PCG-FR315B Keyboard Woes

Hi,

This is my first post here, have done a search in the hope of not repeating a previous thread but to no avail.

My laptop problem is that certain keys on the keyboard have failed overnight and for no apparent reason. Nothing has been spilt on it, it hasn't suffered any impact and it was functioning correctly before it was switched off. The keys affected are the down arrow key, full stop, a and s which as you can imagine is really irritating. Does this sound like some component inside has just died? I'm guessing it's gonna be a pricey thing to fix.

Alex

 

This is also my first post, so...

My PCG-K15 has several sticky keys because of the soft drink spill a few months ago. It is finally getting so bad I cannot use the keys. (Adding a USB keyboard works fine, BTW.)

I found several keyboard vendors to purchase a new PCG-K15 (PCG-9P6L) keyboard replacement, but I was apprehensive about removing the current faulty one, but I found that removing the keyboard is very easy. I am now soaking it in distilled water and will dry it thoroughly before reinstalling. If I can loosen the keys enough, it may just function again. That is my hope; otherwise, I will buy one for about 60-90 US$ and replace this one.

I was alarmed about how much dirt has come out of the old keyboard. I wall definitely have to remove the water and rinse a few more times.

Here is a UK source for your laptop keyboard.
http://www.notebookwebsite.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=437

[edit] My apologies. I see that it is sold out at that location. You might try ebay. At least it gives the part number. Did you try Sony website?

 

Here is some more detail about removing the keyboard:

"I removed the plastic covering above the keyboard. Be careful as the connections on the right side are a ribbon cable for the on-off switch. This covering pops off of the computer; no screws.

There are three Phillips-head screws at the top. Remove them and slide the keyboard up to get it out. Remove the three screws.

Next, release the keyboard ribbon cable and the whole keyboard will come out."

After cleaning the keyboard with distilled water and drying it out, I was not able to get it to work again. I attribute this to the ribbon cable connection as I was never sure I was able to get the old cable reinstalled in the motherboard connector. I purchased a new keyboard and installed it. The connection to the motherboard as much easier with the new cable end. The original boot up with the new keyboard took over eight hours. That is correct--eight hours. The screen saver picture came up, but everything stopped after that while the I/O light ran constantly for over eight hours. After that, the keyboard worked fine.

Hope this helps someone. This forum sure helped me.

BTW, I purchased the keyboard through Amazon.com for about 50 US$.

 

I've got the same problem with my Viao & it's 6 months old. First Sony I've owned and the bottom row of keys fails intermittently the left arrow key does not work at all, and I have to hold down the c and the key to the left of it down for a minute sometimes to get it to register and when it does it types rapidly until I release the key. Sony support says its a driver issue but they don't have any new drivers to remedy the issue! I think it's all the other bundled software they include on their notebooks that's the problem. They want me to send it to them... I don't know if I want it back