G-Series Gaming Keyboards

[dburnette]

Hey gang,

I really enjoy my G19 keyboard , I have had it for about 18 months or so now I would guess.

Anyway for whatever reason, I now have a couple of keys that are non fuctioning. Specifically the keyboard number nine key, and the delete key. These two keys upon pressing, produces nothing.

At one point I blew out a little around the nine key with a can of compressed air, had just a little in the can and was not able to blow it out as good as I would like. After that, it would work just momentarily, then not work , and repeat. Now, if I open say notepad, and press the key - nothing happens - sometimes if I keep pressing the key off and on repeatedly several times, it will start working - very briefly, then stop again.

So I am thinking that " maybe" it just may be that some dirt has found it's way into these two non functioning keys.

I wanted to check before I do this - can one lift the actual key cover off the keypad itself, exposing the button or whatever is under it, for some more thorough cleaning? And if so, is there a good way to perform this cleaning? I certainly don't want to do any further damage to my expensive keyboard!

I am hoping this is the case, rather than a manufacturing /quality issue - would hate to think a keyboard of this type would have issue such as this this soon - 18 months of use.

I would appreciate any and all feedback in regards to how I might properly clean these two keys, from anyone - I would like to do this asap as I really need these two keys functioning now.

Thanks in advance,

[dburnette]

Update:

I got another can of compressed air, and spent some time this morning blowing out best I could, with the little straw connected to the compressed air, all around the two keys in question. I did this holding the keyboard straight up, and upside down as well.

At first upon testing, the zero key on the keypad, worked only intermittently. The DEL key was doing the same, intermittently. I blew it out a little more, and so far at least they both seemed to be working.

So obviously it was a matter of dirt/dust getting under these two keys.

I am keeping my fingers crossed, but would like to ask again?

Can the covers be removed on these keys on this G19 keyboard? I took a pair of needle nose pliers and tried to gently grasp one of the keys and pull up slightly, it did not seem to want to do so - I did not attempt it very much though as I wanted to be careful and not truly destroy the key.

So I would like to ask again - Logitech? Or anyone that might know?  Is it possible to remove these key covers on the G19 and if it is, what is the best way to do so??  Certainly I would think if I could do this, I could do a much better job of getting any remaining dirt/dust out of there, or clean it appropriately if there is a way to do so.

I would appreciate any feedback, thanks.

Well crap, after finishing posting this message and trying again, now both keys are non functioning once again...

[dburnette]

One last update:

This is weird.

So I have notepad open, after my computer is idle for a bit, and I try the zero key on the keypad, I get nothing. Delete key same thing nothing.

I keep pressing the zero key - repeatedly - after a couple of minutes or so, it starts to work - intermittently - I keep pressing and pressing and holding down, then it starts displaying repeated zeros as it should normally.

Now once the zero key is working during this time, then the delete key starts working as well... but after few minutes of it sitting idle, ie those two keys not being used, it goes back to being like this again and I have to do the above again to get them to function at all.

Very strange, how when one works then the other does - perhaps not a dirt issue after all..

Any ideas appreciated,

[h0rse]

hi ..

you must open it (!warrenty!) if cleaning from outside doesnt fix the probs fully.

just unscrew and be careful. you will not find a full guide, but pics and descriptions from other people who have opened G-Series before, that might be helpful.

and dont forget to cover all your keyboards, while not in use - its old fashioned, but useful for the customer :-)

[dburnette]

Well thanks for the reply.

Once again they are non functioning, just really weird how if I can get the zero key to work, then the delete key will work - when the zero key is non fuctioning as it is now, then the delete key is non functioning as well.

Now that has me questioning my original though if it being a case of a little dirt?

[dburnette]

I can pretty much confirm now:

1:The problem arises after the computer has been on for a bit. First bootup this morning, the zero key on the keyboard is working ok.

2: As long as the zero key is working, the delete key works as well.

3: After the computer has been on a while, time yet undetermined and don't know how consistent that length of time is, the zero key becomes nonfuctioning. When the zero key becomes nonfuctioning, the delete key becomes nonfuctioning.

 Always these two keys together either work, or do not work.

4: When the zero key is nonfuctioning, if I continue to repeatedy press it very fast, and sometimes hold it down for a few seconds, then press repeatedly fast again, it will get to where it will start to to work, but intermittently - ie, when it starts to work, keep it held down whilst viewing in notepad, it will repeat the 0 say four or five times, then hesitate, then few more times, then hesitate, then eventually will start repeating as it normally should. Then it works a few minutes, but then again after not using it for a few minutes, it stops functioning again - and of course the delete key does as well.

So, the above leads me to believe that it is possibly not related to dirt being underneath the keys? As they are so tied together on whether they work or not?

Does Logitech support normally provide feedback on these forums?

[dburnette]

I am somewhat embarrassed to say, I may have gotten this one figured out.

This morning I checked out where the usb connected into my computer's usb port for the keyboard. While it seemed to be fully in, I noticed as I touched it the windows sound when it disconnects plays, and played again a couple more times as I had hold of it.  I removed the connector from the port, then firmly re-seated it. I checked it out, and the 0 key was still somewhat hesitant. So I then restarted my pc.

Since the restart, which has been probably close to 3 hours ago now, both the zero key and the delete key are working appropriately with no problem, no hesitation at all. Even after sitting idle for 30 minutes.

While I will feel better as days go by rather than just a few hours, this is looking very promising indeed as it has never gone this long working as it should on those keys.

Hopefully, this issue is now resolved.

[h0rse]

hi ..

it really sounds like a different problem .. if you have 24months of warrenty try to contact the Logitech-customer care .. or the shop where you bought it and get a replacement! so far i never heard of problems with replacing broken Loigtech-keyboards.

i am not sure if your thread looks like an important warrenty issue from the outside/overview, so dont count on the staff stopping by, get active as mentioned above, if you still have warrenty!

[dburnette]

Well it would seem , as I posted above, I have found and corrected the issue.

Apparently I had a problem with the usb connection between the keyboard's ubs plug and the usb port on my mb. Since pulling out and reseating firmly and rebooting, all has been well and working as it should - so far all day today.

The proof will be over the next few days and after a few new boots, but I feel pretty confident this is now resolved. If that changes here soon, I will certainly take your advice.

Thanks,

[dburnette]

Well darn, the thing worked perfectly all day long, something it has not done in a long time.

Shut the system down earlier and went out to dinner, got back home and booted it back up - once again, back to the zero key and the delete key are not functioning.

Very frustrating, I thought I had it figured out...

Not messing with it anymore this evening, maybe in the morning I will try a different usb port...

I checked, I purchased it from NewEgg in Nov of 2009, so naturally warranty is expired.

Edit: Just tried again a few minutes later, and both keys functioning as normal.
I give up LOL. I can't figure this out.

Maybe I will udpate again in a few days, no sense wasting more bandwidth on this crazy thing...