6000HD - No key presses recognized

[ScutBoy]

The Free Geek where I volunteer recently was donated a 6000HD which came with two keyboards.

The machine boots up to a Xenix login, but no key presses are are recognized using either keyboard.

I would suspect bad foam pads, but I would think that I could at least see some random key presses even if the pads were in bad shape.

Besides the pads, what else should I be looking for to diagnose this problem? The machine looks to be in otherwise great condition, and I'm excited to get it back up and functional.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[jafir]

I’ve got a compaq portable with that style keyboard. Not a single key worked on it until I replaced all of the foil and foam pads. They had all turned to dust.

 

[dittman]

If it's not the pads then it would be the keyboard fuse (inside the 6000HD case below the CRT).

 

[ScutBoy]

Thanks jafir and Alphasite!

I did bring home one of the keyboards and will put in a set of pads.

I just found some of the service doc. I have not perused it yet, but just looking at the machine I'm guessing getting at the keyboard fuse may be fairly major surgery... hopefully I'm wrong

 

[Druid6900]

One of the first things to check, and it may save you some trouble is that the line that goes from the keyboard connector on the case to the video/keyboard card is actually connected to the card connector.

 

[mloewen]

The Free Geek where I volunteer recently was donated a 6000HD which came with two keyboards.

The machine boots up to a Xenix login, but no key presses are are recognized using either keyboard.

I would suspect bad foam pads, but I would think that I could at least see some random key presses even if the pads were in bad shape.

Besides the pads, what else should I be looking for to diagnose this problem? The machine looks to be in otherwise great condition, and I'm excited to get it back up and functional.

Thanks for any advice!

I automatically assume that any 6000 keyboard that hasn't had a foam pad upgrade will need one. If not now, then eventually. If you disassemble the keyboard, then remove the key assembly from the PCB (whole bunch of little tiny screws), you can then inspect the foam pads. To test it, you can use your finger to bridge the two semicircular pads for each key to see if they work. If they do work with the finger test, order a batch of pads from texelec.com:

https://texelec.com/product/foam-capacitive-pads-keytronic/

 

[pski]

The Free Geek where I volunteer recently was donated a 6000HD which came with two keyboards.

Given the going prices of 6000s and the keyboards, I hope they got a tax deduction!

I would suspect bad foam pads, but I would think that I could at least see some random key presses even if the pads were in bad shape.

What happens is the foil breaks away from the foam pads on some of the keys and drops on the circuit board which acts like you are holding keys down. Hence the other key presses do not get recognized even if their foam is still marginal. Typically though, if one pad is bad they are all bad if they are original.

 

[ScutBoy]

I've got one of the keyboards with me, and a set of pads.

Just need to find the time to open it up and change them out, and clean out any foam residue and other gunk while I'm in there.

Won't be the first time, or likely the last, that I'll be doing this job...

 

[ScutBoy]

Success! After a re-pad of the keyboard, I can now get the system up to a login prompt!

However, I don't know any valid logins for this box, nor do I have install media.

I've done some googling for xenix cracks, but not found anything that seems applicable.

It seems the images for Xenix are out there, and I have a box for imaging with 5.25 disks, but no 8" drive that I could hook up to write the images.

If anyone can help with either methods to gain a shell, or would be willing to write disks for me for cash and/or prizes (and I may have media to write to) please let me know.

Fun to see this guy up and running!