Keyboard Replacement Sony Vaio FZ320E

These are instructions for replacing the keyboard on a Vaio FZ 320 laptop.

NOTE: It is very easy to dent and mar the plastic components with a screw driver. Use MINIMAL force at all times and use a softer tool, such as credit card where possible. It is also easy to break the plastic tabs that lock the parts into place so again, use minimal force at all times and 'rock and jiggle' parts to get them to come out - if you have to use any signficant force, you are doing it wrong!!

I estimate that it will take you 20 minutes to do this the first time through.

1. Turn the Vaio over and remove the two screws in the upper left and right corners.

2. Remove the battery compartment and remove the two dark screws in the center of the compartment.











3. Also inside the battery compartment are 3 plastic tabs. Push gently on these tabs to disengage them.















4. Remove the two screws under the DVD/CD drive.

5. Carefully, pull out the DVD/CD drive

6. If you look inside where the drive just came out, you will see more plastic tabs that hold the silver strip above the keyboard. CAREFULLY disengage these clips.













7. Turn the Vaio over. CAREFULLY disengage the silver plastic strip above the keyboard. You may need a screwdriver or credit card to gently pry the cover off. Make sure the clips in the battery compartment and in the CD/DVD slot are disengaged if you run into any resistance.

NOTE: Part of the hinge cover is part of the plastic strip!!











8. Remove 2 screws along the top of the keyboard.

9. While keeping the bottom of the keyboard in place, carefully lift the keyboard until you expose the underside of the keyboard. You will see a flat electronic strip that goes into a connector. Carefully pull out the strip from the connector. Don't bend the the strip up when you pull it out.

10. Connect the flat strip of your NEW keyboard into the connector. Again, don't bend the strip up -keep it flat and gently push it into the connector. MAKE SURE THE CONNECTOR IS PUSHED IN AS FAR AS IT CAN GO.

11. Now reverse the steps you used to remove the keyboard..lay it flat,
2 screws along the top of the keyboard
replace silver strip
replace DVD/CD drive
replace all screws
replace battery

12 done!

Toshiba Satellite P35 Keyboard Replacement

These are instructions for replacing the keyboard on a Toshiba Satellite P35-S611 Laptop.

The need for keyboard replacement is common. Symptoms are usually pretty obvious: some or all of the keys just don't work anymore. This is often due to spilling something on the keyboard or simply overuse with time. there are many places on the web where you can send your laptop and they will replace the keyboard for you but I have found the price for this to be in the neighborhood of $150-200, plus you have to send them your laptop for a few days. I have now replaced 4 keyboards on 3 different laptops and the cost has run me $35-55 and the repair have taken 5-20 minutes.

This process takes about 5 minutes if you know the steps...give yourself 10-15 the first time you try it.

1. Shop around for keyboard prices. The price for a particular keyboard can vary by as much as a factor of two. Like always, be smart shopping and buy the EXACT model keyboard replacement you need from a trusted source.

2. The replacement process for this laptop is relatively easy. You do NOT have remove any of the screws that hold the laptop together!

3. There is a silver strip above the keyboard that must be removed. BE CAREFUL IN THIS STEP AS IT IS EASY TO BREAK THE SMALL PLASSTIC TABS THAT HOLD IT IN PLACE. Note that parts of the black monitor hinges are part of this strip. There are two small plastic tabs located at the left and right ends of the strip that hold the strip in place. Carefull use small screw driver under one of the black hinge covers to pry up on the strip. DO THIS VERY CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY. Do this to both ends. Once both ends are up, you can gently pry the strip from the other tabs with your fingers.














4. Along the top of the keyboard, you will see two screws that hold the keyboard in place. Remove the screws.

5. Along the top of the keyboard and in the center, you will note a small black plastic clip that retains a tab on the keyboard. Use a small screw driver and push the clip off the metal tab. This should free the top of the keyboard. You can then lift the top of the keyboard 90 degrees while keeping the bottom of the keyboard in place.

6. On the underside of the keyboard, you will see a flat plastic strip that is plugged into a connector. Carefully, remove this plastic strip from the connector.

7. You can now slowly remove the keyboard.

8. Connect the flat plastic strip on the bottom of your NEW keyboard to the connector. Make sure the strip is seated as far into the connector as it can go.

9. Seat the bottom of the bottom of the keyboard and then lay it down all the way.

10. Reposition the central black plastic clip over the tab and replace the two screws that hold the top of the keyboard in place.

11. Carefully replace the silver strip - watch the clips on the ends...

12. Done!

Do It Yourself Laptop Repair

All laptops eventually develop problems. Screens fade or start to generate lines where you don't want them. Keyboard keys don't work anymore. Laptop shuts off 'on it's own' (usually when you are up against a deadline). Just starts to run slow.

Depending on the age of your laptop, some of these problems aren't worth fixing athe prices posted for laptop repair. However, there are a lot of problems that can be fixed if you are willing to do repair yoursefl. The repairs posted here don't require any tools except for small screwdrivers, tweezers and some nerve on your part.

Please feel free to add your own fix it instructions for other repairs.