Stripped screw in Motherboard cooler bracket?

[Achelexus]

Trying to build my first PC, I managed to get the other 3 screws with some effort (they were needlessly screwed in tight). But this one won't budge doesn't matter what I do.

 

Basically the screw got stripped/damaged from me trying to remove it. I dunno what to do now. I can't install the CPU cooler without removing this bracket.

 

Motherboard is a Asus Prime B450M-Gaming/BR

 

Thanks in advance.

[thedabbler]

A screw extractor kit should be able to pull it out. You should be able to pick them up at any hardware store..

 

I wouldn't try to drill it out and risking screwing up your MOBO

[TheSaber]

I did not notice this was posted at nearly the same time as my thread, I have also ran into the same problem!

[Achelexus]

32 minutes ago, jmoles said:

A screw extractor kit should be able to pull it out. You should be able to pick them up at any hardware store..

 

I wouldn't try to drill it out and risking screwing up your MOBO

I don't have a drill. Is there a simpler way to try it out? I might just call a tech guy tomorrow if not.

[Optane^]

So i've taken a few of these out. If you have any type of 5 point screwdriver or anything like that, you can remove these. Also put a rubber band between the screw and the bit and try and remove it that way. You could also try and grab it with a pair of pliers but you have to be super careful.

[mariushm]

See the other thread ... i linked to an extractor kit that can be used without a drill.

 

Also there is a sort of destructive way... if you don't mind destroying that retainer clip "ears", you can break off the plastic and then you would have enough "play" in the screw that you could grab the top part with some pliers and the bottom and unscrew it.

 

The way I did it in the past was by grabbing a thin nail with pliers and placing it over the fire on the kitchen stove until it's red hot.  Then carefully move it over and place it on the plastic right near the screw and let it sink a bit in the plastic. When it gets dark (cools down), take it out and heat it up again and repeat the process.

After a few cycles, the nail bites into that  plastic enough to make a channel there, to thin the area around the screw, so if you then lift that  plastic bit straight up and wiggle it a bit, the plastic right by the screw would break and you're left with the screw there in the thread.

Then you can use pliers to grab the screw head and untwist it out.

 

You have to be careful not to put the hot nail on the actual motherboard and obviously you lose those plastic retainers .

But you can buy new retainers for under 10$, here's just a couple examples https://www.amazon.com/mounting-Bracket-Socket-Heatsink-1-Pack/dp/B07L1Q3XDS/ and this https://www.amazon.com/PartsCollection-Retention-Bracket-Cooling-Mounting/dp/B07C2BXDQM/

[Achelexus]

3 minutes ago, mariushm said:

The way I did it in the past was by grabbing a thin nail with pliers and placing it over the fire on the kitchen stove until it's red hot.  Then carefully move it over and place it on the plastic right near the screw and let it sink a bit in the plastic. When it gets dark (cools down), take it out and heat it up again and repeat the process.

After a few cycles, the nail bites into that  plastic enough to make a channel there, to thin the area around the screw, so if you then lift that  plastic bit straight up and wiggle it a bit, the plastic right by the screw would break and you're left with the screw there in the thread.

Thanks for the idea. I don't think these retainers or the screws are even useful for anything in this model. I'm just afraid of damaging the motherboard itself when doing these things.

[maps83]

take a rubber band and put it on the end of the key and turn the key with force and slowly that you can remove

[SwirlyMarrow395]

I have the same exact problem with the same exact screw out of the four screws with the same exact motherboard. I’m not sure what to do I tried an extractor kit but that didn’t work