In Canada, you can buy some computers with different keyboard layouts: US Standard, Canadian Multilingual, Canadian French. When I ordered the MSI Wind netbook I wasn’t aware of the choices and accidentally picked up the Canadian French version. The problem is I am used to the US Standard keyboard layout, I use it at work and on my iMac. This makes using the MSI Wind netbook difficult and a bit annoying. This is of course compounded by the fact that the keyboard on the MSI Wind netbook is a little bit smaller than the regular size keyboards. I was often frustrated when using the MSI Wind netbook, my typing speed was halved and my typos were doubled.
One day I decided to change the keyboard. I found NCIX was selling the US keyboard for C$49.99. Given the netbook is only about C$350 these days, it does not make sense to pay that much for the keyboard. I found a much cheaper vendor on eBay with free shipping and it costs US$20.
Here is a side by side comparison of the two keyboards before I switched them.
To remove the existing keyboard, flip the netbook over and remove the battery. Locate the 3 small clips that are securing the metal backing of the keyboard. Carefully pry them away to unhinge the keyboard. The clips are quite small so you have to be extra careful.
Once unclipped, you can flip the netbook right-side-up, open the screen and tilt the keyboard out of the front side.
The keyboard connection can be disconnected by flipping the black cable clip up.
Carefully remove the end of the ribbon cable from the connector.
Slide the ribbon cable connection of the US keyboard to the connector. Then flip the black clip back to secure the cable.
Once the clip is firmly secured, check to ensure that the cable cannot be unplugged from the connector. You should be able to snap the keyboard back to the clips easily.
Here is the finished MSI Wind netbook with a US Standard keyboard.
And Windows 7 booted up without any complaints!
Updated 2009-12-20 with Wim’s suggestions.
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tim ferriss
Great article I am facing the same thing. I never thought about it when I bought the Wind but do find it quite annoying esp. the extra \ beside the left shift key. I should mention however that you void the warranty when you open it up. since you are dong this anyway this is also a good time to add that extra 1Gb or RAM in that nice empty slot and/or upgrade your HD. I am thinking that a new SSD drive would go well in this but then again its almost as much as the whole netbook! I also got a 6 cell battery from NCIX which greatly increases the life
yes, I forgot to mention that the warranty is void by having it opened. I actually had it open a few times for adding RAM, replacing the mini wireless card and then the keyboard. Let me know which SSD drive you ended up getting and if that saves you any battery life. My 3-cell battery only last me 2 hours max.
Ah, I use to have to change the keyboards on laptops at work all the time. What a tedious task…but it is not to difficult. Thanks for the online instructions!
.-= Top@Top Ten´s last blog ..Top Rated Netbook =-.
You are welcome Top Ten :) Glad it is useful to you.
Hi,
Thanks for this article, it was the only one I found in the web on how to replace the keyboard. I got a brand new one and replaced it succesfully by following your instructions. However, I have 2 remarks :
first, I think you do not need to open the laptop or unfasten the screws, just taking out the battery should be fine – probably you do not void the warranty like this.
Secondly, I think the arrows indicating where you can unclip the metal keyboard frame in the 8th picture, are not placed correctly. In fact, you have to unclip it not on 4 spots, but on the 3 spots just in between.
Hope this is helpful…
best regards
wim
Thanks for sharing the better way to switch the keyboard. I checked under the battery and I am thrilled to find out that your procedure is so much simpler.
[...] (and additional cost) to obtain a US model simply because I cannot and will not put up with the Canadian Bilingual Keyboard that Fujitsu Canada insists on selling to Canadians. If you are Canadian, I suggest that you take a [...]
I’m going to attempt to replace the keyboard on my UK Advent 4211B (I think it was called a B when I bought it). I’ve broken the Z completely and the letters are wearing off some of the other keys. I assume that an MSI Wind U100 keyboard will fit?
Given Wim’s amendments, is there anything I should change from the procedure in your series of pics?
I am not a techie or an engineer – I’m just a doddery old lady who’s desperate :(
Patricia :)
Hi Patricia, as far as I know, the Advent 4211 is an OEM version of the MSI Wind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSI_Wind_Netbook). I believe the replacement procedure I describe above would apply to your Advent 4211 netbook. It was updated with Wim’s amendments already. Good luck and hope your replacement is successful. Cheers!
I have an msi white netbook, and my keyboard is faulty. My space button is unresponsive and my keys are falling off. Its really starting to get on my nerves as I cant use my laptop because of it. Would it be more easyer (and cheeper) If I bought my own replaced keyboard and replaced it myself, or sent it back to the shop to get it fixed. It looks a bit complicated to do it myself but I think if I had some time to do it and this aqrtical I could do it. Anyways just hope yo0u can awnser my question (ids it easyer & cheaper to do it at home?) Thanks, btw great artical :)
Hi Tracy, it depends on how much they charge you for replacing the keyboard and the shipping and handling. Alternatively, if you have friends who are used to playing with computer hardware (like putting together their own PC), chances are that they can help you swap out the keyboard without too much trouble. Hope this answers your question and good luck with replacing your keyboard. :)
I’m trying to remove my wind u250 keyboard but it feels like it stuck on the right area (around ‘P’ key)…I just can’t get it out…
I’ve removed my last, and my friends notebook/netbook(asus,acer,dell) keyboard and all of them succeed in the first try….
but somehow I just can’t get it done with this one…
is there something different with wind keyboard? or is it just mine?
Hi Shiro, as far as I know, there are no additional clips or adhesive under my MSI Wind keyboard. But mine is a U100 so it could be a different keyboard all together.
hey kam,
can u clarify what you mean by ‘pry away’ the 3 small clips…from underneath or above. sorry, don’t mean to be obtuse, just never fiddled with computers before and i’m paranoid.
thx
Hi Diane, sorry took me a while to reply to you. The three small clips are like slots on the plastic case that the 3 tabs on the keyboard slides into. However they are somewhat flexible so that you can just flex them a bit to detach the keyboard. Hope this is clear…
Cheers
Kam
This information has just saved me £80.00.
I took my daughters notebook to Currys/PC World, becauae the keyboard had stopped responding to any keystokes. They told me the keyboard needed replacing and that they would have to send it away for four weeks. I followed your instructions and removed the keyboard to find that the cable had become loose. After reseating the cable the keyboard started working. What a result. Thank you very much.
Hi Paul, glad it worked out for you and thanks for visiting.
Thank you; 5 minutes after reading this, I had successfully replaced the keyboard on my Advent 4211C.
Glad you found the post useful Stephen :)