I spilled WATER on my keyboard!!!!!!!!

Hi, Marissa. IMMEDIATELY disconnect your AC adapter from the Powerbook and remove the main battery. Do not attempt to turn it on AT ALL until every bit of moisture has been removed or evaporated from it. Short circuits caused by the water can cause (and may already have caused) extensive damage, but you won't know how things stand until the PB is COMPLETELY dry again and you can test it.

Release the keyboard catches and flip the keyboard back onto the palm rest. Disconnect the keyboard cable's connector from the logic board. If you need something more than a fingernail to pry the connector up and off, use something nonmetallic and nonconductive. Blow as much moisture off the keyboard and out from all its nooks and crannies as you can with a can of compressed air, then set the keyboard aside to dry. If there is water under the keyboard (as is very likely if you spilled more than a teaspoon or two), blot up all you can of it with tissues, Q-Tips, etc. Remove every trace of water you can, any way you can. If you have or can borrow a Torx T-8 screwdriver, remove the Powerbook's bottom panel to provide more air circulation and give you more access to the interior for swabbing away water. When you've gotten all you can, arrange the PB so air can move very freely all around it, then set up a fan to blow room-temperature air directly over and through it to evaporate away whatever moisture remains inside (there are many crannies and crevices you can't get at without totally dismantling it). Leave the fan blowing over it 24 hours a day for a minimum of 2-3 days — no less — before putting the keyboard and battery back in place and trying again to start it up. Good luck.

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Hi Marissa,

The very first thing you need to do is shut down the computer, remove the battery and the power cord. Electronic equipment is usually not harmed by water IF all power sources are disconnected and the water is allowed to dry out completely before reconnecting the power or the battery. Usually it might take 24-48 hours to be sure of this, but it depends on how much water spilled. It's possible some damage has already been done, but at the very least you can avoid making it worse by doing this.

Personally I'd recommend taking it in to be inspected by the pros. However, IF you are comfortable with removing the keyboard (see your user guide), you may be able to blot more of the insides dry with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Most importantly *do not keep using* the machine while it might still have water inside.

Marissa: Turn your Powerbook OFF, remove all power from it, and let it dry for at least two days. You're putting it at substantial risk by continuing to try to use it wet. The strange slo-mo operation of the Space bar, together with its nonfunctionality, undoubtedly means there is water in the microswitch under the key. You don't know where else water has gone, and your warranty, if it's still in effect, won't cover any spill damage.

If you have no keyboard latches next to the F1 and F9 keys, you have an Aluminum Powerbook, and I don't know how or whether you can remove the keyboard. Post in the Aluminum forums to find out about that — but don't use your Powerbook to do it.