How do I disable a keyboard (SOLVED)

[Dang]

I would like to disable the built-in keyboard on my Acer Aspire laptop.  It has been trashed by my kids.  I have a usb keyboard attached that works just fine.  However, I think the built in one has been interfering with it from time to time (i.e.  deletes as one types).  I've tried other usb keyboards from other machines but things still get deleted.  So I'm thinking it may be the built-in one (on which a few keys still work).
Anyway, is there a way to disable the built-in keyboard through X11 or something else?  

[T6]

that is a very good question

i don't see a section on xorg saying what is internal and external keyboards

some laptops can disable touchpad but keyboard, i haven't seen it for keyboards

if the keyboard is damaged, you could open the laptop and unplug that keyboard, should be easy to do

[Rudge]

It might be in the bios somewhere. 

[T6]

no, never seen a keyboard option in bios similar to that

the keyboard is seen as a ps2 keyboard and all changes in bios are over usb

[Dang]

Thanks Everyone.  I had tried the bios but didn't see anything.  I'll try the opening it up and unplugging it option in the next day or so.  Otherwise I may have to buy my wife a zotac zbox I've been looking at - shucks!

[ThirdOfSix]

Sometimes the BIOS will have a setting that will allow booting with no keyboard connected.

If your BIOS has that, you can probably just unplug the ribbon cable that connects the keyboard to the mother board.

Unfortunately, most of the time the BIOS in the laptops are very limited and do not allow such things and they will not boot at all without a keyboard, mouse, or internal hard drive.

[ThirdOfSix]

If your Acer Aspire is close to the model that I have, and if you don't yet know it, you can remove the keyboard without disassembling the whole computer.

You just pry off the strip of plastic between the keyboard and the display to get at the one or two screws that hold the keyboard in.

If the keyboard is truly trashed, and if the machine won't boot without it, you might try removing it and washing it thoroughly and letting it dry and trying again.

Then, if it still doesn't work, pry off the key caps and disable or remove the switches. I don't remember what type of switch is in that machine. On some, the electrical bar that makes contact will come off with the key cap.

The electronics won't know that they are missing since they are have normally open contacts and the BIOS will see the interface chip on the board and allow the machine to boot.

If it then works, you can just glue the key caps back in place so that it won't look too odd. Personally, I would glue them back in random positions just because I am like that.

I am tempted to just send you the keyboard out of mine that has a bad motherboard but, I know that as soon as I did, I would find a trashed machine with the right motherboard that I have been looking for in the thrift shops for the last year.

[Dang]

It's an Acer Aspire 1640.  ~50% of the keys have already been pried off by the kids as well I think a soda of some type spilled on it.  I considered pulling off the rest of the keys and the underlying switches before, but was hoping for a software solution. Removing all the keys will be the fall back if it doesn't boot without the keyboard connected.

[Dang]

I opened up the laptop to unplug the ribbon cable, however I couldn't get to it without risking real damage to the laptop.  So I pried off all the key caps and removed all the switches.  This has solved the sticky key problem.

[T6]

good news!

have you considered replacing it?  maybe you could find a cheap replacement for it, it sounds like it can be done

[Dang]

The cheapest replacement is an $11 walmart USB keyboard.  The laptop is used more as a desktop anyway - plus it's 5 years old and runs fine with PCLOS.

[T6]

then it is fixed already!