In this post I explain how to repair broken touchpad cable connector on laptop motherboard.
Let’s say you were fixing a laptop yourself and accidentally damaged the touchpad connector or any other similar connector. The problem is the touchpad connector soldered to the motherboard and it’s impossible to replace it with regular soldering tools. Also, these connectors are not sold separately which makes the replacement even more impossible.
Well, the connector is broken and cannot be replaced. Let’s try to repair it. We’ll do it using the same technique as for fixing the broken keyboard connector.
On the following picture you see a typical laptop touchpad connector. The connector has а white base (permanently attached to the motherboard) and locking tab (moving part).
In order to unlock the connector you lift up the left side of the locking tab. The locking tap opens up at a 90 degree angle and releases the touchpad cable. After that you pull the cable from the connector.
On the following picture you see a broken touchpad connector. I wasn’t careful enough and separated the locking tab from the connector base.
Unfortunately there is no way to attached broken tab back to the base.
Here’s how I fixed the broken connector.
Insert the touchpad cable back into the connector. The touchpad cable has contacts on the bottom side – the side which is facing the motherboard.
In order to work properly the cable contacts have to touch contacts inside the connector but it’s not happening when the locking tab is missing.
Find a small piece of plastic. It has to fit inside the connector and be thick enough to fit tightly between the four metal hinges and touchpad cable.
Insert this piece of plastic into the connector. At the same time make sure the touchpad cable also inserted into the connector.
On the following picture you see the touchpad cable seated tightly inside the connector.
The piece of plastic applies pressure on the touchpad cable and it makes good connection with contacts inside the connector. The touchpad works again!
Now you can secure the connection with sticky electrical tape.
This simple trick fixed my touchpad.
Here’s another type of touchpad connector.
The locking tab is broken and also separated from the connector base.
Position the broken tab the way it was plugged in before but do not push it into the connector yet.
Now insert the touchpad cable. In most cases it goes under the locking tab.
Push the cable all the way into the connector.
While holding the cable, push the locking tab into the connector.
Even though the locking tab is broken, it should secure the tochpad cable.
Again, apply some sticky electrical tape over the connection to secure it.
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February 8th, 2013 at 11:31 pm
Hard to do it in a HP Mini 110, hanging in it :S
Thnx 4 the post
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Sweet you saved my day!
November 9th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Great info!!!! I have not had to use your solutions, but I get a lot more confident knowing some of these solutions in advance.
November 8th, 2012 at 8:06 am
Hello sir,
my laptop has big problem.the problem is that scroll bar is constantly going down automatically. i mean every window or any application i open it goes down and select bottom option automatically .. and even curser goes to end…
previously i thought it is virus.i tried anti-virus but didnt work then i formattd pc still in new os its coming same problm .. i thing its hardware problm. but what it is i dont knw. can u pls help me sir…
Thanku in Advance
October 30th, 2012 at 1:29 am
Pls can u send me pictures on how 2 test and detect fault on laptops motherboard? I have the knowledge but i do find it difficult to handle some problems. Help me please
September 6th, 2012 at 11:08 pm
Even better (maybe)… how do they fasten those stiff plastic (probably Mylar) tabs on the FRIENDLY ribbon cables – the clamp-less ones? If I knew, it’d become part of my bag o’ tricks. A lot of camcorders have even flimsier clamps holding cables that flex every which way – Sony seems to be good at that. I hate those almost as much as spring-loaded crap: you never know when you’re gonna get booby-trapped with one hanging by a thread. Plus, more than once, after I’d gotten the blasted things re-seated, I’ve needed to take them out AGAIN… I’m thinking to heck with that. It might be better to bond a nice Mylar tab on the end of the cable, plug it back in and call it an upgrade
September 6th, 2012 at 10:24 pm
This site reminds me of the Net of the ‘old days’ wayy back in the 90s where people pitched in without popups, surveys, ‘free downloads’, etc,etc – and when I DO manage to get another job, I am definitely PP-ing a few bucks your way. Until then, all I have is my .02: I broke the clip for the keyboard ribbon on a M35x-s309 – just the ONE END came out; the other was still in place, and my fumblefingers could NOT finesse it, so I tried exactly what you mentioned: I snipped about a 1/4″ edge off a Nicorette gum bubble pack, cleaned all the foil off it, and it worked perfectly. One side is roughened to bond the foil/paper seal, and the grip was so good, I didn’t even bother with the tape. I never liked regular tape for stuff like that, because it deterioriates after a while – but I HAVE used it more than – well, too much :-0
So, if anyone finds themselves in jam like that, check out your medicine cabinet – a lot of OTC pills are packaged like that. Just be sure to get ALL the metal off, so as not to let too much smoke out of anything on the board…
August 22nd, 2012 at 5:38 pm
@ SAMs,
Congratulations! I’m glad to help.
August 14th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Man u just saved me 300 bucks
July 28th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
wauu..Thanks may help me anyday