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    Dropped screw inside my notebook...

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Istari, Apr 19, 2013.

  1. Istari

    Istari Notebook Guru

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    Hello all,

    I was just putting my internal fan casing back on, after routinely cleaning my fan, when... my hand slipped, and I dropped a (very minute) screw into my laptop's innards somewhere. I tried gently shaking it a few times, but the screw didn't fall out, nor did I hear it rolling around, so it might be lodged somewhere... I dropped the screw right next to the fan, so I'm not sure if that's a vital, sensitive area or not. Anyway, being arguably very foolish, and disregarding rumours I've heard of a loose screw shorting out my computer, I turned it on and it seems to be working fine.

    Is my laptop in danger of frying, because of this screw/should I take it in and get it removed somehow? Or should I just leave it be, and hope for the best?

    Thanks, from a slightly worried Asus owner!
     
    Istari, Apr 19, 2013
    #1
  2. niffcreature

    niffcreature ex computer dyke

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    yes, you should find and remove it lol...

    sure it could be stuck to a magnet or something but theres no way of knowing

    this has happened to me a lot, usually i hold it upside down and shake it hard, but idk. also check the floor where you were working, could have gone through the case somewhere.
     
    niffcreature, Apr 19, 2013
    #2
  3. hydra

    hydra Breaks Laptops

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    Check your fan motor and all sticky black wire tape near the drop zone. Pulling the case and doing vac/air cleaning is a lot cheaper than replacing mainboard...
     
    hydra, Apr 20, 2013
    #3
  4. radji

    radji Farewell, Solenya...

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    If you don't hear it rattling around inside when you shake your laptop, then it either is lodged somewhere inside, or it fell out when you initially shook it. It is a good idea to remove it, so be sure it's not still inside before you go using your system.
     
    radji, Apr 20, 2013
    #4
  5. Istari

    Istari Notebook Guru

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    Hello all,

    Thank you for all your advice! I was getting a bit worried, but I took it apart and shook it one more time, and lo and behold the screw finally came out! All is now well. Cheers!
     
    Istari, Apr 21, 2013
    #5
  6. MibuWolf

    MibuWolf Notebook Consultant

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    I'm not sure why you didn't do that in the first place! Having a screw rattling around would get a bit annoying.
     
    MibuWolf, Apr 22, 2013
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  7. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    LOL. That's not the annoying part, the annoying part is when your laptop doesn't work any more. Plus I guess you didn't read that it wasn't rattling around any more which was the concern.
     
    HTWingNut, Apr 22, 2013
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  8. MadHater

    MadHater Notebook Deity

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    Actually, he wrote that he did, just obviously not hard enough :)
     
    MadHater, Apr 23, 2013
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  9. cdoublejj

    cdoublejj Notebook Deity

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    At this point, i would "wap" (hitting it but, not TOO hard) it on the side to jar it loose and then proceed to violently shake it like a crying baby. With the lid close of course wouldn't want to break any thing. when all else fails tear it down.
     
    cdoublejj, Apr 23, 2013
    #9