[kelston]

One of my friends spilled orange juice on her VAIO. It busted quite a few of the keys (so for reference, if you're spill prone don't get a VAIO, no spill protection at all). That's all well and good, just call up Sony, have em send a replacement keyboard and the guide to disassemble the laptop and replace the keyboard, simple right?

Hah. Wrong.

Sony sent the replacement keyboard but... without a guide. So I called them up, they refused to give me a guide. I searched Google with no luck. I even went to several laptop parts resellers asking if they could give me a guide. The response I got back was that Sony didn't want the guides publicized. That's cool... but what the heck is she supposed to do with a replacement keyboard if I can't tell her how to install it?

Anyone have any experience with popping open a VAIO to replace the keyboard?

[pr0digal jenius]

OK...I'm going from an FS series, not an S series, so things will be slightly different, but shouldn't be far enough off that you can't keep up.

1 - remove battery [usually has a lock switch to unlock, and then a release lever on the other side]

2 - Remove the 2 screws revealed when the battery is removed [very fat flat ones, philips head, also very short, so don't be surprised when 2 turns does it]

3 - flip the laptop over and open the screen all the way as far as it will go

4 - take a small flathead screw driver, and gently pry up the panel above the keyboard that has the power button and more then likely some status LEDs on it [cap lock, etc]. This is held down by plastic latches/hooks [9 across the front, 5 in the back, one on the right side, and 3-4 elsewhere at random, I think it is]...so you'll feel like you're about to break it, but you're not. [If this makes you uncomfortable, take it to a repair shop, they should be able to replace the keyboard for about $30].

5 - Now, after removing this, there are 4 tiny screws at the top holding the keyboard down...remove them.

6 - Pull the keyboard up from the top, then slide it out at the bottom, and you'll see the connector. Laptop connectors look like strips of tape/plastic. Pull it out to disconnect it [there's no plug...the end has exposed traces that slide into the connector on the mainboard...so just...pull]

7 - now reverse the process with the new one to install it

Like I said...this is instructions for an FS series [FS640/W to be exact] so it may be slightly different, but the principle is the same...remove the battery, release the top panel where the power/LEDs are between the keyboard and monitor, release/disconnect the keyboard.



Hope that helps!

[pr0digal jenius]

actually...after looking around at pictures, it appears you have the misfortune of the top plate being 1 peice isntead of 2....so you will either have to completely unscrew the bottom, remove the entire top plate, and then get the keyboard out....or take it to a shop. Same principles on 1 peice panels though...lots of plastic snaps

[kelston]

Originally Posted by pr0digal jenius

actually...after looking around at pictures, it appears you have the misfortune of the top plate being 1 peice isntead of 2....so you will either have to completely unscrew the bottom, remove the entire top plate, and then get the keyboard out....or take it to a shop. Same principles on 1 peice panels though...lots of plastic snaps

Whether this one-piece thing makes or breaks the attempts at a self-repair, it matters little, i'd say.

You've provided me a pretty awesome place to start, and that's more than I could ask for. Thanks!

[pr0digal jenius]

No problem

If the plastic snaps frighten you, a local Circuit City would likely replace the keyboard for $30....using the exact method I [a Circuit City PC Technician] just gave you