HP Compaq NC 4010, Keyboard Problem

Hi all,

I'm new here and am trying to pick some brains.

I have an old HP NC 4010 laptop that I'm trying to resurrect into a file server for my home, however, the keyboard does not work. My hypothesis is there is a bad connection with the thick black ribbon. There was a small piece of plastic attached to the ribbon that helped the clip hold the ribbon down. That small piece of plastic broke off and ever since the keyboard has not worked.

I've tried attaching a usb keyboard to the computer, but the hard drive is new and there is no OS running. So now I have a computer with a blank hd, no os, and no keyboard.

Any ideas on how to fix this? Am I better off just buying a replacement keyboard? (They're not expensive, around $20, but that is just about what the damn thing is worth!)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

A new keyboard isn't gonna help you any if you damaged the connector. Cut a piece of thin plastic the size of the keyboard ribbon, shove it under the ribbon, and it should work.