keyboard/touchpad connection (definitive guide)

Hi,

I purchased this netbook recently and then purchased some memory to upgrade the system. I now have a completely useless netbook on which the keyboard and touchpad no longer work. Please take a look at these photo's and I will attempt to explain the issues

[attachment=4:3vwmadpr]keyboard & touchpad holder.jpg[/attachment:3vwmadpr]

[attachment=3:3vwmadpr]keyboard connector without holder attached.jpg[/attachment:3vwmadpr]

[attachment=2:3vwmadpr]keyboard connector with holder attached.jpg[/attachment:3vwmadpr]

[attachment=1:3vwmadpr]touchpad holder.jpg[/attachment:3vwmadpr]

Following the successfull upgrade of the RAM attempts to connect the keyboard and touchpad do not work.

Both the keyboard and touchpad use the same connecting sockets and the same black holders. These holders slot into the sockets and then rotate up and down. On rotating the holder down after placing the cable in the socket the pins in the socket (are meant) to make connections with the metal in the ribbon connectors (shown below)

[attachment=0:3vwmadpr]keyboard ribbon cable underside.jpg[/attachment:3vwmadpr]

Unfortunately following my RAM upgrade the connections no longer work. The touchpad doesn't work at all and the keyboard only partially works. Please note the black holders came of when I carefully pulled the ribbon cables out.

I'm now left with a completely useless netbook with 1.5Gb of RAM.

How can ACER expect normal members of the public to go through the operations required to upgrade the RAM in this system. Please note I've worked in IT for the last 15 years and have been building systems for over 10 years.

a word of advice if you haven't already purchased one of these units, don't bother. Save some money and buy something decent that doesn't require a complete disassembly to upgrade the RAM!

Future2000

 

This was the first computer I have ever taken apart, and aside from some (self-inflicted) software problems, the hardware upgrades went without a hitch. I have had this apart four or five times now, and never had any issues. Perhaps you were just too heavy-handed when disconnecting these connectors. All it takes is a little nudge from the edge of a credit card to pop them loose. No real force is necessary...

 

I fix TV's for a living and have broken a few of those ZIF type connectors, so I feel your pain.

Usually the only part that breaks are the little tabs at either side that hold it in the "socket".

You may be able to find them online cheaply.

good luck and don't give up!

Mike

 

them zif conncectorrs dont look broken , rember they flip up and down . mine completely came off like yours but i was able to reseat it back into the zif connectors and now it resecures it fully with upo / down motion

 

I have dismantled and reassembled a couple of AA1s (one of them several times) and never had a problem with any of the ZIF latches on the motherboard.

I did have a ZIF latch break loose on a Toshiba 1.8" drive when I first got my A110. The latch was a real pain to reattach but I persevered and the connector still worked afterwards.

Those latches do not look damaged to me, so with care it should be possible to reinstate the latches on your motherboard.