Dead keyboard, dead trackpad, after installing extra RAM

[AnitaPeterson]

Hello everyone,

I'm the owner of one of the original Linpus machines - 8.9" screen, 512 RAM, 8 GB SSD - bought two years ago.

Shortly after acquiring the device, and thanks to this forum, I was very happy to discover that you can install XP on it.
But the limited RAM made for a sluggish machine, and I've been less than impressed with its performance.

Finally, I bit the bullet yesterday, and I acquired a stick of 1 GB RAM, thinking that I should be able to install it in the machine, for to improve its responsiveness.
I followed the instructions posted here, as well as the Youtube CrunchGear video. Everything went smooth during the initial disassembly and the installation of the extra memory.

But... by now, some of you already guess what happened next. Yes, my keyboard and trackpad refuse to work.

I didn't break the little black tabs, like other people did - they're still there, and they're lifting up and down as required. But the keyboard ribbon seems to be loose, much more so than the trackpad, and I can't get the machine to function again.

If I pry the keyboard open, and just leave it rest in its tray - but not snapped in - all the keys will work. As soon as I try to snap it back into place, the keys are unresponsive. To make things worse, the trackpad has now ceased functioning, even though it was working after the initial reassembly.

Ironically, when I boot into Windows, and play with an USB mouse, the machine is much faster - just as expected. I now have a faster computer, but no trackpad or keyboard.

I tried cleaning the keyboard and trackpad contacts on their respective ribbons with high-grade isopropylic alcohol, but this didn't help.

I'm at my wits' end - I must have spent some six hours with this device, trying to figure out what's wrong.

Can anyone please help? What am I missing here, and what else can I try?

Thanks much...

 

[melhiore]

I would definitely go for ZIF clips - they also slide a bit so you may try this. They need to hold them ribbons tight...

 

[AnitaPeterson]

I would definitely go for ZIF clips - they also slide a bit so you may try this. They need to hold them ribbons tight...

Sorry... what?

 

[melhiore]

What you have just described tells me there is a problems with ZIF connectors - this plastic clip (white socket with black latch is a ZIF). Ribbon is that flat cable going into it. As you have them clips not damaged you need to try slide ribbon to the end of available room and click/tide latch on it - it may take you couple of attempts but is worth trying... I can not explain it better as whole procedure is rather simple - it's working or not. If is not that means them ZIF clips are not as good as you think... ZIF stands for Zero Insertion Force which basically means there is no need to use any force - it will just hold ribbon in right place...

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Oh, I see...

Well, I tried to insert the keyboard ribbon in the socket and close the latch several times... like I said, if I just let the keyboard rest in its well, the keys work - but once I snap it back in, the keys become unresponsive.

If the black latch is not holding, would it be possible to put something on top of it to hold it down?

What about the trackpad? I don't see why it just stopped working all of a sudden...

 

[melhiore]

Reason may be similar. In both cases you opened ZIFs so they may not hold ribbon right... Other solution may be pressing Fn + F7 while keyboard works... It activates and deactivates touchpad... Putting something between keyboard and ZIF socket may work however I never had to try this type of solution...