Need to replace 1520 keyboard; please help!

I wasn't sure where to put this so here seemed as good a place as any.

The keyboard on my Dell Inspiron 1520 recently went on the fritz. Stopped working shortly after I had the brilliant idea to put an ice-cube on the left palm rest area as that would get incredibly hot during mmo gaming. (Poor man's cooler! ...Or not)

I tried drying off the innards of the keyboard but no go. It's dead. (Or rather left side retarded; the entire right side, except for the Backspace works).

I'm typing this on my mom's usb keyboard but its so incredibly awkward. Its full size and the numpad extends where my mouse is, and using this as a replacement isn't ideal as its not available to me during the day.

Now, I have no money for a new keyboard. And I mean zero, zip, nada. Not a cent. My only option seems to lie in Dell's Preferred Account of which I have $70 or so in credit. Is it possible to get a replacement part for the laptop? Or am I stuck buying a usb keyboard (again not ideal due to the way the full size is too wide)

Any help at all would be appreciated. I do a lot on my laptop and the keyboard suddenly on the fritz is devastating. thank you!

 

Just go to dell technical support and ask for a new keyboard. If you get lucky, they'll replace it for free.

 

Agreed...

 

I'm at technical support right now but I don't see any place to "ask" for a new keyboard. Aside from the "Chat with Technical Support" thing, which I've read is useless.

 

You need to talk to someone or order one from spare parts...you cant just ask a computer for one, you need to ask a person!

edit fine...go here http://supportapj.dell.com/support/.../contactus/en/sales_sparepart?c=nz&l=en&s=gen

 

Fine, did that. Got a replacement part coming Monday (a long wait for me but...) The only problem now is figuring out how to actually replace it. Hope there's a good tut on youtube or something.

 

Search Dell Support for how to replace the memory. To replace one of the memory modules you have to remove the keyboard, so the memory replacement guides goes over how to replace the keyboard. Basically, you do this:

*Turn off, power off, unplug battery and power, press on button to discharge. Then open the screen all the way (it's about 170 degrees).
*Using a flathead screwdriver or similar device, pop off the piece of plastic above the keyboard (hinge protector). It'll be a bit nervewracking at first as it takes a bit of force and they do say not to use too much, but it'll come off.
*Once it's off, it's just two screws that secure the keyboard. Unplug them and you can lift off the keyboard - but there's still a cable connecting the keyboard. The keyboard unplugs from that cable similar to how a PATA hard drive unplugs from its cable.

Once you've got the old keyboard out, just reverse the above steps. Hopefully it'll work - kind of depends on where the water went and whether it damaged the keyboard or the connection apparatus. If it doesn't work then it's the connection apparatus and you've got a deeper problem (literally) and I'm not sure what to do.

Just upgraded my RAM today or I wouldn't know the steps off the top of my head. I suppose you could swap your 2 GB and 512 MB modules while you're at it, too (assuming you put the 2 GB in the easy slot the first time) - make any future upgrades a few steps easier.

 

I am dealing with the same issue and have learned a lot. I spilled a glass of wine on mine and lost some keys including the E. I found some horror stories of people getting replacement keyboards from Dell and their not wrking - losing different keys with each installation attempt. I got a new one from
http://laptopparts.vivotechnology.net/Store/Search.aspx?sck=54119587&Page=1&Sort=1&key=Dell 1520

Same problm - some keys don't work.

I believe the problem is in the belt that connects the keyboard to the computer. rather than a male/female connector that just hooks together, there is no good way to see that the ends meet exactly right. you have to put the belt of the new keyboard next to the one from the computer and hope they line up correctly which seems impossible to do and therefor some of the tiny wires in the belt don't connect and thus the keys governed by them don't work.