Solved Replacing keyboard letters that have worn off

Almighty1 · Sep 17, 2023

antspants said:
I still have an old keyboard with a PS/2 port connection… just in case. Mine will all outlast me.

I still have a keytronics keyboard that has the 5 pin DIN connector that was before the PS/2 connectors were even standard. I actually type lengthy fast and hard as most of my responses are in real time and it can be pages long. LOL.

antspants · Sep 17, 2023

Almighty1 said:
I still have a keytronics keyboard that has the 5 pin DIN connector that was before the PS/2 connectors were even standard. I actually type lengthy fast and hard as most of my responses are in real time and it can be pages long. LOL.

Isn’t that what these are? This is one I just dragged out from under a box of WW1 gas masks

Almighty1 · Sep 17, 2023

antspants said:
Isn’t that what these are? This is one I just dragged out from under a box of WW1 gas masks

View attachment 71399

That's PS/2 and known as Mini-DIN and has 6 pins. 5 Pin DIN was what was known as IBM AT keyboards which were way bigger in size, they are adapters to use the AT keyboard on a PS/2 port.

AT keyboards came from the time when the mouse still used a Serial 9 pin connector, mouses were later changed to PS/2 and then USB before going wireless.

I still have one of those here too but a slightly older model from 1987 or so. LOL.

antspants · Sep 17, 2023

Ahh right, I can’t count past 5

I have to label my mouse buttons L & R. I’m rather speshel.

I do have one of those serial mouses though, somewhere

My hoarding is a problem… apparently (for my wife)

Winuser · Sep 17, 2023

Edwin said:
If you've had a keyboard for such a length of time that the key characters have worn off, you should have developed enough muscle memory to not have to look at the keyboard any longer!

After all of the years I have been using computers I still use the hunt and peck method.

antspants · Sep 17, 2023

Winuser said:
After all of the years I have been using computers I still use the hunt and peck method.

Hahaha is that find the key first typing? I have to do that, after over 30years lol

Winuser · Sep 17, 2023

antspants said:
Hahaha is find the key first typing? I have to do that, after over 30years lol

I use to operate regenerative air sweepers at work. Driving on the right and using my left hand for the control buttons it only took me a few days to get use to working the controls without looking. When it comes to using a keyboard I still have to look. I think it's because I've never had the desire to take the time learn.

Almighty1 · Sep 17, 2023

antspants said:
Ahh right, I can’t count past 5
I have to label my mouse buttons L & R. I’m rather speshel.

I do have one of those serial mouses though, somewhere

My hoarding is a problem… apparently (for my wife)

LOL, my mouse may be newer because I just remembered, unlike the one pictured which is fixed serial, mines basically terminated into this long block thing and then there are two cables you can plug in, either the one that connects to PS/2 or the one that connects to serial. I'm a hoarder too. LOL.

antspants · Sep 17, 2023

Winuser said:
I use to operate regenerative air sweepers at work. Driving on the right and using my left hand for the control buttons it only took me a few days to get use to working the controls without looking. When it comes to using a keyboard I still have to look. I think it's because I've never had the desire to take the time learn.

That’s interesting. I think I am the same. I suppose theres no risk of killing anyone with a keyboard… not intentionally anyway (or maybe?) a regenerative air sweeper on the other hand

antspants · Sep 17, 2023

Almighty1 said:
LOL, my mouse may be newer because I just remembered, unlike the one pictured which is fixed serial, mines basically terminated into this long block thing and then there are two cables you can plug in, either the one that connects to PS/2 or the one that connects to serial. I'm a hoarder too. LOL.

I already go to A.A. I don’t have time for H.A. also

Scannerman · Sep 17, 2023

I keep a couple of PS/2 keyboards on hand for when I run into stubborn BIOS issues. So glad I did because every once in a while USB ain't enough.

Another little trick I use for large, glaring LEDs is black nail polish. Just paint over the LED, let the stuff go tacky, and make the size of hole you want with a tooth pick. Works wonders.

Almighty1 · Sep 17, 2023

Scannerman said:
I keep a couple of PS/2 keyboards on hand for when I run into stubborn BIOS issues. So glad I did because every once in a while USB ain't enough.

Another little trick I use for large, glaring LEDs is black nail polish. Just paint over the LED, let the stuff go tacky, and make the size of hole you want with a tooth pick. Works wonders.

That's one reason why I am still using the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro because it is connected via both USB and PS/2 even though it only requires one or the other. I never have problems with LEDs even though they are bright.

Scannerman · Sep 17, 2023

Almighty1 said:
That's one reason why I am still using the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro because it is connected via both USB and PS/2 even though it only requires one or the other. I never have problems with LEDs even though they are bright.

Yeah, it didn't bother me when I was younger but now my eyes can't take a whole lot of glare. I like discrete and I never could figure out why LEDs on some devices had to be so huge. It's the intensity that annoys me. These days I don't even like driving in the dark on the highway anymore.

antspants · Sep 17, 2023

Scannerman said:
nail polish.

I often wonder where humanity would be today if nail polish wasn’t invented. Probably still washing clothes with a mangle. lol

antspants · Sep 17, 2023

I think I’ll cheat.

Almighty1 · Sep 17, 2023

Scannerman said:
Yeah, it didn't bother me when I was younger but now my eyes can't take a whole lot of glare. I like discrete and I never could figure out why LEDs on some devices had to be so huge. It's the intensity that annoys me. These days I don't even like driving in the dark on the highway anymore.

Yeah, seems like lots of people hate leds on electronics. I think of it as free brightness in the dark so I don't run into things. i used to buy the Panasonic ultra bright blue leds to replace the power led on the supermicro super tower case.

Almighty1 · Sep 17, 2023

antspants said:
I think I’ll cheat.

The other way is just buy replacement keys. LOL

pparks1 · Sep 18, 2023

I know where the keys are, so if they rubbed off I would be okay.

For work, I do use a Microsoft trackball explorer. I have like 4 of them and i bought them around 2001,so they are 22 years old. They fit my hand perfectly and I just love them. For my other machines, I have gaming mice and wireless mice these days.

wiganken · Sep 18, 2023

badrobot said:
If the original print wore out, this correction fluid won't last long.
Try adding a transparent nail polish on top. It may last longer.

My wife has some some clear nail hardener but no clear nail varnish so I applied the hardener over the top. Thanks for the tip.

K7MEM · Sep 18, 2023

Before I retired (2011) I use to turn my laptop in for a refresh regularly, because most of the letters would rub off. Since then I have only had to replace my keyboard 3 times. On my current laptop keyboard, the "ASDF" are almost completely gone and the "JKL:" are just badly worn. Other keys are fading, but those are worse. But they are visible enough for me. When it gets too bad, I will just replace it.

The worst offender was a laptop that had a lighted keyboard. I kind of liked the lighted keyboard, but in very short time, all I was looking at was bright holes on my keys.

Luckily, like many computer users, my fingers have known where the keys are for a very long time. I learned how to type when I was in 7th grade (~1961-1962). The only problem I sometimes have is, when the key locating bumps wear down. I can type a lot of gibberish before I notice.

Solved Replacing keyboard letters that have worn off

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