Help: Commodore 64 keys stick!

[Steppenwolffan21]

Hello,

 

As you may have heard I recently got a C64. It's great. I'm learning to program in BASIC. There's only one problem: I type and when I do, some of the buttons stick, especially the return key. I usually have to punch down the return key several times to make it function. This is also true with the space bar. The is very frustrating because I type very fast, and do not like to go back and correct my mistakes cause by the keys sticking. Has anyone else had this problem, or is it just me? Also; is there anyway to fix this?

 

Thanks alot,

 

Ferris

[+FujiSkunk]

Do you mean they're physically sticking, as in not coming back up immediately after you've pressed them down? If that's the case, they may just need a good cleaning.

 

It's possible to pop the keys off, using anything from your fingers to a PCI slot cover from your computer. You can then clean both the keys and the area underneath. In the past I've used warm water with a tiny amount of dishwashing liquid added, that the keys could soak in for an hour or so. As for the "base," either a good brushing or a lightly damp (not soaking wet) paper towel or washcloth will work wonders. Take care not to lose any of the springs.

[Steppenwolffan21]

thanks alot skunk

[Steppenwolffan21]

Do you mean they're physically sticking, as in not coming back up immediately after you've pressed them down?  If that's the case, they may just need a good cleaning.

 

It's possible to pop the keys off, using anything from your fingers to a PCI slot cover from your computer.  You can then clean both the keys and the area underneath.  In the past I've used warm water with a tiny amount of dishwashing liquid added, that the keys could soak in for an hour or so.  As for the "base," either a good brushing or a lightly damp (not soaking wet) paper towel or washcloth will work wonders.  Take care not to lose any of the springs.

912812[/snapback]

 

Well, I popped the keys off, and there was nothing underneath, but a black plastic plate the covers the entire keyboard. All there is is a button thing and thats it. What now?

[+FujiSkunk]

Well, I popped the keys off, and there was nothing underneath, but a black plastic plate the covers the entire keyboard. All there is is a button thing and thats it. What now?

913478[/snapback]

 

Do the "buttons" look dirty in any way? If so, clean them off, and also clean off the keys and the springs if they look dirty. You probably won't want to use water on the springs, at least no more than absolutely necessary. Then, put everything back together and see if the performance has improved any. If it hasn't, then it may be something wrong underneath that base plate. I've never dug that far deep, so I wouldn't be much help there, sorry to say. Maybe Google would have some good ideas if you need to go that far.

 

Alternatively, it wouldn't be very difficult to replace the keyboard entirely, should you come across another C-64. Even the keyboard from a dead C-64 would work.

Edited August 18, 2005 by skunkworx

[crunchysuperman]

Keys from a C16 would work as well, if you can stand the inverted colors that is.

[LocalH]

I believe VIC-20 keyboards are also compatible, and even have a "proper" color scheme and same key layout as the C64.

[Chris++]

The contacts themselves need cleaning.

 

 

1. Buy a bottle of isopropyl alcohol (91%, if you can find it) and some Q-Tips.

 

2. Get out a standard Phillips screwdriver, a very small Phillips screwdriver (a tiny flat-head will work) and three small cups or mugs.

 

3. Disconnect everything from your C-64, flip it over and remove all of the big Phillips screws. Put these all in one cup so none of them get lost.

 

4. Flip the C-64 over again, so the keyboard's facing up. Separate the top of the casing (the entire plastic piece, C-64 logo and all) from the bottom by sliding it about half an inch toward you (without sliding the bottom) and then GENTLY lifting up on the lower edge (the entire long edge of the unit on the space-bar side).

 

5. You'll notice that the top is attached to the bottom in a "hinge" manner, with the hinge running along the top of the unit. Wiggle the casing while pulling it gently toward you until the hinges are dislodged and the entire top is separated from the bottom. Don't pull it too far away from the bottom -- there's a wire going from the LED light to the motherboard.

 

6. Make a mental note of exactly where -- and facing which direction -- the little white, plastic LED jack is plugged into the board. Gently pull it straight up until it's disconnected; it's just two little pins.

 

7. Remove all of the large Phillips screws attaching the keyboard to the casing. Put these in the second cup. Make a mental note of exactly where -- and facing which direction -- the black keyboard jack is plugged into the board. Gently pull it straight up until it's disconnected; it's attached by a long line of pins.

 

8. There is no step 8.

 

9. Now you should have the keyboard mechanism entirely freed. Set it down with the keys facing downward and the back of the keyboard -- the brownish-orange plate with a bunch of tiny screws -- facing up.

 

10. Remove all of the tiny screws. Put these in the other cup so they don't get lost. (Trust me on this.) DON'T yank hard on the orange thing when you're done!

 

11. Notice the little black box on one side of the brownish-orange plate. This is the caps-lock mechanism. It's soldered, so those two wires aren't going to come off. This is the side of the plate we don't want to lift too high, or the plate will crack.

 

12. Dunk a Q-Tip in alcohol and GENTLY lift the brownish-orange plate away from the black front of the keyboard, on the side opposite the caps-lock thingy. You'll see a bunch of contacts up underneath, on the flip-side of the plate itself (don't worry about the black rubber things that face upward). Rub these contacts one at a time, dunking a fresh Q-Tip after every one or two. Don't worry about rubbing too hard. You need to get all of that gunk off of there. You should be able to ascertain which contact corresponds to the RETURN key, the space bar, etc.

 

13. The closer you get to the caps-lock thing, the harder it obviously is to get your hand in there and clean the contacts. You might have to leave out the keys immediately above and below caps-lock. These seldom get gunked-up anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem. You'll be able to tell how much tension the plate can take against the caps-lock wires; use your own judgment and clean as many contacts as you can reach.

 

14. When you're done, lower the brown plate back into place and put all of the tiny screws back in. Re-attach the entire keyboard mechanism to the casing with the second batch of Phillips screws you removed. Re-connect the keyboard and the LED wire to the board.

 

15. It might take you a couple minutes to get the top half of the unit back onto the bottom half because of that hinge. With the keyboard facing up, insert the upper edge first, swivelling the top casing downward until the space-bar edge meets. Make sure everything's matched up well (you might have to gently squeeze the upper edge, where the hinge is, to hear it snap all the way into place) before flipping the whole unit over and re-inserting all of the large Phillips screws you took out at the very beginning.

 

16. GETA$:IFA$=""THEN16

[Steppenwolffan21]

The contacts themselves need cleaning.

 

 

1. Buy a bottle of isopropyl alcohol (91%, if you can find it) and some Q-Tips.

 

2. Get out a standard Phillips screwdriver, a very small Phillips screwdriver (a tiny flat-head will work) and three small cups or mugs.

 

3. Disconnect everything from your C-64, flip it over and remove all of the big Phillips screws. Put these all in one cup so none of them get lost.

 

4. Flip the C-64 over again, so the keyboard's facing up. Separate the top of the casing (the entire plastic piece, C-64 logo and all) from the bottom by sliding it about half an inch toward you (without sliding the bottom) and then GENTLY lifting up on the lower edge (the entire long edge of the unit on the space-bar side).

 

5. You'll notice that the top is attached to the bottom in a "hinge" manner, with the hinge running along the top of the unit. Wiggle the casing while pulling it gently toward you until the hinges are dislodged and the entire top is separated from the bottom. Don't pull it too far away from the bottom -- there's a wire going from the LED light to the motherboard.

 

6. Make a mental note of exactly where -- and facing which direction -- the little white, plastic LED jack is plugged into the board. Gently pull it straight up until it's disconnected; it's just two little pins.

 

7. Remove all of the large Phillips screws attaching the keyboard to the casing. Put these in the second cup. Make a mental note of exactly where -- and facing which direction -- the black keyboard jack is plugged into the board. Gently pull it straight up until it's disconnected; it's attached by a long line of pins.

 

8. There is no step 8.

 

9. Now you should have the keyboard mechanism entirely freed. Set it down with the keys facing downward and the back of the keyboard -- the brownish-orange plate with a bunch of tiny screws -- facing up.

 

10. Remove all of the tiny screws. Put these in the other cup so they don't get lost. (Trust me on this.) DON'T yank hard on the orange thing when you're done!

 

11. Notice the little black box on one side of the brownish-orange plate. This is the caps-lock mechanism. It's soldered, so those two wires aren't going to come off. This is the side of the plate we don't want to lift too high, or the plate will crack.

 

12. Dunk a Q-Tip in alcohol and GENTLY lift the brownish-orange plate away from the black front of the keyboard, on the side opposite the caps-lock thingy. You'll see a bunch of contacts up underneath, on the flip-side of the plate itself (don't worry about the black rubber things that face upward). Rub these contacts one at a time, dunking a fresh Q-Tip after every one or two. Don't worry about rubbing too hard. You need to get all of that gunk off of there. You should be able to ascertain which contact corresponds to the RETURN key, the space bar, etc.

 

13. The closer you get to the caps-lock thing, the harder it obviously is to get your hand in there and clean the contacts. You might have to leave out the keys immediately above and below caps-lock. These seldom get gunked-up anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem. You'll be able to tell how much tension the plate can take against the caps-lock wires; use your own judgment and clean as many contacts as you can reach.

 

14. When you're done, lower the brown plate back into place and put all of the tiny screws back in. Re-attach the entire keyboard mechanism to the casing with the second batch of Phillips screws you removed. Re-connect the keyboard and the LED wire to the board.

 

15. It might take you a couple minutes to get the top half of the unit back onto the bottom half because of that hinge. With the keyboard facing up, insert the upper edge first, swivelling the top casing downward until the space-bar edge meets. Make sure everything's matched up well (you might have to gently squeeze the upper edge, where the hinge is, to hear it snap all the way into place) before flipping the whole unit over and re-inserting all of the large Phillips screws you took out at the very beginning.

 

16. GETA$:IFA$=""THEN16

914022[/snapback]

 

That was just what I was looking for . Thanks alot guys.

[Chris++]

No sweat.

[Osbo]

try cleaning the connector that goes to the motherboard. I had problems with a 800xl keyboard and it was the connector.

[Steppenwolffan21]

try cleaning the connector that goes to the motherboard. I had problems with a 800xl keyboard and it was the connector.

914143[/snapback]

 

Sweet, Ill have to try that. Thanks for the help guys

[carlsson]

If your keyboard is not sticky, but unresponsive, you may also take away each keycap, carefully spread the spring beneath it and reseat. If cleaning the contacts as described above is not enough, you may have to renew the conductive graphite layer on the rubber plunger or PCB. Either use a graphite spray or a pencil. Of course you can desolder the caps lock so you are not limited to working position.

 

Disclaimer: I have collected this from information on the Internet. I've thought about trying it myself some day, having some really used VIC/C64 keyboards.

[Brad2600]

Shit! I should have seen this thread first. Ughh.

 

The "L" key on my C64 keyboard is not making contact at all. This was a problem with my other C64 as well.