Installing a backlit keyboard for Studio 15?

Hi guys and girls,

Firstly, i've been regularly looking through this forum, and being new to the laptop world it has been a massive help, not only with my hardware, but also with the lovely Vista . So thanks to all the peeps answerring my questions without me ever having to even ask .

Now lets get down to business...

I would like to buy a backlit keyboard and install it myself. Does anyone know firstly where i could get my hands on one?

Is it even do-able for a novice with courage?

And how the hell would i go about doing it? Is it as simple as just taking the old one off, and plugging the new one in?

These are the specs of my laptop;

Studio 1535 ~ T8100 ~ 3 Gb Ram ~ ATI 3450 ~ 160 Gb HDD ~ Vista home premium 32 bit ~ Originaly cool, but now ugly Mike Ming design.

I actually think that a backlit keyboard will come in handy, so i appreciate ANY advice on this whatsoever.


Cheers!

 

You can buy one on eBay (seem to be kind of rare, though). It's an easy swap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DELL-Studio-15-...QptZPCAQ5fMiceQ5fTrackballsQQsalenotsupported

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/studio1537/en/sm/keyboard.htm#wp1180346

 

It's very easy; I did it myself.

This is the one I bought:

http://www.resaleremarketing.net/servlet/the-722/Dell-Studio-1535-fdsh-1536-Laptop/Detail

You can also get it here for $5 less: http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=5656

Or, they have a refurbished one for even less: http://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=item&id=5655

The installation is very simple. Cmdr Wolf's link is Dell's official instructions for removing the keyboard. There's just 4 small Philips head screws involved, and it's pretty much just plug and play.

 

This is where i got mine from - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Copier-Pri...s-part_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ9QQftidZ2QQtZkm

You may need to go through quite a few pages.

I don't think any of them say they are backlit, you may need to ask the seller to be sure, but the uk backlit keyboard it D344C and the us is KR766, also the layouts are very slightly different.

If you do get one i suggest you go here for a detailed explanation from mastershroom when he helped me - http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=283163&page=91

ps. i'm assuming mastershroom is a guy

 

Excellent, exactly what i was looking for guys

Thanks for help, yay!!!!!


xx

 

You assume correctly.

 

I did it on my studio 17 without any problems. Just a matter of being patient with removing the trim & screws, then its a straight swop!