(SOLVED!) Can Hp Pavillion DV700 keyboard connector be soldered back onto motherboard?

[Circanum]

Hey all,

I think the subject of this post says it all. I was working on an HP DV9727cl, and while I was removing the keyboard from the keyboard connector on the mobo, the entire connector popped off, much to my surprise. I hardly used any force, and I was just moving the little plastic clip that holds the keyboard ribbon in place.

I have some pictures of the isolated connector, as well as the spot it was at on the motherboard. Since it appears none of the pins are broken - it was a clean pop-off, nothing was broken - can I simply solder the piece back on? I can fit it exactly back where it is, but when I fit the keyboard ribbon in, it pulls the connector up. I feel that if I could just get that to stay, then it might work.

Then again, I could be completely wrong, and with the connector off, there is no putting the genie back in the bottle, so to speak. I could live with this, as there are motherboards for this particular model on eBay for under $90, so it wouldn't be prohibiltly expensive to replace.

Is it possible to fix, or is it time for a mobo overhaul? 

[HaggisCat · Accepted solution]

You need a new MoBo, if you look on the connector, it has torn some of the copper right of the motherboard.

 You can't solder that back into place.

 Your last photo shows 6 of connections that did not break at the solder joint.

 You can see it on the motherboard too, the soldering lugs are torn from the MoBo.

[Circanum]

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@HaggisCat wrote:

You need a new MoBo, if you look on the connector, it has torn some of the copper right of the motherboard.

 You can't solder that back into place.

 Your last photo shows 6 of connections that did not break at the solder joint.

 You can see it on the motherboard too, the soldering lugs are torn from the MoBo.

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Thanks for your helpful advice HaggisCat! I had a feeling you were correct, and I have now ordered the correct mobo online, and will be replacing it soon. This one is headed for scrap. 

Thanks again for your help! 

[HaggisCat]

Don't throw your old one a away, sell it as-is on eBay fro 50 bucks. Include the locking bar for the keyboard connector, people are always breaking them and yours seems in tact even if the whole connector is not attached anymore.

[Circanum]

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@HaggisCat wrote:

Don't throw your old one a away, sell it as-is on eBay fro 50 bucks. Include the locking bar for the keyboard connector, people are always breaking them and yours seems in tact even if the whole connector is not attached anymore.

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Thanks for the advice HaggisCat! I may very well do just that! I just have a couple of other questions, and then I should be all set. 

First, do you think that since the motherboard is sellable I should try to do one of those exchange deals on eBay, where they try to fix the motherboard, and if they can't they will send a replacement? I don't think it will work, since I can't solder it, I don't think they would be able to do anything else for it.

Second, could I use a slightly different motherboard model? The tag on my mobo says 459567-001, but I have seen some models numbered as 459570-001, or slight variations thereof. Some of those are cheaper then the model I need, which looks to be about $110 or so. Could I go with one of those, or should I just stick with what I have?

[HaggisCat]

1)

Tell the seller what is wrong with your MoBo and see what he says _ that's all I can say about that.

 Your MoBo can't be fixed, so the only thing it's good for is parts and if a seller can use the parts and he wants to exchange it, then go for it.

2) I would stick with the model number on your original MoBo _ things can get complicated _ a different MoBo may require different video/WiFi drivers (for example) other then what's on your hard drive now. Sometimes you can install a new driver(s) and sometimes you will have to reinstall the OS; manually installing the drivers as needed.

 Besides I googled that other number (459570-001) and nothing to do about mother boards came up ???

 https://www.google.ca/search?q=459570-001&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&re...

 Here is your maintenace and service guide, if you start looking at the MoBo's listed there are a bunch if different ones _ some with more video RAM, different types of RAM etc.

 http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01951704.pdf

 Look on page 21, item 14 _ the strange thing is that your number doesn't even appear there ???

[Circanum]

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@HaggisCat wrote:

1)

Tell the seller what is wrong with your MoBo and see what he says _ that's all I can say about that.

 Your MoBo can't be fixed, so the only thing it's good for is parts and if a seller can use the parts and he wants to exchange it, then go for it.

2) I would stick with the model number on your original MoBo _ things can get complicated _ a different MoBo may require different video/WiFi drivers (for example) other then what's on your hard drive now. Sometimes you can install a new driver(s) and sometimes you will have to reinstall the OS; manually installing the drivers as needed.

 Besides I googled that other number (459570-001) and nothing to do about mother boards came up ???

 https://www.google.ca/search?q=459570-001&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&re...

 Here is your maintenace and service guide, if you start looking at the MoBo's listed there are a bunch if different ones _ some with more video RAM, different types of RAM etc.

 http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01951704.pdf

 Look on page 21, item 14 _ the strange thing is that your number doesn't even appear there ???

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Thanks again for your help HaggisCat! It's much appreciated!

1.) Yeah, the service the seller was offering was for motherboards that could be repaired, so it was a non-starter.

2.) Yep, good thinking about the motherboard number: I should stick with what the sticker on the original part says. 

I was just using the 459570-001 as an example. I'm sorry I didn't make that more clear. That would explain why you didn't see anything when you Googled it.

Thanks for the link to the service guide, you are right, that is very strange that the part number is not listed. However, it must not be correct; after all, that is the part number I have listed on the motherboard, and I also located this particular mobo when I used HP PartSurfer. I even saved the search here: http://partsurfer.hp.com/Search.aspx?type=PROD&SearchText=KC335UA

Just search that webpage for the part number and it will come up under the motherboard section.

[Circanum]

I also had another quick thought, if the person I'm repairing this laptop for decides they don't want to buy the new motherboard, then should I sell the laptop as one whole unit, or each component individually? As far as I know it works great except for the broken keyboard connector.

[HaggisCat]

Generally a laptop is worth more in parts, it depends how expensive it was when it was new.

 An HDX 18 with a back-lit keyboard and high end processir can stil fetch around 700.

 My little G61, 15 inch one is worth only a 100 bucks if that.

 Also keep in mind that if you sell it on eBay and the thing quits for what ever reason _ it can become a head ache with a pissed off buyer.

 Selling electronics on eBay is always a tricky thing.