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Keyboard and Mouse on the same page? Read on to find out why... |
Keyboard and Mouse repairs:
Keyboards:
 Because we are human things happen. Like the coke spilled on the
keyboard. Paper
clips and staples get dropped, the keyboard has a magical attraction to these
items. When I was a computer tech I found numerous items in keyboards: paper
clips, staples, mechanical pencil lead, and even a
diamond ring (not of high value) that the user didn't even realize she had lost!
A keyboard is your life line to your documents, you can open one and read it
with a mouse but you can not modify it with the mouse (well that is not strictly
true, if you have the Accessibility Options installed there is a mouse operated keyboard there......) so you need to keep it clean.
How do I clean the keyboard? Is it worth it?
Keyboards and mice are the
cheapest components for the computer.
They are also the most used and abused components. Because these components are so cheap it is better
to replace than repair.
Cleaning the keyboard:
It is not recommended that you use liquids on
keyboards. The reason is the
circuit board under the keys is not sealed to keep moisture out. If you spill
coke, coffee, tea, etc in the keyboard go buy a new one.
The best way to clean dust, fur, and general gunk is with a small fairly stiff
paint brush and a can of compressed air. With the computer off (you don't want
to be pressing those keys with the computer on!) use the brush to move the gunk
to an area where the air can blow it out of the keyboard. The paint brush will
get under the keys if you apply slight pressure. If the keys are just dirty with
normal use you can clean them with a damp cloth, I have
found window cleaner works best, do not spray the cleaner on the
keyboard, spray the cloth and use it to wipe the keys.
Wired or wireless? Which is more secure?
Mouse:
Does your mouse stop when you move it from one side of the screen to the other?
Have to pick it up and put it down to get the cursor to move?
The 5 Steps to high quality and cheap
DIY Computer Repairs
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It is dirty! There are two types of mice (pointing device or touch pad for
laptops), analog and digital. If you have a
wired mouse and it does not have a led on the bottom then it is a analog mouse.
By analog I mean there is a mechanism that moves the cursor. Turn the mouse
upside down, you will see a small neoprene ball. This ball moves two small bars
(or wheels) that turn what is call a potentiometer.
Cleaning the Mouse (analog)
There should be a way to open the cavity that the ball is house in, some are
plates that rotate one way to open the opposite to close and lock. Open the
cover, drop the ball into your hand, using a lint free cloth and window cleaner
wipe the ball, it has gunk on it from the mouse pad.
Inside the cavity there should be either two bars and wheel or three wheels.
Look at them, you will see gunk that has built up over time. We want to remove
this buildup. I use a small screw driver but a paper clip that is straitened out
will do the same thing. The hardest part is getting the build up off the bars
and wheels, they spin freely. When you get the buildup off it probably fell
inside the cavity, you can shake it out or turn the mouse right side up and use
compressed air to blow it out. Clean? Put the ball back in the cavity, cover
back on and lock it.
Mouse pads can be cleaned also, the cloth covered type can be washed with soapy
water, it just takes time to dry. Window cleaner works on the hard type pads the
best.
Wireless keyboard and mouse are more robust than their predecessor wired
keyboard and mouse.
Although the keyboard will get the same amount of use it is the easiest of
use. You can move the keyboard around to where it is comfortable and still be
able to type, the constraint of the connecting wire is gone.
A wireless mouse has a very large advantage, being digital it doesn't have
the mechanical parts thus the actual device will last a lot longer than the old
analog mouse with a wire. The only way a wireless mouse will fail is if it is
dropped repeatedly.
P.S.
If you are having problems with either device try changing the internal
battery or batteries before troubleshooting the device drivers, this may save
you a lot of work and heartburn...
So to answer the age old question will a wireless mouse wear out? Yes,
eventually electronic parts will fail.
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