# Solved: USB keyboard keys not working



## ~En{rYpToR~ (Aug 27, 2007)

i have a USB keyboard connected to a laptop. at first, the keyboard worked fine, until i started noticing that the E and R keys were not functioning correctly. they were not sticky or anything of that sort, they just didn't work. the R key only works when it is pressed simultaneously with another T, G, F, V, or B. as for the E key, sometimes it just works and sometimes it doesn't. pressing it simultaneously with another key has not been doing anything. i have taken out both of these keys and attempted to clean the rubber part (it seems that i could not remove it, it was part of a "web" of other rubber parts under the keys), but that only made it work for a very short time. how can i fix these keys without replacing the keyboard?


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

Do other keyboards work?


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## ~En{rYpToR~ (Aug 27, 2007)

yes, other keyboards do work fine, although i continue to use this one because i prefer to (mainly because my old one had coffee spilled on it.  ) and no, this current keyboard did not have anything spilled on it.


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## TheShooter93 (Jul 10, 2008)

Oh, ok. Just as long as we know for sure that it's a matter of a hardware issue with the keyboard.

Sorry, don't have any cleaning advice. If it were me, I'd get a new keyboard if cleaning didn't work. But some people on here might know some advanced cleaning techniques that I don't. Good luck.


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## Byteman (Jan 24, 2002)

I've taken the insides apart of several keyboards but cleaning the parts did not help. There are tiny thin traces (wires) printed on the "web" that you see, and if those lose the sensitivity or cannot register the keypress, you get no letter typed....time for a new one. 

Customer had cats, and kept burning up Dell keyboards. One I opened up, to find a puddle of, yup----- the cat had used the keyboard for a litter box.... Cats also ruined 2 monitors.

Some spills don't cause damage, I have just turned the keyboard upside down and drained it well, get all the coffee out possible, dry it well, keep it tipped so it drains out, don't plug it in for several days if it was a major spill. Most still worked!


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## ~En{rYpToR~ (Aug 27, 2007)

thanks for the response, Byteman. good thing i don't have cats, haha! (although i do like cats  )

well it may seem that the only option for me is to replace the broken keyboard then. thanks again for your responses


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