Touch Pad Control

• Dell Inspiron laptops are manufactured with a touch pad which controls the movement of the mouse. The touch pad can malfunction from wear and tear, causing the pointer not to move on the screen. The assembly can be repaired by lifting the keyboard from the assembly and adding a piece of boxing tape to the ribbon that connects the touch pad to the keyboard.
  
  

Keyboard Circuitry

• The keyboard for Dell Inspiron laptops are configured with thin plastic which has its circuitry placed on a thin sheet under the keyboard leading to the system board. When the circuitry on the sheet is cracked or damaged it will cause some keys to work and others not to function. A solution to this problem is to buy a replacement keyboard from Dell.
  
  

Inoperable Keyboard

• Keyboards can become inoperable due to various problems such as wear and tear, heavy usage and mishaps such as spilled drinks or exposure to extreme temperatures. Keep drinks away from your keyboard and make sure the laptop is handled with care. If the keyboard is damaged, you can buy a replacement keyboard from Dell or a third party vendor.
  
  

Video Problems

• The video cable that operates the Inspiron laptop sits under the upper left hand corner of the keyboard. The cable is unprotected, which means that when that section of the keyboard is used, the cable can become damaged, causing video problems. Check to see if the cable is loose under the keyboard. If so, you can replace it with a video cable from a Dell authorized repair shop.
  
  

Care of the Laptop

• The keyboard and mouse touch pad should always be cleaned with a small can of compressed air, which you can buy at your local computer store. Dell also has "workarounds" for mouse and keyboard problems, which can be accessed through the Dell Knowledge Base on their website.