W520 Keyboards - FRUs vs manufacturers

After searching a lot I come trough this:
45N2071 - ALPS
45N2141 - CHICONY
45N2211 - NMB
found here(there is a error in Chicony's FRU in his page, watch pictures and you'll see he made a typo and my numbers bove are the correct ones) (WITH PICS):
CHICONY,ALPS,NMB 写真で比べる全メーカー製キーボードパーツ 2010 - Blog:TP Geometry
I never tried for long time the w520 keyboard (and other models where these FRUs are used: T400S, T510, W510, T410, T410s...).
I know there are minute differences in feel, sound (the "click-clack") and trackpoints between these keyboards.
I've read a lot but I found discrepancies. By the pictures I can see the "swingers" are different between them...
I'm asking because probably I'll swap to a different language keyboard.
What do you know?
W520 on win8.1/linux | X220 | and some older stuff 760 onwards

Going back several generations of ThinkPads, I have ordered one each of the three kinds of keyboards with each new purchase... T61p, W500, W510, W520. This is because, despite there being 50 million Hispanics in the US, it's apparently close to impossible to get a Latin American keyboard installed in a new laptop in the US. So I simply order one of each and over the course of the life of the computer (about a year to 14 months as a primary machine, another year as a backup), I generally need all three.
Initially I wanted to compare the keyboards, but found that the differences were minimal if any. Later, I simply ordered one of each in case any of the three turned out to be either better or worse than the others. I see comments about the advantages of one manufacture or another, but do not sense the differences are in different designs or parts as much as just the variants of different production runs. I will be interested in hearing if anyone has a deeper analysis than my purely anecdotal experience .
David Gleason. Every T from the T20 to the T61p, W500, W510. Current system: W520 4270-CTO i2820 8GBx4 (corsair), FHD(1920x1080), NVIDIA Quadro 1000M and 2 Samsung 830 512gb SATA III SSD.

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Replacing W520 Keyboard

I bought a W520 couple of years ago from north america and the keyboard come in the English layout. I'm already planning to switch the keyboard with the Arabic layout one since i'm sick of having to put stickers and having them peeling of every time. I was thinking also since i'm getting a new keyboard why not get the backlit one that on the W530. I know Lenovo most of the times have some stupid restriction regarding replacement parts from a previous experience with the wifi card. So did anyone tried to upgrade the keyboard before, and if it wont work is getting another W520 keyboard with the Arabic layout gonna work for me also ?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

The 530 kb won't fit the 520 and vice versa. This was hashed to death about a year ago on all sorts of forums. Some tried deperately to mod and make work, both ways, but with no success.
For some good news, here your kb @ $35 new! Just yank out the old and drop this right in.
W530 | 3840QM | 32g @ 1.35v CL9 1986z | 512g 840 Pro | 1t HGST 7200 | FHD AUO v.4 | Quadro K2k | GOBI 5k | Centrino 6300

W520 Keyboard: Noisey (Backspace)-Key

A few weeks into using (well, configuring more than using, at this point) my new W520, I've become increasingly aware of (read: annoyed by) the sound (and feel) of my (Backspace)-key. It has a wee bit of a clatter to it. Given another thread I just read,‡ I guess I should count myself fortunate: other than the Backspace issue, I have no complaints about the keyboard.
One thing worth noting about the clatter sound(/feel): it occurs on the release of the key; not on the downward keystroke.
Another interesting point, a curious point, indeed, is that the clatter seems to vary a bit with repeated keystrokes; sometimes, there's no clatter at all. But usually, there's some... and again, the actual sound and feel of the key (upon release) varies a bit with repeated strokes.
Maybe this last point (the variation) wouldn't seem so odd to me if I understood the actual mechanics involved; i.e., the physical attributes of the mechanism.
In any case, I guess what I'm really looking for is any kind of feedback or suggestions.
Apparently, there's a way to lift up the keyboard (which I guess one has to do in order to add memory), and maybe if I did that, I'd discover some small piece of debris or something that's causing the problem.
Because the sound occurs on the upstroke, I'm thinking (perhaps, wishfully) that what I'm experiencing doesn't mean the longevity of the key's proper functioning is compromised. So, it's not so much that I'm concerned about key failure as I'm just annoyed by the sound.
Well, I guess that's it. It's the middle of the night, and beyond this, I'll just ramble.
So... any thoughts? I'm open to anything... including "Don't sweat the small stuff; you should just live with it." ...OR... on the other end of the spectrum: "If worse comes to worse, you could always swap in a new keyboard." Could I?
Okay... thanks.
--Thri
‡ Although, this thread is three and a half years old and pertains to the W500.

Thanks. Your suggestion is helpful.
Two questions:
Would I have to send my entire laptop in? ... or could they just send me a new keyboard?
If the latter (Lenovo sends me a new keyboard), is this something I should be able to do myself (predicated on finding some kind of how-to reference materials, etc.)?
Thanks again.
--Thri

W520 keyboard and trackpad right button

Now finally my 16 GB ram came and I had to open up the keyboard. The only problem was along with the keyboard came out the left Ctrl key and the right button for the track pad. Now the the right button would not go in and what more there are two small locks on top of it and one of the small plastic has fallen off . Is there a way to replace it ? I eventually manage to place the button with one lock but I think it's loose and might come off.
Also I'm unable to put back the Ctrl key. I put the ky on top and press it evenly, it should do it for other laptop. How do you put they key back on keyboard for W520 ?

palhello wrote:
..will the warranty cover keyboard replacement ?
Yes, if it is due to a manufacturing defect or a failure of a component within the keyboard. I have replaced keyboards in the past, typically around the 2 year mark (I wear them out). Lenovo has always been very courteous about shipping me a new keyboard (free) - just give them a call. It is an easy to install part.
Michael
W520 (4270 CTO), which replaced a W500 (4062-27U), which replaced a T42P, which replaced an A21P...

Replace W520 keyboard with backlit W530 keyboard?

Is it possible to replace the keyboard on a W520 with an equivalent, backlit W530 keyboard?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

It is not possible to do a direct hardware replacement. The bezel is different and the scan codes for the keyboard (which are supported by the BIOS) are different on the keyboards.
W520, i7-2820QM, BIOS 1.42, 1920x1080 FHD, 32 GB RAM, 2000M NVIDIA GPU, Samsung 850 Pro 1TB SSD, Crucial M550 mSata 512GB, WD 2TB USB 3.0, eSata Plextor PX-LB950UE BluRay
W520, i7-2760QM, BIOS 1.42 1920x1080 FHD, 32 GB RAM, 1000M NVIDIA GPU, Crucial M500 480GB mSata SSD, Hitachi 500GB HDD, WD 2TB USB 3.0

W520 Keyboard lettering and numbering Quality Question

When I comparing my recently acquired W520's keypad with my other Lenovo Thinkpad keypads (listed below), it seems all the lettering, numbers, etc on all keys look somewhat like decals that have lifted or are crinkling and appear somewhat blurred around the edges of the symbols when light reflects off them at certain angles ..... equally so on all keys. The distortion from reflected light at certain angles makes the smaller symbols on some keys unreadable from the glare, which is not the case on any of my other ThinkPads.
I do not see this on my T42, T61p or T500 units .... all keys look equally clear and smooth from any angle on those units.
I'm under warranty so should I call support, or is this the new normal for newer ThinkPads?
Thanks
Two (I used to have Five) - T61p 15.4" WS T9300 2.5Ghz units, August 08/08 Builds with FX570M Nvidia Graphics; ... One W520 i7-2860QM w/2000M Nvidia Graphics (most recent acquisition and stupidly fast); .... One - T42 4:3 15" Flexview 1.8GHz with ATI Graphics (still perfect for traveling); ... Two - T500 15.4" units both with ATI HD3650 Graphics.

Thanks ... they all become unreadable (especially the small blue ones) when light reflects off them at certain angles .... very different from my other 5 ThinkPads when viewed from those same angles.
Probably just a "bad-day" production error during the applique process on the keys ..... you have to hold it at certain angles to truly catch it .... I'll call warranty tech support (besides, my right shift key is sticking intermittently).
Two (I used to have Five) - T61p 15.4" WS T9300 2.5Ghz units, August 08/08 Builds with FX570M Nvidia Graphics; ... One W520 i7-2860QM w/2000M Nvidia Graphics (most recent acquisition and stupidly fast); .... One - T42 4:3 15" Flexview 1.8GHz with ATI Graphics (still perfect for traveling); ... Two - T500 15.4" units both with ATI HD3650 Graphics.

T540p Keyboard FRUs

Greetings,
I recently broke my keyboard and, since Im out of the warranty already, would like to replace the keyboard myself.
Im looking for a cheap option to replace, so considering dead laptops sold for spare parts as well.
Looking at the official FRU lists the following laptops have identical spare parts (keyboards): T540, T540p, W540, L540, W550s, W541, T550.
However, searching eBay, I found that there are offers that claimed to be compatible with, say T540 and E531 both.
So, the question is: are Exxx series keyboards in fact compatible with T540p?

The keyboard backlight is not a softkey. Try it out when you are in the BIOS, if it doesn´t work, your machine does not have backlight.

Keyboard going nuts

I posted a topic about a water spill issue a few weeks ago, and I'm telling you that this laptop gives me anxiety and depression...The keyboard must be damaged, here are some symptoms :
- when i press some numbers, i hear a beeping sound, same beep when you press too many buttons at a time
- then the keyboard goes crazy and starts typing on its own like : zero nine one one one one one one one one etc.... and doesnt stop. the browser goes full screen and it opens inspect element
-after i make it stop numbers except five and six dont work.
- i also noticed that after the water spill the power button didnt have lights but the light came back on and the problem started
I really apreciate your help, and I hope i can fix this without having to replace the keyboard because without the numbers, u cant play video games or type some pretty important things

It will depend on the availability and shipping cost to your place and how flexible you are with the keyboard layout (if you look for a seldom layout expect to pay more).
Check for Ebay and alikes for any T410/T420/T510/T520/W510/W520 keyboard.
/L40SX/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E/A20p/A22p
A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T4x0x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/10*X2xx/2*X200T/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x
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HP Mini 110-1030NR keyboard

Replacement keyboards for the orginal keyboard on my HP Mini 110 have exhibited a common fault, the <Left Control> key is stuck on (not mechanically stuck however). I have verified fault with 3rd party keyboard test programs. Is it the driver, or some keyboard mapper, that need to be loaded? Or is it the hardware? I have tried two different replacement keyboards from different manufacturers. Thanks for the help in advance!

Hey wally32,
For the left Control key being stuck, I have included the document 'Notebook Keyboard Troubleshooting (Windows 7)'. Please click on the option for Stuck Key, and follow through the steps. This will make sure that the keyboard software is up to date, as well also cleaning the key itself manually.
Please let me know the outcome of the troubleshooting. As this will help narrow down the issue, if it is still present after troubleshooting.
Thank you.
I worked on behalf of HP

X220 keyboard - broken middle trackpoint button

The middle trackpoint button of my keyboard stopped to work (it has to be pressed very hard). I took picture of it showing what exactly was broken.
Notice that the black plastic part got separated from the base metal plate causing the middle button stopped to work.I just want to share it because it might be a quality issue.
I contacted local Lenovo service and got a new keyboard replacement. Unfortunately it is different (compatible) part number. The new keyboard 45N2219 has much more soft feel than the old one 45N2149

Yes, I feel it is well. Moreover there are noticeable differences in X220 keyboard FRUs.
My original X220 keyboard 45N2149 was nearly as perfect as the best ever one - X31 keyboard. Unfortunately the middle trackpoint button stopped to work in few days (see pictures here http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/X220-keyboard-broken-middle-trackpoint-button/... ) that I got replacement from Lenovo, but different FRU 45N2219.
The new 45N2219 keyboard:
- is softer than original one
- the trackpoint button sticks out above the keyboard buttons caps way too much and can not be pushed back down. This is probably source of the unpleasant trackpoint feel.
- is noisier than original one
- Backspace and Return (big square one shaped) keys started to make horrible squeaky noises in few hours. Lenovo refused to replace the keyboard again because of this so I decided to fix it myself. I poped off both keys and found that the hinge points weren't greased at all. I put missing teflon-based grease to both keys.
- key caps does not seem to be perfectly attached to the key mechanism so they have a "flying" feel when you are pressing the key cap
I would rather have the old keyboard FRU than this one. If I had known that there are such differences in X220 keyboards I would rather try to live with broken trackpoint middle button.
I still think about buying a new keyboard because there is a local service parts reseller that is able to deliver the exact keyboard FRU you want. On the other hand I feel a bit stupid of doing this considering I've paid for 4 yrs + Protection warranty upgrade ...

Trackpoint BUTTON differences between the X220 and X201

Hello,
Has anyone noticed that the X220 trackpoint buttons have substantially less travel than the X201's? I find my thumb starts to hurt after half an hour of using the X220, wheras I could use my X201 all day without a problem. It's gotten so bad that i've decided to keep the X201 and sell the X220 (w/ 128GB SSD, IPS screen, message if interested ;D). Sometimes using a mouse is not possible, and the health of my thumb is important.
Are there differences in the travel/resistance of the button between any of the keyboard FRUs?

Yes, I feel it is well. Moreover there are noticeable differences in X220 keyboard FRUs.
My original X220 keyboard 45N2149 was nearly as perfect as the best ever one - X31 keyboard. Unfortunately the middle trackpoint button stopped to work in few days (see pictures here http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/X220-keyboard-broken-middle-trackpoint-button/... ) that I got replacement from Lenovo, but different FRU 45N2219.
The new 45N2219 keyboard:
- is softer than original one
- the trackpoint button sticks out above the keyboard buttons caps way too much and can not be pushed back down. This is probably source of the unpleasant trackpoint feel.
- is noisier than original one
- Backspace and Return (big square one shaped) keys started to make horrible squeaky noises in few hours. Lenovo refused to replace the keyboard again because of this so I decided to fix it myself. I poped off both keys and found that the hinge points weren't greased at all. I put missing teflon-based grease to both keys.
- key caps does not seem to be perfectly attached to the key mechanism so they have a "flying" feel when you are pressing the key cap
I would rather have the old keyboard FRU than this one. If I had known that there are such differences in X220 keyboards I would rather try to live with broken trackpoint middle button.
I still think about buying a new keyboard because there is a local service parts reseller that is able to deliver the exact keyboard FRU you want. On the other hand I feel a bit stupid of doing this considering I've paid for 4 yrs + Protection warranty upgrade ...

W530 vs. MacBook Pro (non-Retina) purchase conundrum...

Hi,
for 3D modeling (Alias Autostudio 2013) and 3D rendering (Next Limit Maxwell Render 2.7.1) and Photography (Photoshop CS6, etc.) I looked at the newish Lenovo W530 compared to three other contenders. I configured them all with the same processor and standard HDD to compare. For colour calibration, I have a professional EyeOne solution so the W530's option is not needed. I am using external Monitors when not on the road. All prices were found in the companies' online stores.
My reasoning so far - only the Dell and HP feature an IPS/H-IPS display panel. The Dell is bulky. The HP too costly in comparison. The MacBook Pro has all parts glued in. The W530 has a bad keyboard and is bulky. I liked the fact that (as explained in another thread) it is very easy and affordable to put a Samsung 830 SSD in the W530 and that some parts can be serviced/upgraded with reasonable effort a couple of years down the road).
Looking at the price/performance of all four, I suddenly find the non-Retina MBP a serious option for a Windows machine with the added benefit of slimness. What is the consensus in this forum?
Thanks for any input!
Apple MacBook Pro (non-Regina version because of Windows 7 and 8 lacking support with pixel scaling)
i7-3720QM quad-core 2,6 GHz 6 MB L3 cache
8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
750 GB SATA 6 GB/s 7200 RPM
1680 x 1050 NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1 GB GDDR5
2,6kg
2.379,00 €
Dell Precision M4700
i7-3720QM quad-core 2,6 GHz 6 MB L3 cache
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
750 GB SATA 6 GB/s 7200 RPM
1920 x 1080 AMD FirePro M4000 Mobility Pro 1 GB GDDR5
2,8kg
2.482,00 €
Lenovo ThinkPad W530
i7-3720QM quad-core 2,6 GHz 6 MB L3 cache
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
500 GB SATA 6 GB/s 7200 RPM
1920 x 1080 NVIDIA Quadro K2000M 2 GB GDDR3
2,7kg
2.151,42 €
HP Elitebook 8560w
i7-3720QM quad-core 2,5 GHz 8 MB L3 cache
8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
750 GB SATA 3 GB/s 7200 RPM
1920 x 1080 NVIDIA Quadro 2000M 2 GB GDDR3
3,1kg
2.840,53 €

I think I can give some good input here, on the W530 at least.
Firstly, I'm using a W520 for exactly your purposes--3D modeling (Solidworks, Autodesk products, etc.), engineering simulation/analysis, and extensive photography and photo editing, and it is GREAT. Of course, all other brands of laptops with similar system specs should perform about as well, but the size/weight of the Lenovo is unmatched by any of the other laptop PCs I have used. I use a Dell M4600 at work, and it's a decent laptop, but it feels very heavy and bulky compared to my W520. Performance-wise, the two are spec'd identically, and performance is nearly identical, except my W520 gets noticeably better battery life for some reason.
I can't vouch for the IPS displays of the Dell or HP, but I will definitely caution you of this: pay attention to the color gamut! This matters so much and it's one of those numbers that most consumers never bother to care about because they don't know what it means. The larger the color gamut of a display, the more colors it's capable of displaying.
Even the Macbook Retina display only has an sRGB color gamut. That means it's only capable of displaying the colors within the sRGB color space and that's it. Sure, the IPS screen has nice contrast and good viewing angles, but you're missing out on a lot of colors that the Lenovo FHD display gives you, assuming it's calibrated properly.
Now, keep in mind, ALL digital SLR cameras are capable of recording color well beyond the sRGB color space. Looking at photos on a calibrated sRGB display vs. a calibrated AdobeRGB display makes an enormous difference.
Have a look at this graphic I made for you: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0h7vad4x8gi81j6/kbB13_927X#f:gamuts.png The top plot shows you the AdobeRGB color space (wireframe) vs. the Lenovo FHD calibrated display color gamut. You can see that the Lenovo color gamut comes very very close to filling out the entirety of the AdobeRGB color space.
The image below that is the sRGB color space (solid) vs. AdobeRGB (wireframe). See how many fewer color values that represents? That's what you're getting with the vast majority of laptop displays. In fact, most typical laptop displays are only capable of 60-70% of sRGB. That's, frankly, terrible.
Now, beyond that, I will admit the MBP is very slim, and sleek. But, you can't upgrade anything in it, and the keyboard sucks compared to the W530. My girlfriend has a W530 and, much as I hate to admit it, the keyboard is nowhere near as bad as we all feared compared to my W520. In typing feel, it is just as good, the key caps are actually a little bit larger (so more finger space), and the new layout is really only going to bother you if you're very accustomed to a clustered del/home/end/pgup/pgdown group. I still prefer my W520 keyboard, but the W530 keyboard is very nice.
If you do go for the Lenovo, definitely don't waste your money on the built-in color sensor. It's horrible. Your external calibrator will give you much better results. I don't know which EyeOne device you're using, but make sure it's capable of working with wide-gamut displays. If it's not, I'd recommend either a Spyder3 or Spyder4 sensor. You can get the cheapest versions of these for ~70 dollars and then use dispCalGUI (freeware) to get VERY good profiling results.
Josh

Escape key not responding

recently upgraded my computer to windows 8.1 but now my escape key wont work

Very odd. Is your computer a laptop or desktop? If its a desktop, do you have another keyboard to test with? However if you do not, try this
1) Go to Device Manager
2) Select Keyboard
3) Right click your keyboard and go to Properties
4) Try Update Driver first and then go to Search Automatically for driver online
5) If that doesn't work, Uninstall the driver
6) Reboot
7) Windows should detect your keyboard and try to reinstall.
If its a special keyboard, try the manufacturers site for a custom driver

Question regarding Alsoft DiscWarrior and mac mini

Disregard Model & OS displayed in my Public File, this is regarding my son's mac mini running OSX Panther 10.3.9
When restarting the computer to rebuild and replace the directory, you must hold down the 'C' key while the comp boots up from the Alsoft CD. But he has an Acer keyboard, not an Apple keyboard. The grey screen comes up with the Apple logo, but never boots.
Anyone have a work-around?

Well George,
It's like this. Apple keyboards work fine all the time. Keyboards from other manufacturers will work on some keyboard combinations and not others.
My guess is that c should work. The c is the same on all keyboards. Using option/command is different for Windows/linux keyboards but you are right. It should work.
Except on my Microsoft Wireless Keyboard. It doesn't.
Since the Mini does not come with a keyboard or mouse I would expect that Apple should be forward in their thinking and enable keyboards and mice for the rest of the world to work as Apple intends but I don't know if that is the case.

How often are model revisions?

Asking partly for info, and partly in hope that the odd Toshiba market researcher drops by these forums.
My current laptop is creaking and I'm aiming to buy new laptop by early next year. I was going to buy now - either a Qosmio G50 or X300. The X300 is ghastly to look at, but good speakers are important, which are rare on laptops. Don't much care for the look of the G50s either (cheap looking plastic) but in the end what it does is more important than what it looks like.
The reason I'm not buying now is the KEYBOARD on both. I've looked at X300s on the high street, and G50s, and the keyboards look and feel cheap. Flimsy, wobbly keys, not likely to last. At this sort of money, a keyboard that lasts the life of the laptop is an absolute must. And surely it would be a tiny percentage increase on a price tag of UKP 1100-2300 to make the keyboard really solid.
This is the main input device for most people, certainly me - I do a lot of writing. Current reviews for the models also mention the cheapness of the keyboard and the fact that it flexes badly - even that some keys actually stick.
I've looked around the market, and the Qosmios are the ones that come closest to what I'm looking for - by far - but I cannot buy if nothing is done about the keyboard. This thing needs to last a few years' tough use.
So my questions: Is there any point waiting a month or two? How long might it be before the next Qosmio release? Is a minor revision possible in the meantime to improve the design? How much do they take note of reviews/user comments?
I want a Qosmio - I think I'm probably their target market - but if my current laptop gives up (and it keeps trying), and as the Qosmio keyboards currently stand, I'll have to go with something else.
(BTW - it took me 10 minutes to submit this post because the phrase "a few years' hard use" was parsed as offensive language!! Insane.)

I tested the X300 and G50 Qosmio downtown. There are some notebook dealers and I could compare different notebooks.
I didnt notice any big troubles with the keyboard on both notebooks; X300 and G50.
The keyboard seems to be ok and I doubt there are big differences to the keyboard from other manufacturers.
But to be honest the Qosmio G50 and X300 are high-end notebooks designed for gaming, multimedia usage like mentioned by Akuma too.
If you need an notebook especially for typing then I would recommend buying an business notebook like Tecra series.
Such notebooks are designed especially for people who are traveling around the world together with the own notebook and work all the time using such units.
Greets

W520 Keyboards - FRUs vs manufacturers

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