# Laptop spacebar on its last legs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-spacebar-on-its-last-legs/501208 "2009-06-27T23:15:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-spacebar-on-its-last-legs/501208/1 "2009-06-27T23:15:25Z")
I have had a Dell Latitude D610 laptop for about four years now. My spacebar no longer registers unless I strike the key in a very precise location. I removed the spacebar “cap” and saw that there is a central button and toward the left and right ends of the key, two spring-loaded-like things (SLLTs). Obviously, these terminal SLLTs are meant to make sure that when I strike the spacebar at a far end of the key, enough force is transmitted (let’s say, I really don’t care about the physics and engineering of the spacebar key that much) to the center so the true spacebar button will be depressed. The source of my spacebar woes is that these SLLTs have lost their mojo and now lie flaccid underneath my spacebar cap, no longer conveying the force of my keystrokes as they did in their more erect glory days. This problem of a desultory spacebar is, if you have never experienced it, quite fucking enraging. So I ask you, dear readers, how, short of buying a new laptop, I might reinvigorate my laptop’s keyboard. I vaguely seem to recall that something like a laptop keyboard is just an ordinary old component that can be purchased on its own and swapped in and out with ease. Is this correct? If so, where might I buy one? How difficult is it to install a replacement? Or is my laptop doomed?!? ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-spacebar-on-its-last-legs/501208/2 "2009-06-27T23:33:38Z")
Yes. Ebay. May be difficult. Not necessarily. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-spacebar-on-its-last-legs/501208/3 "2009-06-27T23:34:33Z")
Just one of dozens on ebay . $10 - $15 on average. Just get a new one. [Dell 610 keyboard](http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Dell-Keyboard-For-Latitude-D610-D810-Inspiron-610M_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1234Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem2ea622790bQQitemZ200355772683QQptZPCAQ5fMiceQ5fTrackballsQQsalenotsupported) Install is usually not that big a deal. IIRC Dell has instruction for replacing various components. [Here are step by step instructions](http://ahwee.com/how-to-disassemble-laptop-dell-latitude-d610) All you need to do is get to step 3 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-spacebar-on-its-last-legs/501208/4 "2009-06-27T23:35:42Z")
[Here](http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/latd610/en/sm_en/keyboard.htm#wp1111863) is a link to how to replace the keyboard on a Latitude D610. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-spacebar-on-its-last-legs/501208/5 "2009-06-27T23:46:37Z")
Wowsers! Apparently “dell laptop spacebar key broken” isn’t the magic Google passphrase. Thanks for the info.