#264993 - 11/09/2005 16:51
Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/05/2001
Posts: 2616
Loc: Bruges, Belgium
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Hi people, I want to buy an Acer 8104WLMi notebook. There’s just one thing : I’m from Belgium, and the cheapest I can find this notebook here is about 2.200-2.300 euro (=$2700- $2850). Now if I just pop over the border to Holland, I can find this notebook there for about 1.600 euro ($2000). This is only one hour driving, so not much of a problem. Theres only one problem: in Holland, they use QWERTY keyboard layouts, in Belgium AZERTY. I’ve already looked into this and I can buy a replacement azerty keyboard for this notebook for about $40. You can easily see where this is going : I want to buy this laptop in Holland, and then replace the keyboard myself. I can save about $800 that way, so I would think that’s worth the trouble. Now, I’m not a complete newbie when it comes to PC’s. I’ve even assembled many, many desktop PC’s. I’m not scared to do this and I can handle a screwdriver. I also know the do’s and don’t when it comes to building desktop PC’s. BUT… I’ve never opened up a laptop before. So my question is rather obvious : is it difficult to replace this keyboard? Do I have to open up the entire laptop for this? If yes, how do I do this? I have seen manuals on the net on how to remove LCD's from laptops, but not for keyboards. Do sites like that exist? It would be most handy!! I know this is a long shot, but this board does seem to know everything, so I figuered I'd ask.  I know this should be possible in a fairly simple way. At least simple enough so that it doens't void my warranty. Thanks!!
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#264994 - 11/09/2005 17:20
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: BartDG]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14496
Loc: Canada
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Mmm.. My bet is that the keyboards are identical electrically, and only the keycaps differ. If that's the case, then.. where is the bit in the BIOS to toggle keyboard layouts? This cannot possibly be right, can it? It *is* a simple software-switch in Linux, to toggle between the two layouts (without actually changing the hardware).
Have you heard of other people having success (QWERTY-AZERTY) simply swapping keyboards?
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#264995 - 11/09/2005 18:39
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: mlord]
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addict
Registered: 27/10/2002
Posts: 568
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Isn't the keyboard switch only done in the OS? As far as I've seen, you don't need anything but Page up/down, Esc, Enter, Space, arrow-keys, Del, F2 or Shift-F10 to enter and change settings in BIOS and they're the same on both setups... Oh yes, and Y/N, but they're also in the same positions, aren't they?
I changed the keyboard on my old laptop (Asus) and there it was just to push some tabs out of the way to lift up the keyboard and loosen the connector. On my present laptop (HP), it looks like it's just to remove a cover to get to whatever is holding the keyboard in place.
Stig
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#264996 - 11/09/2005 19:52
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: StigOE]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14496
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
Isn't the keyboard switch only done in the OS? As far as I've seen, you don't need anything but Page up/down, Esc, Enter, Space, arrow-keys, Del, F2 or Shift-F10 to enter and change settings in BIOS and they're the same on both setups... Oh yes, and Y/N, but they're also in the same positions, aren't they?
The letter Y is placed differently, as I discovered when visiting speedy67 in Germany.. bloody euro kezboards! 
Cheers
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#264997 - 11/09/2005 21:26
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: mlord]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 13/09/1999
Posts: 2401
Loc: Croatia
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Ah, French (and, I suppose, Belgian) ones have A and M in wrong places, virtually all special characters are in unusual positions; I even seem to remeber that numbers are shifted! They don't use that layout in Quebec?
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Q#5196
MkII #080000376, 18GB green
MkIIa #040103247, 60GB blue
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#264998 - 11/09/2005 21:36
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: bonzi]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14496
Loc: Canada
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No, all of Canada uses USA-layout qwerty keyboards.
Cheers
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#264999 - 12/09/2005 04:01
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/05/2001
Posts: 2616
Loc: Bruges, Belgium
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Quote:
Mmm.. My bet is that the keyboards are identical electrically, and only the keycaps differ. If that's the case, then.. where is the bit in the BIOS to toggle keyboard layouts? This cannot possibly be right, can it? It *is* a simple software-switch in Linux, to toggle between the two layouts (without actually changing the hardware).
Have you heard of other people having success (QWERTY-AZERTY) simply swapping keyboards?
You're right, I could just change this in software, but then all my keys wouldn't be correct. For one, as Bonzi says, all the numbers are shifted on azerty. The special characters are also on those buttons, so those wouldn't be correct anymore...
It might be possible to change the other keycaps though. On the other hand, if I do that, I'll probably break something which will then force me to go back to plan A: replacing the entire keyboard.
I know it's a pain that we follow the French system here in Belgium. But I'm used to it now, so... (bl**dy French! )
Nobody knows of such a site where they explain how to disasseble laptop models?
_________________________
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#265000 - 12/09/2005 12:41
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: BartDG]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Usually replacing a keyboard is very simple and doesn't require even getting to the real innards. I'm not familiar with that model in particular, but I don't think you'll find it hard at all.
But that assumes that it's a part that can be swapped out like that. I'd be surprised if it wasn't, but it's always possible. And I wouldn't be surprised if the keycaps on your current keyboard were not swappable. The shape and pitch are often different depending on key location.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
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#265001 - 12/09/2005 13:56
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/05/2001
Posts: 2616
Loc: Bruges, Belgium
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Indeed!
It's defninitely swappable, because I can buy the keyboard separately. The hard part is finding how I must open up the notebook without damaging it...
_________________________
Riocar 80gig S/N : 010101580 red
Riocar 80gig (010102106) - backup
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#265002 - 12/09/2005 14:07
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: BartDG]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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Do you know the part number for the replacement keyboard? Perhaps a google of that will turn up installation information.
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Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs
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#265004 - 12/09/2005 17:28
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: BartDG]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14496
Loc: Canada
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Assuming they are identical electrically and physically, you could be lucky and end up with removable keycaps (pretty common). In that case, you don't need to swap keyboards, but rather just the keycaps.
If you're lucky.
Cheers
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#265005 - 12/09/2005 17:41
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: mlord]
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old hand
Registered: 27/02/2003
Posts: 777
Loc: Washington, DC metro
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Even if the keycaps moved, symbols are not always shared on the same keys between qwerty and azerty (man that's hard to type!). I think the replacement keyboard will be the better option. We've changed a lot of thinkpad keyboards (I hate that they paint the letters on rather than inlay  ). It's fairly straightforward surgery: four or five screws on the back, the keyboard lifts out and the new one goes in. -jk
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#265007 - 13/09/2005 00:58
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: BartDG]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14496
Loc: Canada
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My point about switching keycaps, was that if it is possible with this specific hardware, then it avoids the risk of disassembling the entire unit just to get the keycaps in the right places. Still need the AZERTY keyboard, but only for the keycaps.
-ml
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#265008 - 13/09/2005 06:30
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/05/2001
Posts: 2616
Loc: Bruges, Belgium
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Quote:
My point about switching keycaps, was that if it is possible with this specific hardware, then it avoids the risk of disassembling the entire unit just to get the keycaps in the right places. Still need the AZERTY keyboard, but only for the keycaps.
-ml
Ah, like so! Hmmm. That might indeed also be an option!
_________________________
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#265009 - 13/09/2005 10:37
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: mlord]
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old hand
Registered: 27/02/2003
Posts: 777
Loc: Washington, DC metro
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Quote:
My point about switching keycaps, was that if it is possible with this specific hardware, then it avoids the risk of disassembling the entire unit just to get the keycaps in the right places. Still need the AZERTY keyboard, but only for the keycaps.
Ah. That hadn't occured to me. Of course, I've attempted to reattach thinkpad keys before to no avail...
-jk
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#265010 - 13/09/2005 12:08
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: BartDG]
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addict
Registered: 30/05/2002
Posts: 695
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or my search-fu is too weak.I don't think that is the problem. I searched Google with a number of different terms and couldn't find much. In fact, what kept popping up were your posts on this and another forum. I did find one tiny little tidbit out there, though. It's a very basic description on how to remove the keyboards from certain series Acer notebooks. Hopefully yours will be similar enough. You'll find it under the heading "Replacing Acer Keyboards" part way down this page: http://briandesmond.com/blog/archive/2003/09/23/205.aspx
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#265011 - 13/09/2005 19:02
Re: Question about replacing Acer laptop's keyboard
[Re: DeadFire]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/05/2001
Posts: 2616
Loc: Bruges, Belgium
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Quote:
I did find one tiny little tidbit out there, though. It's a very basic description on how to remove the keyboards from certain series Acer notebooks. Hopefully yours will be similar enough. You'll find it under the heading "Replacing Acer Keyboards" part way down this page: http://briandesmond.com/blog/archive/2003/09/23/205.aspx
Thanks a lot! That will come in handy!!
_________________________
Riocar 80gig S/N : 010101580 red
Riocar 80gig (010102106) - backup
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