Specific keys on keyboard intermittently don't register

I’ve started having this issue where the “c” key and sometimes “e” key don’t register when pressed. If I open a text editor and slowly press “c” over and over, putting pressure on different parts of the key, I can see that there are just some areas where pressure doesn’t register a key press (unless I press really hard). The “e” key is much more intermittent, so I can’t draw much in the way of conclusions here.

I’m tempted to try to remove the key caps to see if something has gotten under them, but I seem to recall (but can’t find it now) a forum post here somewhere suggesting that the key caps aren’t meant to be removed, and doing so can damage them.

I’m on Debian testing (trixie), though this doesn’t feel like a software issue. I see this on a 13th-gen Intel board, though I also saw the problem on 12th-gen. I’ve tried reseating the input connector, but that didn’t help.

perhaps reseat the other side of the cable as well as the keyboard cable?

Oh wow… I didn’t expect that to matter, but it seems to have cleared up the issue with “c”. I can still repro it with “e”, but it’s very intermittent.

Yeah, that’s what FW staff has said, if I recall. Now, some users have removed key caps anyway and have been successful. Though I do recall at least one person saying they broke several keys. I suspect it’s like pretty much any laptop keyboard, not meant to be removed due to the clips just being tiny out of necessity, but you can still do it if you have the skill for fine careful work.

if you have contact cleaner use that and try again

Been a bit, problem has persisted, and it seems that in addition to the “c” and “e” keys (which have returned/gotten worse), “i” and “s” are suffering as well. I don’t have contact cleaner, but i guess I can try to acquire some.

I still haven’t been brave enough to try to take the key caps off; while I’d be ok (though not happy) having to buy a replacement if I break something, what would be unacceptable would be losing the use of my laptop (without plugging in an external keyboard) until a replacement ships to me…