geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: thai on Tue, 29 April 2014, 17:20:05

Title: QuickFireRapid - Scroll Lock led ON and windows goes Sleep Mode
Post by: thai on Tue, 29 April 2014, 17:20:05

Hi, my first post here on Geekhack :)

I have a CM QuickFire Rapid, i had lot of problems with it:
- the mini usb port didnt work good  with original cable, i replaced it with another cable and it worked, but still sometimes it lose contact
- some cherryMX lost the electric contact on the PCB (like the Right Control key, i saw on the forum it was a common problem on this keyboard) and i had to resolder them

Now I have a very strange problem, maybe the cause it is still the little PCB with the usb female under the keyboard..
 The problem is that, lot of times the Scroll Lock key LED turns on randomly with intermittence for an half second and then suddendly my OS (Windows 7) goes to Sleep Mode.  :eek:

I dont know what to do! Im thinking to resolder all the switches but it will be a huge work, or maybe i can remove the mini usb female on the little PCB and solder directly the wires of the usb cable to the pcb. Is it doable?

Thank You

Title: Re: QuickFireRapid - Scroll Lock led ON and windows goes Sleep Mode
Post by: thai on Sat, 03 May 2014, 14:37:49

please someone help me im having this issue more frequnetly :(

Title: Re: QuickFireRapid - Scroll Lock led ON and windows goes Sleep Mode
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 03 May 2014, 20:33:05

A belated welcome to Geekhack!

Probably no-one knows what the problem is.

The first problem sounds like a broken USB port on the keyboard.  This can happen to the best of keyboards sometimes as the mini USB port is small, and often only held on by the 4 connectors soldered to the PCB.  Hence why some people prefer a non-removable cable.

The sleeping problem is possibly the Win key getting stuck down somehow, and you just happen to press the "sleep" key (whatever that is, "S" maybe) while the keyboard is in this state, Windows sees "Win-S" and obligingly goes to sleep.

Could be a faulty switch, could be a faulty PCB, could be a soldering problem (dry joint).

You should be able to remove the USB socket and solder the wires directly, but make absolutely sure you have good strain relief on the cable, or the first time the cable is pulled it will come straight off.

Title: Re: QuickFireRapid - Scroll Lock led ON and windows goes Sleep Mode
Post by: thai on Sun, 04 May 2014, 12:20:56

Thank You for the reply, after some attempts now im pretty sure the problem is on the miniUSB socket.

When i put pressure on the keyboard, the cable connector somehow shifts inside the socket and maybe one pin lose contact or causes issues on the keyboard controller who send to windows the sleep mode input.

Now i temporarily resolved removing the cover and tooking out the little pcb:
(http://i.imgur.com/B14oZ91.jpg?1)

It works because the connection is stable by any little movement

You are right, if a solder a vable it could come straight off.
I have some of those:
(http://i00.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/506/779/474/474779506_834.JPG)
I could solder itbut i have to find a place to "fit" it on the keyboard..

Title: Re: QuickFireRapid - Scroll Lock led ON and windows goes Sleep Mode
Post by: Lu_e on Sun, 04 May 2014, 14:05:13

Did you not have a warranty?

I mean you don't anymore, but before you took it apart :p

Title: Re: QuickFireRapid - Scroll Lock led ON and windows goes Sleep Mode
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 04 May 2014, 17:00:04

Quote from: thai on Sun, 04 May 2014, 12:20:56

Thank You for the reply, after some attempts now im pretty sure the problem is on the miniUSB socket.

When i put pressure on the keyboard, the cable connector somehow shifts inside the socket and maybe one pin lose contact or causes issues on the keyboard controller who send to windows the sleep mode input.

Now i temporarily resolved removing the cover and tooking out the little pcb:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/B14oZ91.jpg?1)

It works because the connection is stable by any little movement

You are right, if a solder a vable it could come straight off.
I have some of those:

Show Image

(http://i00.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/506/779/474/474779506_834.JPG)

I could solder itbut i have to find a place to "fit" it on the keyboard..

That looks like a standard USB A socket.  You'd be better to find a replacement mini USB socket so that existing cables will still work.

Title: Re: QuickFireRapid - Scroll Lock led ON and windows goes Sleep Mode
Post by: infiniti on Mon, 05 May 2014, 05:37:54

Quote from: thai on Sun, 04 May 2014, 12:20:56

When i put pressure on the keyboard...

Welcome to GH!

I had a somewhat similar problem with my QFR.  I noticed that while typing, it would always spit out a specific set of random characters.

Later, I discovered that the solder joints of the switches and diodes on the PCB was touching the USB breakout board (the small board with the USB plug) -- there were scratches on the USB breakout board.

The simple solution was to (1) not screw the case down too tight, (2) cover the USB breakout board with a few layers of electric tape as an insulator, and (3) clip the solder joints that were near the USB breakout board.

Hope this helps! ;)