What Precision Screwdriver Kit to use On an Dell/Alienware Laptops?

Hopefully someone can help me with this as Dell's support is beyond useless.

Short Version

I need to know the exact screwdriver precision kit to use with a Dell Alienware M15 laptop to remove M2 screws.

Longer Version

I bought a Dell 7540 the other month. Sadly, I had to return it as the screws were on so tight that they could not be removed.

I've since bought the Alienware M15 and Dell XPS 13.

I have made a few upgrades to the M15 already. Added an HDD caddy, replaced the wireless card, changed the memory, and changed the SDD.

I am also looking to apply thermal paste to the CPU and GPU as it gets noisy and warm way before it should. They keep saying the fan noise and heat is normal, but I'm hoping to drop the temperatures by 5 or 10 degrees by reapplying thermal paste.

The problem is the M2 screws that Dell uses.

I have three or four M2 screwdrivers and my main screwdriver kit has M2 tips for every size. I've used these screwdrivers on dozens of motherboards and laptops over the years.

The problem is that Dell's M2 screw heads are tiny. I managed to get the ones for the SSD out and replaced them with better screws. I replaced the screw for the wireless card too.

Unfortunately, the screws holding on the heatsink will not budget at all. I'm reluctant to be too forceful in case I strip the screw.

I've spent three to four weeks discussing this with Dell. No joke. They refuse to tell me which screwdriver set to use. They have acknowledged that screws can be applied too tight, but when I ask about it, they just say it's a standard screw (which it isn't). I continually ask for which set they use and they just refuse to answer. Why is it a secret?

Can anyone advise which precision set to use?

I've honestly got dozens of screwdrivers there and they've worked with every single motherboard and laptop I've used over the last ten years, but Dell's screws are just awful. I don't care about cost. I just want to make sure I've got good kit to maintain my laptops over the next few years.


Any help would be greatly appreciated

Kevin

 

I have an iFixit kit and recently done a complete teardown of my Area 51m using on the number 1 Philips fitment from it. Nothing else at all was needed.

The service manual normally advises which screwdriver fitment is needed.

 

That's the thing. I have the exact screwdriver they recommend (multiple, actually),but they don't turn the screw. So it could just be an issue or the screws being applied too tight.

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I also have the ifixit set, the protech took kit to be precise. It's worked awesome and has everything I need for every laptop or pretty much any other piece of electronic gear I have. Highly recommend. I have used it on me 17R4, Area51m, M15 and an ton of other random laptops that I have worked on or fixed for people and they have all been fine.

 

Thanks for the reply. Good to hear it works well with the Alienware M15.

I was looking at the ifixit pro kit previously. It contains the mako precision screwdriver set. I probably wouldn't need the full pro kit as I have another set that has all those extra parts for mobile phones etc.

Reason I've avoided buying it in the past is it looks identical to the set I use.



Another set that caught my eye is the Nanch precision set. Seems to be sold from China, but many people are saying they're solid. Obviously, doesn't have the brand name of ifixit though.



I'll make a decision tomorrow, but I think the ifixit one might be the safer bet. Especially as you've said it worked on the M15.

Thanks again

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I just came across the ifixit Manta precision kit. 112 drivers.

On inspection it appears to be a mix of the mako and mahi kits, but lacks the bendy tool from the mako set. There's no real saving buying this version as opposed to buying them separately, apart from having everything in one nice set.





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Thanks again to everyone for all your advice. I went for the ifixit Manta kit and it has the driver I needed (which really surprised me as I thought my other kits covered everything).

I've been able to do the repaste





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Im using a no name kit from Lidel + a bunch of screwdrivers from here and there I just recomend to use a flat one for the heatsink.
What a glob of thermal paste aultough it rly doesnt matter I prefer to do the cross patern since I use dense thermal paste.

 

So which driver did you use finally. I got the same issue with the screws for the keyboard. Thinking of getting the ifixit, but not the Manta.