Warning: a laptop repair in Dallas taught me to check the keyboard ribbon cable first

I was fixing a Dell XPS 13 with a dead keyboard and spent over an hour checking the board before I found the issue. The tiny ribbon cable connector had a cracked latch, so it wasn't seated right. Now I look at that cable before anything else on similar models. Anyone else have a go-to first check for keyboard problems?

4 comments

4 Comments

torres.thea1mo ago

But is a broken latch really worth that much panic?

sarahf992mo ago

Yeah that's a solid first check for sure. I'm curious though, did you try reseating the cable first or did you spot the broken latch right away? Sometimes those things look fine but just need to be clicked back in.

keith9002mo ago

Oh totally, and that's what I mean about stuff just needing a good push sometimes. It's like how my old car radio would cut out until you smacked the dash, you know? Good call on checking that first though, @sarahf99.

karen_sanchez492mo ago

Honestly I read a forum post once where the guy swore his cable was fine but the port itself had a tiny crack. He ended up having to replace the whole motherboard over something you could barely see.