Keyboard - do the keys come off so I can clean spilled soda?

So I already hate myself but I spilled some soda on my envy laptop last night. I immediately cleaned it and it looks like new but the space bar is sticking a little and not popping quickly. Not that I think it ever really did, but now its pretty bad. It feels super awkward to type on but apparently I'm typing this with some speed so it works...

I'm curious, do the keys pop off in any special way? Especially the spacebar? I was able to pry it up a bit to put a cloth under there to wipe some more but it's still pretty sticky and I'd like to remove the key completely if I can...but don't want to break anything. There's that metal bar under there and all that fun stuff, I remember popping off spacebar keys on my keyboards in the past was always troublesome.


Any thoughts?
Thanks.

 

I would think, since it is an island style keyboard, that you would need to dismantle your Envy, and remove the keyboard first to get at the residue left by your soda.

 

Is that a somewhat easy process? Can it be done w/o taking apart unrelated (and delicate) components? Last time I opened a laptop was to replace a burnt backlight and I soldered it perfectly -- I just didn't realize the ribbon that I creased, making the connection loose and intermittent to the monitor. Doh! If there's no short wires or anything that end up in the way or that need to also be disassembled making for a super involved project, I don't mind opening it...But I'm really cautious now of tightly packed laptops. I don't want to yank on something, etc.

 

it should just pop off with a little force.

 

so just like a normal keyboard? and then pop back on?

 

Have a look at the service manual for instruction on how to remove the keyboard. This will allow you a better perspective as to what to do.

Link to service manual on page 1 of owner's lounge.

 

hmm well i don't have the proper size screw driver. crap. i really wish these keys came off normally

 

They are pretty cheap. You can go to ACE and get a #00, #0 and #1 for $5 a piece! It is still safer to dismantle via the directions on the Service Manual vs. prying the keys off one by one.

 

I don't know if any of you have actually taken one of these keyboards out of it's surround, but it doesn't just pop out with force....that'll bend it up for sure. As your pushing on the top, to pop it out take a small flathead or knife and pop the retainers....IIRC, 3 on top and one on each side. Like i said, the keyboard will get very bent if you just try to pop it out like the manual says.

 

I just replaced my keyboard.

THe keys dont seem to pop out and the keyboard pops out as a piece (along the edge you see around the keyboard)

 

Hmmm, how much is an entirely new keyboard? Worst case scenario... Also, I'm worried now, one of the screws seems to be half stripped =( I don't think I did it, since the others came out fine, but who knows..maybe I did. I have to go buy proper size screw driver. I'm sure I can get it w/ a better screw driver, it's not -that- bad, but I don't want to chance it. Damn spacebar is still sticky, it works just fine but it doesn't pop up as fast as the other keys and its just weird to type on because it feels like its already pressed down when i hit it. Not much movement, but it's up enough that it doesn't keep adding spaces and it does pop completely up again but just slow. I think maybe it was always slow, I'm not really sure how much worse the soda made it but it definitely did...I just don't think I've ever been a fan of this keyboard.

Ugh. I really am disappointed with myself on this one.

 

Get the part number from the service manual then enter that number in HP's part store. That will give you the price.

 

I got the keyboard in the mail today. I honestly can't remember now how much it cost, but I want to say $120. Shipping etc. I don't know. Either way you'd be able to replace it for less than $150. Ouch. BUT well worthwhile if you are ever in trouble like I was.

So keyboard in hand, I gained the courage to try and pop off the biggest problematic key I had - the spacebar. I don't know about the other keys, though I suspect they pop off as well, but I don't use the windows key that often so whatever.

The answer. They keys DO in fact pop off.
WAIT! Don't go yanking at them yet...

The clips are SUPER tiny. They are extremely delicate and it's not the type of keyboard clips you may be used to. I've never seen anything so delicate before actually.

The best way to get the spacebar off (at least what worked for me as I carefully pried it up around each edge and tried to look underneath) was from the back. There's two metal bars that run along the top and bottom of the spacebar. Then on the left and right there are white plastic hinges that are square, but the top and bottom snap into the key and both raise to form like an X if you were to look at it from the side. These white plastic clips are fairly sturdy to press on downward (well obviously, it's a keyboard) but be careful how hard you pry upward because if they are not unclipping, they could break. I can see stress marks in the plastic on one of mine. That's why from the top of the spacebar seems to be best (next to cvbnm keys).

I broke clips on my spacebar, but only 3 along the one edge where the metal bar rests. Since the middle clip was still in tact and the bar I suppose could rest along the edge of the spacebar (and since theres other clips) it was ok. I don't know how many you need for it to properly function and mine may wear out eventually. Which is ok, I have that spare keyboard now.

So I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone for just a random cleaning beneath the keys -- but if you're really in trouble with something sticky, you can CAREFULLY pop the keys off. It doesn't hurt to have a spare keyboard handy either.

I may work up the courage to pop off the alt, windows, and fn key...I'll post back here if I do and if I ruined it and had to put in the replacement keyboard...Or if I got lucky again.