HomeIn this guide I explain how to remove and replace the keyboard on an IBM ThinkPad T30 laptop. This guide should work for many other IBM ThinkPad laptops because they all have similar cases.
You can easily remove and replace the keyboard at home without taking your laptop to a repair shop.
First of all, turn off the laptop, unplug the power adapter and remove the battery.
Turn the laptop upside down and remove two screws securing the keyboard.
On a ThinkPad T30 laptop both keyboard screws are marked with two small triangles as you can see on the picture below.
On some other ThinkPad laptops keyboard screws are marked with a small keyboard.
Turn the laptop over again. Insert a small flathead screwdriver between the keyboard and palm rest and carefully lift up the keyboard.
Remove the keyboard and place it on the palm rest. The keyboard is still connected to the motherboard.
Carefully unplug the keyboard cable from the connector on the motherboard. Now you can remove the old keyboard and replace it with a new one.
Most IBM parts have a FRU number on them. You can find a new keyboard for your laptop if you search by the FRU number on the back of your laptop. There could be more than one keyboard that fits your laptop and they could have different FRU numbers.
February 11th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
Thanks a lot for these instructions. They worked perfectly. A suggestion: The keyboard can best be raised by putting the screwdriver under one of the buttons with the red line (above the touchpad).
February 8th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
@ Jajid M Abdul,
Are you talking about the touchpad? Check laptop settings, maybe it’s disabled in the control panel.
February 5th, 2012 at 5:15 am
Dear Sir,
I have been learning a lot of from your website to rectify the defect of Laptop.My joy pad is not working although optical mouse id operation.It seems to be driver fault.Would you please guide me in this regards
Thanks and regards
Wajid
March 23rd, 2011 at 9:26 am
I replaced the key board but, cursor doesn’t move. Why?
January 19th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
How to replace the fan in the T30?
June 27th, 2010 at 7:15 am
Thanks a lot !
April 8th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Rian,
I doubt you can fix the failed key. You’ll have to replace the whole keyboard.
Just in case if you would like to disassemble the keyboard and try cleaning contacts under the “L” key, take a look at this guide: http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2009/12/05/how-to-disassemble-laptop-keyboard/
It’s not easy, takes lots of time and most likely you’ll destroy the keyboard while taking it apart.
I would suggest replacing the keyboard.
April 7th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
“L” button on my IBM Thinkpad T30 is not working, any idea how to fix it? Been trying to take out the key and put it back but still won’t work. Really really need you help.
April 5th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Very useful for me.how about some pics of how to replace a system board!!!
March 9th, 2010 at 8:41 am
How do I install a wireless card in my T30