Changing Keys

Hey chappies,

after much deliberating on that keyboard with faded keys, I went through the trouble to buy one through eBay. Great looking, all new and shipped smoothly and fast. Of course me being the idiot that I am, I bought it for a 12 inches iBook while mine is bigger. The keyboard is itself no bigger, but the ribbon cable at the back does not reach its designated slot. I am already relieved I only need it as a supply of fresh keys, but I wouldn't want to add insult to injury and snap the keys off (off both keyboards probably) while attempting replacement. How do I take the things off? Do I press and slide? Use a screwdriver? A knife? A pencil? I have had a look but I am not entirely sure hence I am here... Thanks!!!

In the "been there, done that" department...

The keys pop right off. Using a screwdriver, knife, whatever, lift UP not sideways. Once you get one off you'll see how they snap into place.

Notice that the "scissors" that holds the keycap also comes off if needed. But it does not pop straight off like the keycap. one side fits into slots and the other side snaps into place. Again, once you see it, it will make sense.

Just be patient and gentle. The snap/retainters on the underside of the keycaps break easier than one would hope. neye:

They come off pretty easy, just a bit harder to put back on. Just remove from left to right or in reverse. Be very careful of the two pieces of plastic that prop up the key, because they are flimsy and cheap. And be very careful with the directional keys, mine still aren't right after I removed them.

Thanks guys, I think I should be ok on this, I tried to take one off a second ago and I snapped it away neatly with no loss of extra bits! I only have a few letters to replace... beats me why ASDEC have gone and all the rest of the keyboard is still perfectly readable!!!

I am officially a MORON. All seemed easy enough, what the heck, the keyboard may not fit but the flipping out of single keys seemed straight-forward enough. Well, indeed it is, were it not for the slightly different mechanism that attaches my keys to my keyboard and the new keys to the new keayboard. Moral of the story: I cannot stick the new keys to my iBook and I have listed the new kayboard back on eBay. Tha was easy really.