Keyboard Screws stripped

Hey peeps,

So recently I tried to add 2 4gb sticks to banks 2&3 underneath the keyboard. I removed four screws fine, but when i moved to the fifth the screwhead stripped itself out.
Should I contact Dell and ask them to send a guy down or should I do it myself?

I have tried looking everywhere for those flat rubberbands (to catch the screw) but I could not find one. Hardware shops sell them in 100s but I do not foresee myself using them much past this.

Any advice on removing these 2 screws?

 

I feel your pain man. These screws are really poorly manufactured. I had one stripped b4. Called dell and they asked me to send the computer back. Really sucks! What size of screw driver did you use? Maybe change the head type or try a longer screw driver?

 

Tried a larger/smaller head. Larger one was too big, smaller one didn't have enough torque.

 

Try a longer screwdriver?

 

Nope, no go. I can see the T shape of the screw head, but inserting any screw and turning it feels like I'm turning it on the spot without any resistance.

 

There are some tutorials that I saw on Youtube before. Hope they can help you. They didnt help me because I didnt have some tools they used back then.

 

It doesn't help me either. Dell says they will charge to send a guy down to check the screws.

Any chance I could superglue an allenkey onto the screw to remove it?

 

i wouldn't use super glue, it may even cause a bigger mess of things. try using a striped screw remover, you can find those at a local hardware store from $10-$20.

 

Or get a small dremel head and just dremel it off =/

Had to do it myself a few times.

 

I had this problem I Have this screwdriver the tip is similar to a knife blade how it is curved, but it is thicker. Ill take a pic of it, I just used that at a 45 degree angle and got it out.

 

What's it called?

 

Here's how it was for me: My first refurbished unit, I could get out 4 out of 5, but the last one was 100% IMPOSSIBLE to get out, completely stripped and wouldn't budge, so I sent the laptop back.
My second one I could get the keyboard off (barely, all screws got stripped, but I managed to get them out), only to get to an aluminium cover that secures the ram slots, fastened with 3 screws, noen that would budge at all. I got so pissed with the idea of sending yet another perfectly good laptop back so I just fetched a plier and tore the damn cover off, installed the ram, put what was left of the cover back, and fastened the keyboard on top. Everything works fine, but it still pisses me off that Dell has to overtighten the screws this badly.

 

I know it may sound wierd but..

next time someone face this problem... try to tight them a little bit more and then try to get them loose. What they do is to put a thread locker compound (blue or red loctite or similar). Probably the screws are not so tight but they are stuck becouse of the compound, Apply a little more torque on the screw and is should break the compound allowing for the screw to be removed afterward.

just my 2 cents

 

Here is what the tip looks like










I didn't buy it so I can't tell you the name of it my dad gave me his old toolchest and this was in it. I will ask him and see what he says it's called.

 

certainly haven't seen that thing before, but i'll try searching for it! =)

 

I think your dad made it. I have several myself that I make. If the head has no friction for the tools to grab hold of you're pretty much out of luck. The triangular shaped tool is when the head is shaved but still can be turned with a tool like this.

You could have tech come out and help but I doubt they'll have the tools to help in your situation. Only thing I can recommend is to see if you can get a hold of the head in any way and be able to turn it. This includes putting a thin sharp blade underneath the head to help, if this is even possible. But you get the picture.

 

This won't help with stripped screws, but if they are too tight to get started - if they used blue loctite on them, then if you touch a soldering iron to them for just a few seconds it should loosen them up. Just don't melt anything...

 

FINALLY something I have a tool for!

I'll give it a try over the weekend; will post back results.

 

Yup, He said it was a flat head that broke and he grinded it down to an angle sorry. I wish I could have been more help