Re: IIe Keyboard

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff) writes...

>I just tried an experiment with my enhanced //e, holding one key (thus
>simulating a 'stuck' key) and trying other keys.  It does indeed function,
>unexpectedly, exactly as Bruce described.  Try it!  8-)  I held the "A"
>key, and got a repeating "A".  Still holding "A", I pressed "K".  I got a
>single "K", then a brief pause, then the "K" repeated across the screen,
>even though I was holding the "A" key.  Striking other keys had the exact
>same result.  As I mentioned earlier, my first suspicion is a stuck key,
>and if this is a beige ][e, the first place I'd look is the [`/~] key,
>adjacent to the power light.

    I had precisely that problem on two of my Apple IIe's, and in both
cases it turned out to be a sticking key. I was able to correct it by
doing something rather unconventional though. I removed the keycap on
the key that was the source of the problem (the one that would repeat
when I powered on the machine) and then wedged a long and narrow pin
in between the "tabs" on either side on the key. By applying force on
the tabs, pushing them outwards, the problem eventually disappeared.

    It's quite possible dirt, dust or some other foreign object fell
inside the keyboard and worked itself inside the key stem mechanism.
By pressing on the sides of the key, it was probably loosened enough
where it was no longer making contact. In any case, I thought I would
mention that, the original poster may want to try that as a last 
resort if all else fails.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca