Hi.

For whatever reason, the keys on my 8800 (AT&T) are doing stupid things. For example, pressing the trackball down no longer serves as the Enter key, instead it acts as if I pressed the "U" key.

Further, pressing the escape key (right of the trackball) no longer escapes, but sends the "HL" keystroke instead.

I've had this thing for over a year, so I went ahead and got myself a cheap 8310 to hold me over until the 3G devices come out. But I would like to fix this old one if possible and give it to my kid or charity or something.

Any chance this is just a loose wire connector or even some dirt in a key? Other than these two wacky keys, it works fine.

Thanks.
Tony

Wirelessly posted (8700g)

Moisture?

It's never fallen into water or anything. But as I understand it they are notorious for getting moisture in them.

The red line on my battery has been red for as long as I can remember. But I've never seen any trapped moisture under the screen or anything like that.

Tony

Wirelessly posted (8700g)

A sweaty pocket might do it (cause flakey keyboard behavior), I understand.

I'm going to take the kid to the mall in a few minutes and grab a smaller torx driver at Sears. Then crack it open and dry it out for a few days.

Water is probably the issue here. I'm almost certain it's not a blockage as the problem sometimes changes. For example, pressing the trackball sometimes does nothing, but usually sends a U. Right now, pressing the trackball is sending UO.

That, combined with the fact that the trackball is nowhere near any of these keys, makes me think water is shorting a multi-point wire harness somewhere inside the device.

Worse case, my kid learns to hit the Enter key instead of the trackball click. Plus she can use the End Call button to do much of what Escape does.

Tony

Wirelessly posted

Just take the batt out for a few days and stick it in un cooked rice. Theirs no harness in the device

I've been working around computer stuff for 15 years professionally and I'd never thought of using rice as a desiccant before. Should have thought of it based on how they sometimes put rice in salt shakers at the beach.

Brilliant!

I had already driven to the mall by the time I saw your reply, so I pulled the battery, obvious 4 screws, side rails, and keyboard. It's all sitting in rice now.

Thanks.
Tony

Wirelessly posted

Yw, goodluck.

I also learned today that guitar picks make a handy pry tool.

Tony

i use an old expired credit card they work good too

Any luck? Haven't tried rice yet, but mine has been sitting for a number of days and still has the problem.