Re: IIe Keyboard

[dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff)]

Keegan Hartman (taxman@aa.net) wrote:
: At my school we have a IIe that has some problem with its keyboard. 
: Every time you push a key it keeps on repeating until you push another 
: that continues to repeat. Is there a cheap easy way to fix this. Our 
: tools consist basicly of screwdrivers and pliers. It has to be done in 
: house because if we sent it in to the school district they would 
: automatically declare them surplus and throw them in the trash. We need 
: these computers for a few more years. Luckly we have a few ones that 
: work in storage. 

When you first power up the machine, do you get a repeated character?  My
initial guess is that you have a stuck key.  Look carefully at the
keyboard, and try to determine if one key is lower than the others.  If a
key is sticking, then that key will repeat when the machine is first
turned on.  But if you hit another key, then the new key will begin
repeating instead of the one that is stuck.

(the following paragraph does not apply to the 'platinum' //e's or to the
enhanced //e's with the keyboard attached to the upper case)

I had this problem the first time I replaced a keyswitch...when I put the
machine back together, I had the keyboard offset to one side just a hair,
causing the '~' key to rub against the power light.  There is a chance
that you have a similar problem...one way to check is to take the screws
out of the perimeter of the bottom of the machine and lift the cover off
(the whole cover, not just the lid); then see if that helps.  If this is
the problem, you can loosen the four screws that hold the keyboard to its
support posts and slide it sideways a bit so that all of the keycaps clear
the case.

It is also possible that one of the keyswitches is stuck in the 'closed'
position.  To figure out which one, shut off the machine, remove the disk
controller card(s), and power the machine up and see which character comes
up at the ] prompt.  Try replacing that keyswitch.  Even better, unplug
the keyboard and start checking the keyswitches with an ohmmeter to try
and find the one that is stuck.

Good luck!

--Dave Althoff, ][.
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