The Conservative Cave

The Help Desk => Computer Related Discussions & Questions => Topic started by: Mike B the Cajun on September 13, 2012, 11:21:50 AM

Title: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Mike B the Cajun on September 13, 2012, 11:21:50 AM
OK,  I got the lecture from the War Department ( :rant: ) already, so don't bother...

That being said, I spilled it on the keyboard and table underneath the laptop (the stuff went everywhere!), after which the computer died. Wouldn't do anything.

Dried the keyboard; it now shows a power-up, but won't go onto POST, just lights up the indicators and then just shuts down.

It's a Dell Latitude 2200, 2005 edition, 512 meg ram, 30 gig HD.

Other than buying a new computer, any suggestions? ( Miss Chris has already put the kibosh on that.  ::) )

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Chris_ on September 13, 2012, 11:23:23 AM
Remove the keyboard from the laptop and attach an external USB keyboard.  If it will POST and boot to the drive, you might get away with buying a replacement keyboard for $20.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Undies on September 13, 2012, 11:49:22 AM
Ground yourself for having liquids around the computer.  That's the law in my house.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: IassaFTots on September 13, 2012, 01:17:37 PM
It's completely dry, in it's insides and everything?  I have heard that you can put the device in a big ole plastic bag, with either rice or silica pellets to dry it out completely, and some people have claimed luck at that.

Haven't done it myself, so I can't tell ya anymore than that.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CactusCarlos on September 13, 2012, 03:12:39 PM
It's completely dry, in it's insides and everything?  I have heard that you can put the device in a big ole plastic bag, with either rice or silica pellets to dry it out completely, and some people have claimed luck at that.

Haven't done it myself, so I can't tell ya anymore than that.

I collect silica gel packets for this purpose.  Two things are assumed before I even try to dry out a device


I once saved a lady's cell phone this way - she was so happy she didn't lose the pictures of her baby she had on it.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Undies on September 13, 2012, 03:44:49 PM
I collect silica gel packets for this purpose.  Two things are assumed before I even try to dry out a device

  • It wasn't turned on after the spill/soak.
  • The spill/soak was in plain water - if it's sugary like a Coke (or lemonade), forget it.

I once saved a lady's cell phone this way - she was so happy she didn't lose the pictures of her baby she had on it.

What did she do to show her appreciation? (drool;snort)
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: IassaFTots on September 13, 2012, 04:28:40 PM
I collect silica gel packets for this purpose.  Two things are assumed before I even try to dry out a device

  • It wasn't turned on after the spill/soak.
  • The spill/soak was in plain water - if it's sugary like a Coke (or lemonade), forget it.

I once saved a lady's cell phone this way - she was so happy she didn't lose the pictures of her baby she had on it.

Do you ever tell your wife to buy more shoes, when you start running low on the silica packets?   :-)
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CactusCarlos on September 13, 2012, 04:47:09 PM
What did she do to show her appreciation? (drool;snort)

 :lmao:  She offered to buy me McDonalds - I opted for a hug instead.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Undies on September 13, 2012, 04:49:38 PM
:lmao:  She offered to buy me McDonalds - I opted for a hug instead.

No dry hump?
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Chris_ on September 13, 2012, 04:49:57 PM
I wouldn't put it in a plastic bag... that would retain moisture and promote corrosion.  Best to leave it out on a dry surface and let it dry by evaporation.

Lemonade isn't very good.  Sound like you have a sticky situation.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CactusCarlos on September 13, 2012, 04:50:55 PM
Do you ever tell your wife to buy more shoes, when you start running low on the silica packets?   :-)

Oddly, my wife is not such a shoe person :o - she only has a few pairs.  My daughter, on the other hand!  :lmao:

I think I do similar work to what your boyfriend does and the packets come with almost everything.  That, and one of the medications I take has a packet in every bottle.  
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: LC EFA on September 13, 2012, 04:53:21 PM
Lemonade won't "dry" clean - It'll leave a sugar residue.

I'd strip the whole laptop down to components and clean it all by hand with isopropyl then reassemble.

Strike that. I'd just use it as an excuse to get a new laptop.



Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CactusCarlos on September 13, 2012, 05:10:39 PM
No dry hump?

 :rotf:

Sure am glad you're back!
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Freeper on September 13, 2012, 06:23:53 PM
It's completely dry, in it's insides and everything?  I have heard that you can put the device in a big ole plastic bag, with either rice or silica pellets to dry it out completely, and some people have claimed luck at that.

Haven't done it myself, so I can't tell ya anymore than that.

Worked with a phone I had. It fell off my belt into a gutter, the gutter was full of water. That evening I did the rice in a plastic bag trick and by morning it was fine.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Mike B the Cajun on September 17, 2012, 07:32:48 AM
OK, disassebled the machine, found 2 fried capacitors. It was NOT what i hoped to find. The boss was not happy, to say the least.

I took the boss shopping for a new laptop. Bought an Asus with an Intel non-Core CPU, 4 gigs RAM, 500gig HD, Intel graphics, Windows 7 Home Premium. $349 at Office Depot.

Only problem so far is it will not recognize the router (Belkin "G"), either hard-wired or wireless. Will get with both techs to try to resolve the problem.

Other than that, I'm satisfied so far, just have to get used to the quirky keyboard.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CG6468 on September 17, 2012, 09:15:55 AM
I hate laptop keyboards.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Kyle Ricky on September 17, 2012, 09:27:17 AM
Most cases, when you spill something on a laptop keyboard and it get past it, you are cooked because the mobo is below the keyboard. . With lemonade it is worse because of all the additives that make it sticky.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Undies on September 17, 2012, 11:30:36 AM
I hate laptop keyboards.

See how the DUmmie types have ruined the word "hate"?  I see "I disagree with laptop keyboards".
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Thor on September 17, 2012, 11:33:39 AM
Asus? You might as well have gotten an eMachine.......
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Kyle Ricky on September 17, 2012, 11:38:00 AM
Asus? You might as well have gotten an eMachine.......


Next time he should get a Toshiba Satellite (For windows) - They are very good Laptops...or get the best, a MacBook Pro  :-)
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Thor on September 18, 2012, 10:53:33 PM
Next time he should get a Toshiba Satellite (For windows) - They are very good Laptops...or get the best, a MacBook Pro  :-)

I'll agree with you on the Toshiba Satellite. I LOATHE & DISDAIN the overpriced apple products.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Kyle Ricky on September 19, 2012, 07:03:49 AM
I'll agree with you on the Toshiba Satellite. I LOATHE & DISDAIN the overpriced apple products.

Nothing beats a Mac ...  :-)
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Thor on September 21, 2012, 12:51:32 AM
Nothing beats a Mac ...  :-)

Dollar for dollar, almost everything beats a mac!! Now that macs are no longer "immune" to viruses, they ain't no better than a PC. Having worked on macs before, they ain't any different than a PC as far as hardware goes, so, all any mac user is doing is paying an over-inflated price for the danged OS.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: LC EFA on September 21, 2012, 03:10:10 AM
Dollar for dollar, almost everything beats a mac!! Now that macs are no longer "immune" to viruses, they ain't no better than a PC. Having worked on macs before, they ain't any different than a PC as far as hardware goes, so, all any mac user is doing is paying an over-inflated price for the danged OS.

...and that logo.

Status symbols are expensive.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Thor on September 21, 2012, 09:33:06 AM
...and that logo.

Status symbols are expensive.


:II:
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CactusCarlos on September 21, 2012, 09:40:12 AM
See how the DUmmie types have ruined the word "hate"?  I see "I disagree with laptop keyboards".

 :rotf:

H5
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CactusCarlos on September 21, 2012, 09:43:54 AM
.. all any mac user is doing is paying an over-inflated price for the danged graphical interface on top of a free OS.

FIFY  :)
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Kyle Ricky on September 21, 2012, 10:23:25 AM
OSX Mountain Lion cost $20.00 for a full version. Windows 7 cost upwards of $600.00 for a full version (Depending on which one you get). One of the main reasons for a Mac's cost is because of the proprietary hardware (Since they switched to Intel processors, the price has come down a little bit). When it comes to reliability, My Mac has 'NEVER' crashed on me. Windows has crashed more times than I can count. Mac is more secure than windows. There are some viruses that are starting to pop up for Macs, but there are still not nearly as many as with Windows.

I will say it again - Nothing beats a Mac ...  :-)
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Chris_ on September 21, 2012, 10:34:31 AM
The only way you're paying $600 for a Windows OS is if you're running a server.  Windows 7 starts at $99.  Professional and Ultimate are $165 and $179 repsectively.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Kyle Ricky on September 21, 2012, 12:10:41 PM
The only way you're paying $600 for a Windows OS is if you're running a server.  Windows 7 starts at $99.  Professional and Ultimate are $165 and $179 repsectively.

Yep, but even OSX Server cost $20.00 ....
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: CactusCarlos on September 21, 2012, 12:19:31 PM
Yep, but even OSX Server cost $20.00 ....

and BSD is a free download. OSX server is nothing but a pretty interface over BSD.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Kyle Ricky on September 21, 2012, 12:32:31 PM
and BSD is a free download. OSX server is nothing but a pretty interface over BSD.

Yeah, pretty much. BSD is a nice distro. I have it in VMWare, and enjoy it.
Title: Re: I spiled lemonaide on my laptop keyboard...
Post by: Thor on September 28, 2012, 10:45:34 PM
OSX Mountain Lion cost $20.00 for a full version. Windows 7 cost upwards of $600.00 for a full version (Depending on which one you get). One of the main reasons for a Mac's cost is because of the proprietary hardware (Since they switched to Intel processors, the price has come down a little bit). When it comes to reliability, My Mac has 'NEVER' crashed on me. Windows has crashed more times than I can count. Mac is more secure than windows. There are some viruses that are starting to pop up for Macs, but there are still not nearly as many as with Windows.

I will say it again - Nothing beats a Mac ...  :-)

Damn, dude, I don't know where you're buying your copies of Windows, but W7 Ultimate is around $199. I just looked. Upgrades are cheaper. Of course it all depends on who it is purchased from. Sure, it ain't the $20 you tout for OSX. mac users beware, the virus makers ARE coming after y'all now. BTW, I worked on a mac desktop. It didn't look very "proprietary". It really didn't look any different than a PC. Of course, one can't just switch out to a newer, better video card without paying out the ass for it, unlike the PC platform.