Is it possible to cause damage when you drop a screw on the motherboard?

I opened up a laptop this weekend and installed some RAM. In the process of doing that, I dropped a screw onto the motherboard a few times. Is it possible that some of the tiny circuitry/components on the motherboard could be damaged by a screw falling on them?

 

@slnotebook very unlikely, but possible.

 

Was the power/battery still connected at the time? How high did you drop the screw from? Was this an electrical connection or a the actual physical force/stress on the components you're worried about?

With no power/battery connected; the physical stress is effectively nil from any 'normal drop distance (say... 6" or so). Most likely the same with an electrical connection too resulting from a similar drop.

With a power source connected, the chances of something going wrong is higher, but more than likely still negligible (as Starlight5 said).

As long as you're here asking about it, (and especially if you're asking from the system in question), you should be good.

 

The battery was disconnected. Yeah I am worried about the physical impact from your normal drop distance. Thanks for the reply.

 

The battery was disconnected. Yeah I am worried about the physical impact from your normal drop distance. Thanks for the reply.

 

Most likely not but that depends did the screw scrape or not scrape the pcb board. That is what you should inspect carefully. If you drop the screw driver head on the board that is more likely to cause unforeseen damage.

 

ive done it many times over the years, never had a problem.................................yet

 

ive done it many times over the years, never had a problem.................................yet

 

If those are small miniature screw drivers then not a problem but house building screws drivers that would be a more problem.

 

Motherboards aren't that fragile as you think... If dropping screws to the motherboard causes damage, I'd probably killed several computer builds that I did to my friends.

 

Nope, very very unlikely.. I've done it many times with no issues tbh..

 

I'd be more concerned with the screwdriver slipping and scratching something on the laptop. This is easily accomplished with the wrong size screwdriver tip.
I managed to scratch a trace wire on a motherboard pcb once but luckily did not sever it.

 

Double post....sorry

 

As long as power sources have been removed such as power brick and battery and the system is drained down ,it should be mostly okay. That only leaves the CMOS battery which can also be removed if one is extremely clumsy with dropping metallic things on the mainboard.

 

It will also help if the screwdriver tips are magnetized. If they are not, you can magnetize them yourself with a strong magnet from something like an old speaker.