Keyboard repair... ribbon or motherboard?

Hi guys. Saw a similar thread on this forum so I thought I'd ask.

I took the keyboard out of my Toshiba A505 laptop so I could clean out the fan and glue some usb drives back in place. I was successful at doing that. But after putting things back together, the keyboard doesn't work right.

Looking around it seems I damaged either the ribbon that connects the keyboard, or the (gulp) connector permanently attached to the motherboard. I ordered a new keyboard and am waiting with fingers crossed. Was wondering if you guys could help me determine which it is to help me sleep better. Here's the facts as well as I can tell...

1) Initially taking out the ribbon I didn't realize it had the little lock feet. I just pulled carefully until it came out.

2) Putting it back in the same way, all letters worked except QAZ.

3) Took it out and put it back in the same way again. All letters worked. But then I realized I forgot to reconnect the touchpad, so I undid and redid it one more time while I took care of that. In doing this I shorted the computer and had to restart (probably shouldn't have done this with the computer on... oh well).

4) Once again all letters work but QAZ.

5) Took it out and put it in a few more times. At some point noticed the lock feet and started using them properly. Fewer letters are working. Only a handful work now. If I push on the ribbon while I play around, I can get more letters to come up, but not usually all of them. Attempts to use tape to achieve a similar effect were not successful.

6) Feeling a bit desperate, tried putting some tin foil around the ribbon to help the connection. That didn't help. It shorted it like before. Put it in place with computer off. No short this time but didn't work.

7) As for the condition of the ribbon, it looks ok as far as I can tell. There was a crease in the middle of it initially but that was always there. It is a bit creased towards the end where I was pushing it in. Doesn't look like any of the lines in the ribbon are interrupted. The ends might be a bit scratched... reminds me of the little teeth in a Nintendo cartridge.

So anyway. Wondering which you guys think it is.

Feeling really stupid right about now. Hopefully I'm just $20 keyboard stupid and not motherboard stupid. I don't have any money.

Using a usb keyboard now. Works fine.

Whatever the short was, it just caused the computer to turn off and then on again.

Well, I'm able to use the computer. But a laptop that needs an external keyboard is more like a small desktop. :/
 

Came today. Thankfully it works great! So relieved. :)