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[JoshuaFH]

Here's the deal: my sister, while I wasn't looking, must have been playing a game on my computer and bashed her hand into the keyboard, and now the spacebar is partially broken.

It still works, yes, but now it's all clumsy and stupid. The button refuses to depress until it's pushed EXACTLY in the middle, otherwise it just 'rocks' and refuses to cooperate.

I'm thinking of taking a screwdriver and prying it out, examining what's wrong, then repairing it with some super glue and I keep handy. The alternative is buying a new keyboard, and this one's been loyal to me for around 5 years now.

What do you guys think?

[Awayfarer]

I'm all for frugality. No sense getting a new one if you can fix it yourself. On the other hand, if you do fix it and it breaks in a few weeks I'd take that as a sign to buy a new one.

[woose1]

I expected for your post to be something like this:
"Ahhrghe lpmyspa ceba risbroke nhel p!"

[Asheron]

Here's the deal: my sister, while I wasn't looking, must have been playing a game on my computer and bashed her hand into the keyboard, and now the spacebar is partially broken.

It still works, yes, but now it's all clumsy and stupid. The button refuses to depress until it's pushed EXACTLY in the middle, otherwise it just 'rocks' and refuses to cooperate.

I'm thinking of taking a screwdriver and prying it out, examining what's wrong, then repairing it with some super glue and I keep handy. The alternative is buying a new keyboard, and this one's been loyal to me for around 5 years now.

What do you guys think?

Try to repair it, there is nothing that you can lose but your life if you forget to unplug it before fixing it. If that doesn't work, you should perhaps get a new one.

[Gunner-Chan]

It probably just got knocked out of place, pry it out and set it in properly.

[Jakkarra]

All of the above.

But there is a chance that the chip beneath it has broken, depending on your model, check if it has one, or two rubber depressions beneath it.

Love, jakkarra

[Tahin]

Sounds to me like the little metal clip which stabilizes the button and keeps it from "rocking," as you describe, was knocked out of place. Depending on the exact model of keyboard, they can be a little tough to put back in place, but it's definitely possible.

If you're really unlucky, some of the plastic might have broken, though, and in that case you're kind of screwed.

[mainiac]

There's a good chance that it will be easy to fix by taking it apart.  Go for it.

If that fails, get a program that rewrites key registries and designate your caps lock key to be space.

If you have a mac, you are SOL.  Mac keyboards are tamper proof.  But don't buy a new keyboard, buy a new computer.  You'll thank me.

[612DwarfAvenue]

All of the above.

Plus, follow these steps.


1: Take Sister.
2: Take Baseball Bat.
3: 
4: PROFIT!

[Yanlin]

Heh. I keep a dirt cheap replacement keyboard in case of emergency. If that fails, I have a virtual keyboard that uses the mouse. (Basically like a touch screen, but with a standard mouse.)

Armok help me if my mouse fails... It's a one of a kind 2000 DPI 1GHz polling rate mouse. That might seem pretty easy to get for you guys, but over here, it's ÜBEROVERPRICED and generally bad models. This Habu Razor was a rarity.

[Carcer]

I expected for your post to be something like this:
"Ahhrghe lpmyspa ceba risbroke nhel p!"

This very nearly killed me.

You might be able to fixx it with some super glue magic, but be prepared to send it to the junk yard.

[Tahin]

So, ChaoticJosh, any progress in fixing it? If you can carefully pry up the key, then take a picture of it's place on the keyboard and the underside of the key, we might be able to better help you put it back in place.

[JoshuaFH]

I've tried prying it out, but it's firmly stuck in there. It seems if I try to force it, then I'll only end up breaking it more.

That and I'm growing used to typing like this.

[Tahin]

Hm... What kind of keyboard is it? It really shouldn't be that difficult to get out. Try prying it up with a screwdriver.

[Duke 2.0]

If that fails, get a program that rewrites key registries and designate your caps lock key to be space.

And watch as your pinky becomes the size of your thumb with muscles.