how to fix the key on laptop?

**mastablasta** · December 17th, 2012

i have an old compaq 731EA. and my kid somehow made the D key pop out. don't ask me how cause i wasn't there when he did it. anyway the letter D key is now hanging outside the keyboard. i have no idea how to pop it back in. i tried pressing it down and forward but it would just pop out again.

the key still works only it's a bit hard to use now as it is haning out on some plastic or something.

does anyone know if it's possible to pop it back in?

**M3m3nt0** · December 18th, 2012

Normally you have just to press it down till it fixes itself back in position...
could you take a picture of the key and the "hole" in the keyboard?

**tentimes** · December 20th, 2012

Until you do your first laptop disassemble the idea of opening one up to fix something like this seems like a "no-no". But, having had to take apart a Dell a year or two ago, I know it's not as hard as it seems.

You might not be able to put the key back from outside and it might be much easier detaching the keyboard and getting at it from inside. Be careful though when removing the actual keyboard - you need to keep them level sometimes or the keys fall off.

I would have a look for a maintenance manual for your model and see what the keyboard assembly is like.

Failing that, hit it with a mallet

**mastablasta** · December 21st, 2012

turns out i broke something when pressing it on (muscle over brains is not a good idea). luckilly it still holds. i figured out how to do it by looking at laptop replacement keys site. i had to completelly remove it and then put it on directly at propper angle (90 degrees) and it clicked on. still a bit wobly cause part of it is broke. i doubt i could find a replacement key for this old mashcine...