Ubuntu/MacBookPro

I have a MacBookPro that I spilled liquid on the keyboard.
The laptop booted up but couldn't type anything. Also the mouse pad didn't work. I didn't know that you replace the "top case" not just the keyboard but since on the internet someone was selling a keyboard i got. Replace the keyboard but the shift key didn't work.
Thinking that the OS got corrupted I tried to install Leopard (after a back up of files) but the DVD didn't boot. I took the hard disk out and started the laptop with the DVD and I got a kernel panic. It occurred to me to install Ubuntu on a new disk to rule out a bad circuit board. Ubuntu worked just fine with a small glitch the left shift key wouldn't work but I could use the right shift key and I could use all the Keys--no problem. The network connection -wire- works but not the airport -wireless. So I thought the circuit board is fine.
I clean the original hard disk and try to install Leopard, again kernel panic. I took this disk and put it in another MacBookPro and install Leopard. Boot this other laptop and it was fine. Remove the disk put it in the trouble laptop and again kernel panic.
Anyone had a similar experience or ideas, fixes, etc?
any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks

Very likely that the logic board suffered damage when you spilled liquid on the keyboard since it's directly below.

Please read the Sticky Post at the head of the forum.

thank you for the reply. I don't know if the post was clear but I said I installed Ubuntu and everything works just fine. The small glitch is the left "shift key" it does nothing but if I want to enter characters that require the "shift key" the right one works juts fine. The other glitch is the "airport/wireless" device so I ruled out the circuit board. Networking with "wire" works. The DVD/CD drive, mouse pad work just fine
Now if anyone has some ideas on this subject, please reply.
thanks

P.S Again the leopard DVD gives the "kernel panic message" or the "hard disk" with Leopard already installed in another machine.

I was fully aware that Ubuntu worked on your machine. What I was trying to point out is that liquid spills have a way of coming back to haunt you. Many folks that spilled liquids on their keyboard - even after it appeared the machine worked OK - later on experienced problems.

If you're capable of doing it, take the machine apart and make sure there is no liquid residue on the logic board or other components. You didn't say what kind of liquid you spilled... usually water will do less damage than say something like orange juice or an alcoholic beverage.

As for the airport wireless not working, it could be the wireless card itself or the connection the card makes to the logic board. The same thing applies to the keyboard problems. It could be the connector cable or more likely the connection on the logic board; possibly a trace that's shorted out.

thank you for the fast response. The reasoning is not clear. Just about everything works in Ubuntu except for what i pointed out so to me the logic board is fine.
I did clean everything and soda was the culprit but again I use the laptop with Ubuntu but Leopard (dvd or hard disk)still is causing the kernel panic e.g
Turn off you machine and re-start in several languages.

P.S. Any command or letters I press right after I start the machine have no effect in the "kernel panic" message.