Broken X key on A1200

[AmigaBruno]

Ummm... it's been over two months and you still haven't been able to fix this?  Didn't removing the other key make it pretty obvious how these things go together?  IMHO this repair might be beyond your current skillset, save yourself the trouble and buy a new keyboard.  :angry:

I didn't realise it had been over 2 months. Obviously, I need to do something quickly now. I've been thinking that the missing spring has been pushed down into the X key base, which is why that key just collapsed. All I can do is try to push the spare spring into that base and hope it lines up with the part which has collapsed and causes my A1200 to think I'm holding down the X key. I think that if I do this the spring may just slip and shoot off across my living room, never to be seen again. If I fail to fix this myself I may not be able to fix or make anything else.

[AmigaBruno]

I'm not sure what the problem is... it's very easy to fix a broken key.
1) unscrew back of keyboard
2) remove back.
3) remove broken key post
4) replace with new key post
5) replace and screw down back of keyboard
6) put spring on key post now sticking out the front
7) put key top onto post.

That's it!

I haven't actually removed the back of the keyboard, because I was told I didn't need to and none of my screwdrivers will fit those screws. What kind of screwdriver do I need? AFAIK the key post is part of the key itself, or isn't it? I don't understand what you're saying as stage 6. How is the key post sticking out of the front? What exactly do I put the key top onto in stage 7?

[AmigaBruno]

It's just a standard-sized screwdriver. It's a long, large-ish one - not a jewellers one or anything - but it does have quite a pointed tip. Plenty of different screwdrivers will work, though, just make sure they're pointy.

If your key-post (the white bit) is actually sticking out the front and there's nothing in it, then it's even easier - just put the spring around the white bit and push the key into the hole in the keypost.
Make sure your key has its own little plastic post as well to insert into the post sticking out of the keyboard itself.

edit: Looking at the old photos again, you're probably OK and not needing to remove the back after all - but then I don't understand why you're having a problem. Are you sure there's nothing left of the old key stuck in the post?

I can't get another screwdriver until tomorrow now. So, there are two things you're calling posts, which is what confused me. I can't tell whether or not there's anything left of the old key stuck in the post. That's why I uploaded the latest pics. It looks like I'll have to remove the keyboard backplate after all, otherwise trying to insert the spare blank key could break its post.

[AmigaBruno]

Good news! The situation has now progressed. I managed to get a screwdriver that fitted the really tiny screws on the backplate of the Amiga A1200 keyboard. I soon managed to remove all the screws and put them in a safe place. This place is actually in a plastic glass with another plastic glass inserted into it, forming a small compartment.

As I removed the backplate, I was just sitting on a sofa, bending over a low table, then as I detached the backplate from the keyboard, some small components fell off and onto the cushion I was sitting on. I hope I managed to grab them all, but I'm not sure!

When I was trying to push out what may have been the remains of the X key post, suddenly something shot out and landed to the right of my sofa, but when I looked I couldn't see any sign of it. I think it would take a search party of nanobots to find this, as well as the spring that was under the X key, and the Micro SD card from my Android tablet!

I'm attaching some pics which show everyone the current situation with this keyboard, as well as the components that came out of it. There are some coins in the pics so that people can see the size of the components. The coins are the British 1p and US 1c, both often called “a penny”.  I didn't have any Euro coins handy. I want to repair it myself so that I have more control over my life. I hope you can understand this!

I look forward to any and all suggestions you may have about how to finish the repair. I think I'll probably be buying the components that Spirantho has offered in any case, to restore the keyboard to perfect condition, even if I never use that blank key. I also want a key that says X on it!

If or when I manage to fix this, then who knows what my next project could be?

[AmigaBruno]

Here's some big news about this situation!

1. I've found the missing spring from the X key! It ended up about 2m away from where the Amiga A1200 was, at an angle of about 45 degrees. It was on the floor by the side of a desktop tower PC.

2. I tried plugging the A1200 keyboard in again, with the X key and the blank key next to the Z key missing, then I found out that I couldn't even plug it in, because the ribbon cable kept popping out of its slot! So, beware anyone who tries to do any Amiga A1200 keyboard repairs. One you unplug that ribbon cable, you may not be able to get it back in.

The way things are now, I think my only options may be either to attend an Amiga meeting very soon, or to send the whole A1200 computer to Amigakit for repair!

[AmigaBruno]

I had the same issue with one of my keyboards resulting in a lose keycap that was wobbly when pressed. However I was out of spares so I simply cut the stud clean of at the base, turned it on it's head and glued it back on so the top again have a firm grip on the keycap. Works like a charm but to be on the safe side I changed it's position to a lesser used key on the keyboard.

Congratulations! Was this an external plug in keyboard, such as on an A2000, A3000, A4000, or as more likely, was it a keyboard with an internal ribbon cable, such as an A500, A500 Plus, A600, or as in my case an A1200? If it was the latter, then how did you manage to plug the ribbon cable back in and get it to stay put!?

[AmigaBruno]

Are you aware that the ribbon socket is a clamp? You lift the plastic, then insert or remove the ribbon fully, then push the plastic down.
Removal of this ribbon without opening the clamp can easily destroy the contacts on the ribbon cable ! Always fully open the clamp before insertion or removal!

Oh dear! I'm afraid I didn't know that. It's hard to remember now, but I think I must have just pulled the ribbon out and it came out. There didn't seem to be anything stopping me from easing it out. I'm afraid I don't know how to lift the plastic, or which part of it you mean. Obviously, it's not much of a "clamp". What kind of clamp allows anyone to pull something out which it's supposed to have clamped down? I've already tried to re insert this cable several times before you posted your reply!

[AmigaBruno]

It was an external keyboard.

On A500/500+/600/1200 the membrane is held in a socket with a clip that needs to be lifted a few milimeters to lose tension on the membrane connection, if not you will scrach the membranes connector and it won't get a good connection and eventually fail (if scratched you can usually cut of the outer 3mm of the damaged part). The clip will usually stay hooked to the socket (designed that way but can get damaged) and when reseat the cable the clip has to be lifted so the membrane connector can get plugged back in propperly and then you press the clip back down onto the socket to create a firm connection.

OMG! Unfortunately, I still don't understand how to lift this clip. I think I need a diagram.

[AmigaBruno]

The "clamp" is a thin ring of plastic at the very top of the insert site, it should easily lift with two fingers of one hand about 1 - 2 mm and with the other hand push the ribbon cable back in, then push the "clamp" back in to help wedge the ribbon into its connector.  If done carefully you can bypass lifting the clamp, if done poorly you make break the clamp and need a drop of hot glue to hold it in place.

If you haven't figured this out, a better place to work on small, electronic parts is on a flat, clean work desk in a room with hard floor.  The best place to loose parts is in any -- preferably shag -- carpet or a grassy knoll in Texas, sitting on anything with cushions with a dog, cat, or small child under foot.  A strong magnetic pad for the parts and a strong magnetic wand with a led head lamp will allow less misadventures.

OK, thanks for that information. If I break the clamp, then I think I should buy a replacement from Amigakit. I don't know what this "hot glue" is.

I'm working on this in my flat, which is covered with wooden laminated flooring. There are no carpets here. I wasn't planning on taking it out to a local park. There are no dogs, cats, or small children here either. I've got a screwdriver with a magnetic extendable wand.

[AmigaBruno]

I'm no artist but hope this helps... and no more just janking it out as it's just a mattre of time before you scratch it to the point where column of keys stop responding and you're left to either cut it down a bit or paint over the scratches with conductive paint. And here's a better picture of the actual clip when it's been released.

Thanks for this information! I had already realised that I probably needed to pinch this clamp or clip horizontally. I did this using a flat blade screwdriver and a pair of tweezers. After several attempts, it came off! I'm going to post some pics of this soon, so that everyone knows what the latest situation is.

I really feel I'm going to be able to get this keyboard working soon, but without the X key. After I've done that, then I hope to replace the X key as well as the blank key. After I've done that, then who knows what I'll be capable of? The whole point of this is not to have to send it away anywhere for repair.

BTW, soon I hope to be able to make, modify and repair lots of things, not just Amiga computers!

[AmigaBruno]

The clamp shouldn't come off! It should just lift up a few mm and allow the ribbon to be pushed in or pulled out... if it's come off you pulled way too hard!

I thought I was supposed to pull it off. What should I do with it now? I think I should also buy that replacement X key and the accompanying parts from you, including a spring. The spring I found is bent.

BTW Brian, it's "yank", not "jank". I've only heard "jank" used once as an insult. I've just looked it up and found it now has a couple of new meanings, though. One meaning seems to be like junk, while another is software related.

[AmigaBruno]

You should put the top bit of the clamp back on it. Make sure that the clamp moves up and down on the socket - it'll require a little force, but not much at all. You might have broken the plastic tab which stops it coming off entirely, but that shouldn't matter as it'll spend most of its life pressed down anyway.

Once it's back on, you can lift it a few millimetres to place/remove the ribbon, then push it down to clamp it back into place.

OK, great! I think I get the idea. I wonder if the Guinness Book of Records has a category for the longest time taken to repair a computer keyboard. I'll contact them. After this, I could try to run my Amiga A1200 off some kind of battery, set it up outside BBC Broadcasting House and do some artwork there while wearing some glasses like a pair worn by Andy Warhol!