Re: One key on Apple II keyboard is dead - suggestions?

["Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com>]

mores_p@hotmail.com wrote:

> PZ wrote:
>
> > I suggest that when a program says "Hit Any Key to Continue..." gently
> > press instead.
> >
> > :-P
> >
> > Seriously though... this might be a tough one... I don't know if early
> > generation keyboards had replaceable keyswitches.  Someone else may
> > know.
> >
> > - Paul
>
> Hello,
>
> I have similar but less serious problem with my iie. It takes several
> time for key '0' to work and keys 'L', 'N' and a few more are extra
> sensitive, producing multiple characters at once.
>
> What is more confusing is that, after 2 weeks, key '0' works well now.
> but the rest are still extra  sensitive but not every time; a few
> minutes it works very good and in a next few minutes, it works bad
> again. Is this a problem from keyboard or chips? Anyway to solve it?

It is the keyboard switches--they are a bit dirty and using them is
cleaning their contacts.

Try pressing the troublesome keys repeatedly, not too roughly, for
a hundred times or more, and see if they don't become more responsive.
It sometimes helps to alter the angle of pressure as you are pressing
them, to effect a more complete contact cleaning.

In difficult cases, try squirting a little contact cleaner at the
place where the key post enters the key body and keep pressing
repeatedly for a few minutes.

If none of this works, then replacing the keyswitch may be required,
but don't dismiss plain old exercise as a way of restoring reliable
operation.  ;-)

-michael

Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

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