BleepingComputer.com: Space.bar.is.not.working.Toshiba.laptop

i.have.a.toshiba.satellite.m35-s320.I.just.noticed.that.the.space.bar.stopped.working
now.I.notice.that.the.right.hand.shift.key.does.not.capitalize....the.left.one.still.works.
all.I.have.done.is.restart.a.few.times.....no.luck
thanks.in.advance.for.any.help.

I would make a few suggestions to you regarding your laptop keyboard.

My first suggestion would be to get yourself a can of air and blow out from under both keys. See how much "gunk and or dust" or whatever else might be underneath of the key. Test your keyboard again.

If you still get no response from your space bar and shift key, it's possible that your keyboard may have quit working properly.

Another possibility would be to remove the keyboard and check the cable connection to the motherboard. Some are push in and some are friction fit connections. Give it the visual check and also make sure it feels seated good and tight. Once again test your keyboard. If it still does not work I would suggest replacing the keyboard.

As another test to be sure you're having issues with the keyboard in the laptop, you could try connecting a USB keyboard and test the space bar and right shift keys. If they work on the USB keyboard and not your built-in keyboard, you have found the problem.

Hope this helps,

I am typing this with a "Plug-n-Play' keyboard. It works just fine. I tried the canned air (I emptied a whole can). I have no idea how to replace a keyboard on a laptop. Is it something that a novice can do? Are there stores which carry replacements. This laptop has been a real workhorse for five and one half years. Is it foolish to fix at this stage rather than replace. If I replace, what can I expect when I try to load my Office Professional 2000, Adobe Acrobat 5.0, and my old Winfax programs. Those are just a few that I can think of. In other works, am I facing the need to spend $'s to get the newest versions of the software I use the most?

I realize that this is a real "shotgun" of questions. I guess that if I could easily change the keyboard I would just keep this old workhorse. Thanks for your time.

Bill

I would suggest that if the laptop is working well for you and not showing much more trouble other than the keyboard you can safely replace it.

The only other part of the laptop I would be overly concerned about would be the hard drive. Being 5 and 1/2 years old, it has just about reached its useful life and may fail in the near future. But, it's also possible that it could continue running properly for the next year or two. Replacing the keyboard on your Toshiba laptop is actually pretty easy. I was able to find disassembly instructions for your M35. They are located here. You will pay close attention to steps 8 and 9 in these directions to get your keyboard out. Once you remove the strip in the pictures, you will find 3 screws holding the keyboard. A closer look can be found here in steps 10 through 12.

You do not have to go any further with disassembly of your laptop than step 12. Reverse the directions to put the keyboard back in the laptop and you should have your machine up and running like it's supposed to be. I found a replacement keyboard here. As you will see they're not that expensive.

As far as whether or not it is foolish to repair your laptop or not, I would say no it is not. You will be spending a small smount of money to get it back and working properly and who knows, it could last you for another few years with proper care.

If you replace your laptop with a "NEW" machine, you should be able to reuse most of your software but I would be hesitant to install the older programs on something that has say Windows 7 on it. It is possible that you would end up with more compatibility issues than enough and would be better off buying the programs as new in their newer versions to go with your new operating system if you went that direction.

Hope this helps,

Wow! Thanks very much. I had no idea that this information was available. I guess I should have anticipated such. As far as the HD is concerned, I replaced it with a new one June of '08. The video card was replaced early this year. I am currently forced to reinstall my sound card driver every day or every few days because the sound goes out for no clear reason. All that being said, it seems within my capabilities to replace the keyboard according to what I see of the steps. Based on your experience, doesn't it seem to require only steps 8-12? I can't see where I would need to go into the machine from the back side. Do you?

You are correct.... Steps 8-12 are all you need.

Good Luck and let me know if you need anything else

Since you have been so helpful, I wonder if you have some way to adjust the brightness of my laptop's display. Normally, I would tap F6 while holding down the Fn key. With my keyboard problem, that option does not work. This is an issue which developed a couple of months ago. When the laptop is plugged in, it is supposed to be at a normal level of brightness. When it is operating on battery, it is supposed to be a dimmer setting. For a while now, it has been dim upon startup and I have brightened it using the aforementioned Fn/F6 method. I have looked at Display in the Control Panel, Power Settings, etc. I just can't find a way to put it back the way it was so that it is bright when plugged in.

I do appreciate the help. You are very kind to help those of us who are as dim as my display.

There should be 2 ways to adjust the brightness of your display. One is the aforementioned FN-F6 method. The other would be through the Toshiba HWSetup icon in the Control Panel.

Go here and look at page 155 concerning the HWSetup Icon and its uses. *EDIT* I just checked the link and it will get you to the page for support for your laptop but you will have to click on the "Users Guide" tab to see the guide and look at page 155.

If you find that your display will no longer get any brighter after setting it to its maximum or close to it, you may have an LCD Inverter ( the part in your monitor that powers the Bulb to light up the LCD Screen ) that is losing its 'umph".

I would be willing to bet that you will be able to get your brightness turned back up by using the HWSetup utility in the Control Panel.

Hope this helps,

This post has been edited by techextreme: 15 December 2009 - 01:06 PM

Unfortunately, the Toshiba HWSetup "Display" tab has only two options, "Internal Monitor" and "External Monitor" with internal as the default. I do see under "General" an option for "Default". I am hesitant to click it because I do not know how many changes have occurred to the various working parts over these years. Any other ideas?

From what I am reading in the manual, Fn-F6 decreases the brightness and FN-F7 increases the brightness of the screen.

If that is not working, I would take a look here. I found this information on Toshiba's forum site regarding your exact same issue.

Hope this helps,

I ordered the new keyboard. If that fixes the problem, then I would think that we need go no further. If not, then I'll try the downloads as suggested. Once again, I am humbled by your capability to provide wonderful guidance. Thanks for your willingness to help.

Not a problem. Just happy to help.

Well, Murphy's law is certainly at work. I am starting to get accustomed to using the USB keyboard. Once in a while, I forget that the laptop's keyboard is on the fritz. So, I just started typing on the laptop and the keyboard works perfectly... all keys, Fn/F6 worked to brighten the screen. This is great, the only thing is that the new keyboard is already paid for and on the way. I guess I'll have a spare when it poops out again. Thanks again for all your help.

I'm glad to hear your laptop is working for you.

Just hang on to the new keyboard and you'll have it for when it goes on the fritz again.

Good Luck.

This post has been edited by techextreme: 17 December 2009 - 08:33 AM

Well, Christmas came a little early at my place this year. First, the keyboard stopped working as suddenly as it started. The new keyboard showed up this morning and I strapped on my toolbelt and dove in to my very first computer repair. Voila! I am typing this on my trusty Toshiba and I'm so grateful for your help and especially for your willingness to share your expertise with a complete stranger. Thank you, thank you. I hope that this is an especially wonderful holiday season for you. Joy and prosperity for the New Year.