Aspire 6 device turns on with anyother key apart from power button and turns off automatically

DamianNI22

Hi guys, just joined. I'll do my best to advise what's happening, what I've checked and yet the problem still persists.

So, my daughter's laptop. Acer Aspire 6 .. was, up to lately running a dream.. any issues to date I had resolved.

I've been building, modifying and repairing (what I can) since 1997. But this is very bizarre Indeed.

Yesterday I was advised "My laptop won't turn on. It says it's loading something then it just turns off".

After having a look, it indeed was doing as advised. The laptop appears to be in a sleep state. If you press ANYTHING bar the power button it activates.. it starts to show what looks like a disc / sector check but once you hit a key to activate it. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.. off hit a key again? .. same.

If you tap any key and key tapping it. The laptop boots to desktop. No problems. But again, hands off.. 5 seconds, off..

So as there is no warranty etc, I said I'd investigate. Hard drive removed. On load, no boot device.. don't touch a key? Off.. if tap tap, stays on.

Hdd back in, removed extended ram, running on internal ram, boots, same issue.

I wondered if there was any kind of battery issue. The battery is below the resting area of the touch pad. Opened the base, disconnected the battery.. tapping the keyboard, no response.. connected the charger cable.. press power.. nothing, tap any key.. activates exactly the same.. everything I do returns the same issue.

So I can get into bios no problem, click about, reset bios etc.. tap tap, no problems, don't touch anything laptop goes black as before.

This isn't a boot issue or start up issue or no drive detected etc.. this is very odd.

Gas anyone ever had this or similar issue? I didn't want to do a complete tear down until I got little or any advice if this happened to anyone else.

I'm thinking that the possibility something is wrong with the power on / off button etc as it appears to have zero response.

Considering if you hold power for 5 seconds let's say.. it forces a shut down.. it's where I'm thinking anyway but sadly the keyboard in integrated so the board etc has to come out.

Anyone pass on any advice at all? Is it the keyboard? The board? I just figured I'd ask as any "fixes" I find are irrelevant to my issue.

Much appreciated,

Damian

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

JackE

>>>press power.. nothing, tap any key.. activates exactly the same.. everything I do returns the same issue.>>>

Check to make sure the bottom cover is fully depressing the spring loaded normally-off safety interlock switch SWG1 near the RAM socket. If the bottom cover is loose, misaligned or warped, it might not be pressing hard enough against the switch button to keep it on. All power is then cut to the mainboard.

I suspect that when you press another spot on the keyboard nearer to the switch, it might be momentarily activated just by the slight pressure distortion of the keyboard & mainboard against the bottom cover. Once pressure is released, the switch goes back to its normally off state in a few moments. The fix is to tape a spacer to the bottom cover directly over the switch button so it presses harder against it when assembled.

PS: it's also possible the other normally on spring loaded switch SWG2 battery disconnect might have dirty contacts. This is otherwse known as the battery reset switch which also cuts all power to and drains charges from the mainboard but when it's pressed down with a paperclip. Less likely the problem though.