Kaypro II

Hi all, Just thought I'd recount some experiences with a Kaypro II and associated manuals, kindly given to me by a friend. First, a couple of requests. - Does anyone have any keyboard parts for Kaypro II keyboards, or a complete spare keyboard? I'm not sure if the keyboard actually works, but its obvious faults are that it's missing the 3 key, and the keyswitch for that key is damaged. Also, the 4-pin cable connector on the keyboard is broken, though it will still take the plug. This is a common 4-pin telecom-type socket as found on a lot of telephones. The keyboard was made by Maxi-Switch Co, model Maxikey, keyboard number 2160150, PC board number 630184. - Does anyone know if it's possible to write Kaypro disks with a PC and 5 1/4 inch drive? If not - any hints on where to dig up software? Now, on to my, um, interesting experience with this machine. The friend who gave me the machine told me that it had been running fairly recently (within the last couple of years, anyway), so I figured chances are it'd start up OK. On disassembling it, I found it absolutely spotless inside, so I put it back together and ran it up. Everything went superbly for about fifteen seconds; long enough for me to get my fingers off the power switch around the back. But just then, there was an ominous hissing sound, followed by one of the loudest BANGs I've heard from a piece of electronic equipment. Since I was completely unprepared for it, it took me a couple of seconds to get my hand around the back again and turn the thing off. Most interesting was during those two seconds after the explosion, the machine continued running fine, not so much as a waver on the monitor. Pulling it apart again, guess what - dead capacitor. But, not one of the electrolytics that you'd expect, it was the AC filter capacitor that had spread itself all over the inside of the case. Having seen that, and performed a quick tidy-up, I verified that the machine still ran fine. Now I just need some software for it, to find out whether the whole thing is in working order! Mike.