How in the f I can remove really stripped screws on the CPU heatsink

[TukangUsapEmenq]

Yep. I made stupid mistake of forcing three of those screws (and three removed safely fortunately) because I'm using cheapo-ass Chinese brand screwdriver set. I wanna change my thermal paste to MX-4 (thermals are slightly worse than usual btw, few degree cooler would be really nice to have) by my self and it's usually easy-peasy (kind of experienced of doing this on the family, mostly on old PCs and two old laptop). Now I really don't know how to at least remove those three screws that one of them are just completely stripped enough. Two of them actually can still turn but I'm not a donkey.

 

What I did?

• Used rubber band, failed miserably.
• Used cyanoacrylate-based superglue, waited for 30 mins, that even I have to buy one on night, failed. Doesn't even strong enough.
• Prayed to gimme some more power for the screw to at least rotate, He seems to hates me right now that I overturn the screwdriver.

 

Few options to do, somehow.

• Get it to a local computer store, which I STRONGLY AGAINST because I really mistrust those  f***ers who stole some of the screws while fixing it (yes, I did serviced a laptop and 2 PCs on DIFFERENT computer store like, years ago when I'm too afraid to open the devices and few screws are just missing from every single store of them). Plus, I won't know how other things they would physically on my laptop.
• Dremmel it... Which, dunno. Probably won't do such risky thing because the completely stripped one are so close to the heat pipe. And, it's so close to the CPU. Plus, I don't have the small ones. Pops got 3 angle grinder, tho.
• Solder it. Well.. Hell no. Too high risk putting solder on the PCB.

I wouldn't mind finding replacements for the screw as those are normal M2x3 screw anyway, I can find it online easily. It's not kind of emergency either so feel free to suggest me something that works.

[minibois]

Can you show a picture of the damaged screw?

[Helpful Tech Witch]

Pics plz. 

Btw, do you have a drill?

[paddy-stone]

Get two pairs of pliers or one pliers and one strong tweezers or similar, the pliers to grip the head and lift while turning, the other pair or similar, to help with the lfting and supporting the screw... that should do it all being well.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

Spoiler

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Posting on phone. So sorry if I'm too lazy to organize it much. And literally I forgot to post pics lol

 

First pic is how it's basically should be. 

Second one, the worst one. 

Third and fourth, at least I tried some but not as worst than the second one. 

 

@minibois @HelpfulTechWizard

 

13 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Get two pairs of pliers or one pliers and one strong tweezers or similar, the pliers to grip the head and lift while turning, the other pair or similar, to help with the lfting and supporting the screw... that should do it all being well.

Well, I forgot to mention using normal pliers (the kinda good one, Tekiro). Seems the base of the screws are too thin and it's kinda always slip. 

[paddy-stone]

6 minutes ago, dhannemon13 said:

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Posting on phone. So sorry if I'm too lazy to organize it much. And literally I forgot to post pics lol

 

First pic is how it's basically should be. 

Second one, the worst one. 

Third and fourth, at least I tried some but not as worst than the second one. 

Ahh that's not stripped, that's rounded out.... you can get screw removers for that, they cut into the screw itself and removes it.

 

[edit] |Sorry it IS stripped, but I refer to them as rounded out, stripped is what I call it when the thread is stripped.

[paddy-stone]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damaged-Extractor-Stripped-Hardness-63-65hrc/dp/B082FR2QK7/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=screw+remover&qid=1601994118&sr=8-5

 

like that.

[Kilrah]

Seems you've got enough clearance to just use pliers on the outside of the screw's head.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

4 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

Seems you've got enough clearance to just use pliers on the outside of the screw's head.

Two of them are like this, unfortunately. The base of the screw itself are on the nearly same diameter as the screw.

 

Plus, those are just so close to the SMD resistors that a unlucky slip would not end good, perhaps I thought. 

 

Spoiler

 

[TukangUsapEmenq]

12 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Ahh that's not stripped, that's rounded out.... you can get screw removers for that, they cut into the screw itself and removes it.

 

[edit] |Sorry it IS stripped, but I refer to them as rounded out, stripped is what I call it when the thread is stripped.

 

11 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damaged-Extractor-Stripped-Hardness-63-65hrc/dp/B082FR2QK7/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=screw+remover&qid=1601994118&sr=8-5

 

like that.

Welp, that screw remover woulda works if I have guts to drill into a PCB so close to both of CPU and GPU....

 

But. Yet. Is it safe, tho? 

[Kilrah]

It's definitely sketchy but you don't exactly have a choice at this point, it's either using pliers, drilling or putting everything back together and forgetting about repasting.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

23 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

It's definitely sketchy but you don't exactly have a choice at this point, it's either using pliers, drilling or putting everything back together and forgetting about repasting.

 

1 hour ago, paddy-stone said:

Get two pairs of pliers or one pliers and one strong tweezers or similar, the pliers to grip the head and lift while turning, the other pair or similar, to help with the lfting and supporting the screw... that should do it all being well.

Now you did actually inspired me to just 'fck it' because I wouldn't sleep until this problem is solved. 

 

Guess what?

Spoiler

Yes, it's sketchy enough but finally I felt fine to do so. I found one YouTube comments to use a nail clip and a plier. 

 

And turns out, my old Aspire 4253 back screws on the battery compartment got the exactly the same screw size. And it's the good quality one. Ended up not to waste $4 just for the screws online. 

 

Now it's two to go. Consider this thread is done. 

 

Thanks for all of your suggestions. Like, a lot.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

I'd like to make some updates here. Dunno, because I would feel good to do so maybe lol

 

Seems that one screw before is just epic luck that happened, it just came out real easy while I'm using the nail clip. 

 

The two of them on the GPU. Holy moly. Took me 6 hours (4 hours at night, another 2 just happened this morning after I took good night rest) total just to remove both of it. 

 

Well, the second one, removed. 

Spoiler

Like. It won't even budge no matter how hard I did use the plier. Felt so frustrated. I used a pipe saw laying around to make some way for minus screwdriver to do the thing. Didn't work. The screw base's are just so thin. 

 

Got a little idea to instead scrape the side of the screw to make more friction area for the nail clip. Well, unexpectedly, the scrape on the middle I did before, just bent away. 

 

This is actually why I can remove it way more easily. 

 

Third one? Turns out one capacitor and the disk drive SATA interface really interfere with my saw-to-the-side method. Managed to saw some of the screw, but won't even budge as I felt it's kinda way over torqued that I even thought 'are they even using threadlocker here? Dafuq' 

 

Welp. Turns out. I can be a little more creative than that. 

Spoiler

Yes. I actually just rotate the heatsink. Using the screw base as the driver. It actually moves, until it won't. Managed to put some paper below it so it won't make too much mess. 

 

Well, when it won't move any more, I just place the heatsink on it's place. And try again with the nail clip. Finally, it works. And for the sake cuz I'm tired of this sh*t, I just rotated them using finger. Welp. Kinda made a scrape on my finger because of constant torture for last few hours. 

 

Spoiler

 

And, yeah. I'm right. The paste are on it's way to dry. Old paste out, MX-4 came in. 

 

36-40 (before, it wouldn't even touch 30) degree idle. 45-52 (before, can even reach 60) degree when I used Google Meet for a seminar.

 

Now it's charging for a first calibration for a new (probably refurbished as it's cheapo af but meh only using it for UPS anyway so I can save my work for at least when brownout happens) battery, lol on 30% it just went drop straight to 7%. 

 

Welp. I dunno why would I wrote this but I just kind of want to as little token of appreciation of my own effort lol

 

Thanks anyway. 

[paddy-stone]

19 hours ago, dhannemon13 said:

 

Welp, that screw remover woulda works if I have guts to drill into a PCB so close to both of CPU and GPU....

 

But. Yet. Is it safe, tho? 

I know you have this sorted now, but just for knowledge's sake, the crew extractor is used at a low load speed in reverse... the extractor cuts into the screw (but not drilling), and when it's sufficiently in enough it unscrews the screw/bolt etc. Does both jobs in one, and is very good, I have a few sets myself for those tricky ones.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

16 hours ago, paddy-stone said:

I know you have this sorted now, but just for knowledge's sake, the crew extractor is used at a low load speed in reverse... the extractor cuts into the screw (but not drilling), and when it's sufficiently in enough it unscrews the screw/bolt etc. Does both jobs in one, and is very good, I have a few sets myself for those tricky ones.

Yeah, I saw videos about those extractors, even probably managed to do it with a small drill bit. Well, unfortunately, all of my pop's drills that can do counterclockwise rotation (he has two of them lol), he bought those to work.

 

I guess right now I'd just be more careful of undoing those things.

[paddy-stone]

9 hours ago, dhannemon13 said:

Yeah, I saw videos about those extractors, even probably managed to do it with a small drill bit. Well, unfortunately, all of my pop's drills that can do counterclockwise rotation (he has two of them lol), he bought those to work.

 

I guess right now I'd just be more careful of undoing those things.

Yeah, for sure be more careful if you can. If you feel the head slipping, choose another head and try again, don't force it... and also keep a few rubber bands handy, they can help when there's a slight mismatch of head size.

[mazinhahs]

On 10/6/2020 at 11:45 PM, TukangUsapEmenq said:

 

Now you did actually inspired me to just 'fck it' because I wouldn't sleep until this problem is solved. 

 

Guess what?

  Reveal hidden contents

Yes, it's sketchy enough but finally I felt fine to do so. I found one YouTube comments to use a nail clip and a plier. 

 

And turns out, my old Aspire 4253 back screws on the battery compartment got the exactly the same screw size. And it's the good quality one. Ended up not to waste $4 just for the screws online. 

 

Now it's two to go. Consider this thread is done. 

 

Thanks for all of your suggestions. Like, a lot.

hye. I know this is an old post but if somehow you do see my reply, may I know from what video on youtube that you found the comment about using the nail clip and plier? or if you can describe to me how you actually do it yourself removing those screws using those 2 tools I would be very thankful for you.

[TukangUsapEmenq]

On 4/16/2023 at 10:41 AM, mazinhahs said:

hye. I know this is an old post but if somehow you do see my reply, may I know from what video on youtube that you found the comment about using the nail clip and plier? or if you can describe to me how you actually do it yourself removing those screws using those 2 tools I would be very thankful for you.

It's in Indonesian, but I thought the visual would've explaining enough of what I did.