I came across similar problems on an old Compaq (its actually the first compaq pc) The keyboard on the machine is proprietary, its actually part of the machine (and so is its connector port) Faced with this, i went about dismantling the keyboard to try alleviate the problem. The keyboard on this machine used a spring-hammer system to communicate with the computer. The way the keys work is that the key caps fit into a small cylindrical part, between which the spring is suspended. Underneath the cylinder, there is a semi-conductive layered material. It is around 1/4 inch or so in diameter,made of aluminum with some sort of foam layered in between. The cylindrical part, which acts as a hammer hits these aluminum sandwiches, and causes the top and bottom of them to make contact, thus completing the circuit, and allowing the key to be pressed. The problem with the keyboard was that many of these aluminum sandwiches had fallen out from under their keys, or degraded and fallen apart. I have yet to replace these parts, as i do not know where to acquire them. Anyway, thats basically how old keyboards work. I'm not sure if the IIC uses this type. (the spring keyboards have long been replaced by rubber, and a drastically different (and improved) circuitry system)
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