[FicusFan]

I had a bit of a problem this holiday weekend, and found a solution so I thought I would post in case anybody else runs into it.

I have a 2001 Laptop. It is showing its age, but I don't want to spring for a new one until it dies, especially with the newly released OS still working the bugs out.

I drink a lot of water, soda, tea and coffee. But I never put my drink on the same table as the computer, to avoid any spillage issues. :rolleyes:

Yesterday as I was carrying a cup of tea, past the table with the computer, and leaning over to put the cup on the next table, I spilled some of the tea, and it landed on the left side of my keyboard. :eek:

I wiped it up, and all seemed well. I was working for over an hour and everything was fine. All of a sudden nothing came out on the screen when I typed on the keys. The mouse still worked but I couldn't type. Then it was like the mouse went mad and everything that was a link of the screen was being highlighted, one after another at high speed. I couldn't stop it or get control.

So I shut the computer down and let it sit. When I booted back up, the mouse worked, but I couldn't type. Couldn't even log in. I brought it up and down several times, let it sit off, and on and nothing made a difference. I noticed that the Caps lock and the Scroll lock were on, and I couldn't turn them off.

I have a keyboard from the last desktop I had. So I thought I would try to plug that in and see if it made a difference. The Caps lock and Scroll lock lights came on as soon as I plugged in the new keyboard. It too would not work. Nothing happened, and I thought I had burned out something.

So then today I went to one of the local stores to run errands, and while there, I thought I would check out the computer stuff. I figured I would have to get a new computer and wanted to see what the prices and selections were like (to compare them to the computer/tech stores).

While there I found something called a wireless keyboard. They come alone, with a mouse or with a mouse and speakers. On the boxes they talked about being spill resistant, so I thought maybe they were the answer. Maybe it was something that they were designed to solve.

So I got one for about $30.00 with mouse and speakers. I have a trackball I liked so I didn't use the mouse. The external speakers are good, I have internal ones in my laptop. But the new ones are much louder and produce a deeper sound.

The keyboard worked !. Happy Happy Joy Joy. There is a base that you put a battery into and plug it into a USB port (not the port for the keyboard), and then you put batteries in the keyboard. On each is a connect button and once you turn the computer on you press them and the keyboard talks to the computer. :D

I have a slide out shelf for a keyboard on my computer stand that I wasn't using with the laptop, so now my keyboard goes there, and its right under the laptop. Not too shabby. Sure beats an unplanned emergency new computer purchase. It is even better than before, though I think its days of mobility are done.;)

I made a new back up of my Access data base with my books, just in case. And I probably should start a fund to save for a new compupter, since this one will only take so much more before it gives up the ghost.

So if you ever have your keyboard die, and a new plug-in one doesn't help, check out the wireless ones. It may save your computer, your wallet, and your sanity. :D

[FuzzBunneh]

Hehe.. glad to see you found a solution! I've been meaning to get a keyboard for my laptop as well.. it's actually the first thing my "computer advisor" told me to get -- I've completely lost track of the number of times I've gone crazy or mysteriously disappeared from IM because of spilt coffee, tea, juice, etc. Seems that having an expensive lappy has made me more cautious, though, thank heavens - nothing spilt yet! But let's not tempt fate; I'll try to get one before the summer's over ;)

[Tony Williams]

Some years ago I managed to wreck a laptop by spilling a drink on it (I was amazed that there wasn't a protective diaphragm to stop liquid reaching the innards, but I don't suppose the manufacturers are interested - they'd rather you bought a new one :mad: ). This happened only a couple of hours before I was due to depart on a fortnight's holiday, and by the time I returned the hard drive was corrupted beyond recovery.

Which is why I now have a desktop PC....

[FicusFan]

I have had the desktops. And they seem to die on me (Hardware), without any outside help (like Liquids ;) ).

The Laptop takes up less room, and is easier to add things to. Seems the plugs for the desktops I have had have all been in the back. Its a major excavation to add anything.

I will probably replace my laptop with another, unless there is some wonderful deal that meets all my needs.

[hawkwind]

I you spill anything on your keyboard just get some distilled water to wash off and rinse. Give it a day to dry off and you should be good to go. Just make sure it is distilled water.

[Ineluki]

I you spill anything on your keyboard just get some distilled water to wash off and rinse. Give it a day to dry off and you should be good to go. Just make sure it is distilled water.

For the avoidance of doubt, it's worth adding: switch it off first!

It's also worth trying to "wick" away as much liquid as possible with kitchen paper before you use any additional water. If you quickly switch off as soon as there's a spill, you will minimise any damage- the damage is more likely to be caused by residue from the liquid when it dries than by the water. If you *can* remove the keys (and remember where to put them back), it helps.

And let it dry for a day or so before considering switching on again.

I've heard of people who've spilled tea into keyboards recovering them successfully by running through a dishwasher and then drying for several days in an airing cupboard, though it's less of a crisis with a normal keyboard as they cost relatively little. Laptops are much more serious.

[Bustadees]

Hi, I would like to tell you about my story of fixing my laptop’s keyboard, and by the way if here’s any spelling mistake then it’s coz the methods been implemented.
First, I had this coke drink spill for over six months but never bothered doing anything about it and the reason coz I had an important project to carry out so, I couldn’t waist anytime taking it to electrician or computer expert, plus it was fairly working in not so bad cond. So few months later after finishing the project I got the idea of dismantling the keyboard part of the laptop and then give it a thorough wash; with some lukewarm water, washing up liquid and blow dryer.

This is what I done:-
1-Got a bucket filled up with hot water, and then diluted it with some cold water just to get the temp right.
2-Added some pea size drops of washing up liquid, and also a sanitizer.
3-Submerged the removed laptop keyboard into the bucket for few mins, while making sure that every single button in the keyboard is pressed repeatedly just to assure myself that the solution has penetrated between the keys and the keyboard, left the keyboard submerged for few mins.
4- Took the keyboard out then gave it a thorough cold strong stream of water making sure that all the solution and the old water came off.
5-Finally, gave it a good towel drying and couple of hours of blow dryer drying, and I was as good father Xmas on boxing day.
6-It started by confusing key functions e.g. when typing letter P it will show V and when pressing Enter it will function as Shift, but don’t worry just take it out again and dry it further, making sure that you don’t pull any parts hard or push any button more than it should, generally blow dryer is the most effective answer.
7-Eventually I got a fully working keyboard at no extra costs, well, apart from the detergent and the hardly ever noticed increase in water bill.

[xvart]

Yes, distilled water is a good suggestion. Also, waiting for it to thouroughly dry is important. When I was in graduate school I worked in a small housing building that held 50 students. One day, in the main lobby on the main floor, one of the sprinkler heads burst and tens of thousands of gallons flooded the main floor and the basement, which all contained student rooms. There was probably 2-3 inches on the main floor and 5-6 inches in the basement. There were computer towers sitting in water. I don't think there was a problem with any of them after they were allowed to dry.

Wireless mouses are the greatest. It was worth the investment even if your laptop starts working again.

xvart.

[Arash]

What do you recommend for wine on carpet?

[Ineluki]

Hi, I would like to tell you about my story of fixing my laptop’s keyboard, and by the way if here’s any spelling mistake then it’s coz the methods been implemented.
First, I had this coke drink spill for over six months but never bothered doing anything about it and the reason coz I had an important project to carry out so, I couldn’t waist anytime taking it to electrician or computer expert, plus it was fairly working in not so bad cond. So few months later after finishing the project I got the idea of dismantling the keyboard part of the laptop and then give it a thorough wash; with some lukewarm water, washing up liquid and blow dryer.

This is what I done:-



{snip method}

Your machine must have been more robust, or you were luckier. This machine was completely written off - fortunately, the office insurance paid out, I now have a much better machine and all I had to fork out was the excess and the tax.