Begrudgingly changed my primary TB system in my signature to an 800Mhz. Even though I've read about the fragility of the keyboard connector and was careful because of it, evidently I've not taken apart enough TBs to "get it."
Soooooo... a 1 GDMHz (PM for new CPU type) motherboard which was to be treated to rubberized keyboard now pouts at me for being a newer TB modder and does not have a working keyboard connection.
Price of an education? Yup. Suck? Yup. Good news is that, after learning how to properly do it, I put the same keyboard onto an 800 MHz cf28 I recently picked up.
Modly, Mnem, TB, Capt, Kde or other regulars (or even enlightened non-regulars lurking on the sidelines) to whom this must have happened, did your beloved TB become your next boat anchor after the mistake? Orrrrrrrr, did you, being the geniuses that you are, find a workaround?
Ugghhh
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Toughbook posted a fix a while back. Something about wedging something in to hold the connector to the MB, but I don't recall. He said he would only do it for own personal use/not on one for resale. He will likely read and post at some point. Hang in there.
Only permanent fix I have read about here is new MB. -
Sorry, i don't understand, what's destroyed...(look where i'm from
):
the connector?
the flatcable?
the keyboard?
the mainboard?
could u upload a picture of the desaster? -
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=14254hu&s=3 -
is it correct, that the upper connector missed his mobile plastic-part?
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Okay... From the picture you don't look like you are too bad off. You should be able to slide the brown connector lever back under the beige housing. Carefully slide in the ribbon cable and hold the lever in the UP position. Stick the cable in and then LIGHTLY push down on the brown lever to force the ribbon cable up against the contacts. It is hard to explain how to do it but from the looks of the pic posted you still should be able to do it. You can also try using a square toothpick wedged under the cable to force it up in the same manner. Lay the keyboard down carefully and boot up to see if it works. Try going into the BIOS first... If it passes that test then boot up and go into Notepad or Word. Try EVERY letter combination... Every keystroke! Then... Put in on ALL CAPS and then try every stroke again. If it is an illuminated keyboard make sure the lighting works on all three levels. If it all works turn it off and then carefully lay the keyboard back over. Disconnect the ribbon cable that is closest to the LCD. Get a small strip of packing tape (clear preferably) that is just smaller than the cable is wide and long enough to start on the back-side of the connector ad then go over the connector, cable and then a little bit onto the mobo. Gently press the packing tape down so that the cable is held in place. You need to do this so that the cable isn't pulled out when you put the cover back in place.
Try it and post back how it goes. -
"Slide the brown connector lever back under the beige housing. Carefully slide in the ribbon cable and hold the lever in the UP position."
First, thanks for your how-to, Toughbook. The picture doesn't adequately justify your optimism, I'm afraid! On this suggestion, the *levers* don't really exist... if we were talking about the same thing. On either side of the connector there aren't any movable components as there would be on a functional one. I really studied the same piece on the working 800Mhz I got. There is literally nothing there to steady or hold the ribbon. The key point to convey is that there's as little stability for the ribbon from *left to right* as up or down. Make sense? Hope so.
"You can also try using a square toothpick wedged under the cable to force it up in the same manner. Lay the keyboard down carefully and boot up to see if it works."
This is inline with a similar idea I had: I picked up some double-sided adhesive, think rubberry, thick, double-sided tape with a strong bond. I used this for the elevation off of the board and binding it in place. This worked... twice. I went strictly off of visual alignment (as there aren't side pieces to align it. From there, since the bond was good enough to hold after laying kb back down. Actually ran out of packing tape last week, so used standard scotch tape on the TOP of the ribbon (small pieces placed from ribbon to connector). Again tested this with EVERY keyboard combination... still working, still without error. Then... cue the Alfred Hitchc0ck music... I tried the cover.
Long story shorter, the keyboard remained only partially functional after putting cover back on. And this partial functionality only happened on 1 of the tries.
What a truly unique connector with very little ribbon for slack. You, without question, have punched the clock working on these gems for some time. I've got a number of years working with other brands with their own idiosyncratic parts. I'm chalking this up as one of Panasonic's. Am quite pleased to have learned about the issue... wish it would've happened on a cheaper model. -
dBi, I have had some success with this. As TB said, it's not good enough to sell to an unsuspecting buyer. I take a piece of Starboard, a plastic sheet used by boatbuilders, and cut a small wedge out on the band saw. I then hand plane the wedge to be as close to the angle and thickness of the brown plastic piece as possible. Put the cable in place, slip the wedge UNDER the cable, and tape it down really well. I have had 100% success with this with a little fiddling around. If you can't get Starboard, any fairly hard, slightly bendy, but not too slippery plastic should work. Perhaps some block nylon from a hobby shop. I too have wondered why Panasonic, who make just about everything for the Toughbook in house, would put these piece of crap sockets in Toughbooks. Any newbies beware, when you hear that these sockets are FRAGILE we are not kidding. They also function in a non-intuitive fashion.
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So you broke or lost the brown lever that was attached to the connector?
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TB, If you're asking me, no, I have twice broken the little ears on the white housing which retain the brown lever. I just can't seem to push the brown lever into place without those ears. I made the wedges as close as I could so they push uniformly across the ribbon cable. Both of my adventures were with cheap CF-27's fortunately so I'm not out much if they ever fail.
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The following day, I assembled the other components. I'd replaced the modem and nic with two mini-pci wireless cards and run antenna cables through the base to into the back of the display. My plan on this was to mount four antennas behind rubber panels. Whether, in the future, I used N (requiring use of three antennas) or just use the two wireless nics (two antennas each) the idea was to have the cables already run. This went without a hitch.
The lever does not appear to have made the trip back home with me. I looked through my cases and bag, among a hundred other odds and ends, it was nowhere to be found.
Based on the fact that the hinges aren't there for the lever, do you feel as if not having the lever makes a difference, TB? I've migrated my hard drive, the 100GB 7200RPM Newegg Open Box you commented on, the 512MB RAM stick and CD drive to the 800 already. The GPS will eventually be migrated as well.
I haven't called in the dogs and peed on the fire yet, but as far as the keyboard connector goes, I've reached a limit with my time, resources and patience. While the 28s appear to be a new playground for me, I hadn't intended on devoting this amount of time to keyboards, but to other endeavors. -
Oky... So you lost the brown lever... Now I understand.
I would go with the toothpick idea. You just need something to wedge underneath to push the ribbon cable up into/onto the contacts. At this point you might even try pushing in the ribbon cable and then finding a small, thin stiff piece of plastic to shove underneath to fill the void and force it up. Just be carefull.... You are teetering on the edge of needing a new motherboard as it is. If you break off any more of the white connector you will break off the contacts along with it. (Ask me how I know!)
Hope it works... -
Are there any other brown levers on the TB that are similar in size? I saw some on a spare I/O board that looked close. But after reading this I'm not really wanting to use mine as a guinea pig. If anyone needs them I have a couple of extra brown/tan levers that hold the ribbon cables on.
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Nope... It is the only one of that size and type. Panasonic redesigned their connectors after that bonehead move on the keyboard connector. The 29 has fantastic connectors!
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Ok! you may try this shape according to the actual size and thicknes to hold the cable ribbon on the connector. I have tried it before and it works. This is a piece of plastic that you will cut according to the photo and the size of connector: You must be creative.
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THAT is what I was talking about! ohlip.... GREAT diagram! I like the way you have it going all around the connector. That way it can't slip out!
Great work! -
1. Does the ribbon go under the plastic and then into the connector?
2. If not, what provides the tension to "lock" the ribbon in place?
3. I like the idea of the plastic going around to the back of the connector, as this would give it a solid foundation, less likely to move around using the back of the connector for stability. I'm still struggling with how the ribbon gets to and stays in the connector.
I've spent so much time trying to get this, I'll have to see if I have the time and objectivity it would take to go back to the project. Since you've used this idea, may I ask what plastic substance you used?
I'd like to say I know for certain I'll act on this. I don't. This week looks busy. Regardless, the purpose of the forum is served when folks present solutions and the motherboard isn't going anywhere over the next week or so. If you're inclined to document a little more, I for one would thank you. -
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1. The ribbon must be at the top of the plastic and make sure the thickness of the plastic is good enough to hold firmly the cable ribbon when inserted.
2. You may reinforce by taping upon or after the installation and put a thin layer of double sided tape at the back of the connector.
3. Any plastic that you'll find as long as it has enough thickness.
ohlip -
Cut it out and slide the tab into the connector and then lay the rest over the connector so it rests on the back. The beauty of the design is that it keeps the plastic from sliding out when pushing in or pulling out the ribbon cable!
Another great forum hack! -
Cut it out and slide the tab into the connector and then lay the rest over the connector so it rests on the back. The beauty of the design is that it keeps the plastic from sliding out when pushing in or pulling out the ribbon cable!
Another great forum hack! -
I have 2 new terms to search... Starboard and "hand plane." If you're kind enough to suggest solutions, I'm humble enough to learn on my own. Thanks again. -
dBi, My solution is a little different from ohlip's. Starboard is just a trade name for a material which I happen to have a lot of laying around. Think of a plastic cutting board but less slippery. Ah youth, a hand plane is a tool which comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes used by wood workers to shape and smooth wood. Just pulling your leg, I use it to get the piece as close as possible to the exact taper required to get even pressure on the ribbon cable across it's entire length. I think ohlip's solution might be better. Remember, we're not splitting logs here. As a general reminder, the ribbon is pushed UP by whatever holds it in! look carefully at the ribbon cable and you will see which side needs to be in contact with the connector. This is what I meant by this connector being non-intuitive. Update on the usb card in that thread.
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mnem
Keep your handplanes off my Star board!!! -
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mnem
*STOOPID MONKEY* -
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mnem
*THUDDDDDDD!* -
And for the dragon's edification, for all persons to whom I might be sending something soon, I will include, only if you call in the next 10 minutes, a piece of Starboard of the correct thickness to make Ohlip's elegant keyboard connector repair piece.
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mnem
*Honey... where's your purse?* -
mnem,
Just like the TV ads, "but wait, there's more! Don't call in time and we'll send you an extra piece completely free!" -
For those not expecting a package. Starboard or almost any plastic sheet you may need for this or any other project is available in your neighborhood for free. Just go to your local sign shop, be very polite, and ask if you can poke through their scrap pile. They use a wide variety of neat s***.
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<Hey kids, grab your shovels and pails and some sunscreen! Daddy's going to take you to the landfill!>
Any fix for broken keyboard connector on 28?
Discussion in 'Panasonic' started by dBi, Apr 19, 2008.