0006h.jpg)
You mean this bare wire thing?
(http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/3389/imag0007t.jpg)
This thing gets screwed in there. (Its what I saw when I took it apart.)

Quote

What about a paper clip and try shorting two of the contacts with that, no membrane.

Sorry but I'm super noob on this so I don't understand which "contacts" you are mentioning. Would it be something similar to jumpstarting a PSU without plugging it into a motherboard kind of?

Quote

And did you use water or something while cleaning the insides?

No took out the internals before I cleaned it meaning the layout and all the other stuff as well.

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Thu, 19 August 2010, 09:22:16

Quote from: ripster;214225

I mean the contacts on the PCB.  What you are replicating is a simple switch by using a paper clip.

And yeah, that was the ground strap so that looks solid.

So. Funny story. I went to sleep because I was tired of this keyboard not working. I just woke up and turned on my computer and now it works again. I'm confused.

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: WhiteRice on Thu, 19 August 2010, 09:53:20

Quote from: thisispatrick;214384

So. Funny story. I went to sleep because I was tired of this keyboard not working. I just woke up and turned on my computer and now it works again. I'm confused.

Could've been some moisture. Who knows. Gift horse.

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: microsoft windows on Thu, 19 August 2010, 09:54:41

Quote from: thisispatrick;214384

So. Funny story. I went to sleep because I was tired of this keyboard not working. I just woke up and turned on my computer and now it works again. I'm confused.

Well, it's a computer part. Computers are like that.

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Thu, 19 August 2010, 10:53:59

(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1518/imag0010x.jpg)

Horay the num lock light is on! :D Its alive!!!

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: thisispatrick on Thu, 19 August 2010, 11:03:01

Quote from: ripster;214452

It's because I prayed for your keyboard last night to Tanuki.  When his balls shrink back to normal size your keyboard will stop working.

Show Image

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4828386363_3fab39fd0c_z.jpg)

(BTW - Saw the movie "Raccoon Wars" by Studio Ghibli last night.  When the racoons started fighting the humans with their enlarged testicles I began to think my kid shouldn't be watching this....)

And nice color scheme!

Haha thanks for all your help Ripster! I've actually seen that Raccoon figure everywhere and never knew where it came from. I think I'll go and watch it now haha. As for the color scheme. Its been done before but hey I think its simple and it still looks nice. Too bad I'll still be using my Das more than this.

Thanks again for all your help!

Title: Help on a Dell Quiet Key
Post by: Superfluous Parentheses on Thu, 19 August 2010, 11:25:09

Quote from: thisispatrick;214455

Haha thanks for all your help Ripster! I've actually seen that Raccoon figure everywhere and never knew where it came from. I think I'll go and watch it now haha. As for the color scheme. Its been done before but hey I think its simple and it still looks nice. Too bad I'll still be using my Das more than this.

Thanks again for all your help!

Tanuki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki) are much older than that movie, just FYI.

Have fun with the keyboards!