How to remove very tight screws?

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Soldato
Joined
7 Sep 2009
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Cheshire
Need to remove my CPU heatsink but its held down by two tiny screws that I can't unscrew, the screwdriver just spins out of the grooves and of course if I keep trying the grooves will damage and ill have no chance of undoing them. What can I do?
 
turn on the pc and stress the cpu for a while,maybe it will heat up the heatsink and screws and then youll be able to undo them,or use a hairdryer on them to heat the screws up
 
Try different screw driver, you'll find that it is only gripping the top of the socket, hence the slipping and rounding of the head.
 
Hi, get a good set of screwdrivers, and use the correct one, then tight'n the screw slightly as some GPU Cards use a locking compound which keeps the screw from working lose. If that does not work use a impact screwdriver with the correct screwdriver head but just use it by hand and slowly press down > don't use a hammer <

Hope this helps.
 
Use the correct size screw driver, you will wreck the head otherwise. You can get a set tht covers all sizes of small cross head, straight, torx etc for like £5 or £6 from a popular high street electronic component shop that rhymes with Bap Chins.
 
1 make sure the driver fits perfectly
2 make sure its warm
3 turn it clockwise first to crack the join then with gently pressure go the right way as in anti clock
4 you could also try (power off ofc) freezing spray on the head

last resort
5 drill them out


tbh i wouldnt use an impact driver they only really work with a shock load and u risk damaging something else imo
 
I am using the right size screwdriver but the problem is the screws are so tiny that the screwdriver is also and the head is so shallow that no matter how much down pressure I use it won't budge and spins out. May try some WD40
 
can i ask what cpu heatsink it is, as most i have seen that have screws on the fornt are removed / fitted by nuts on the rear of the MB, did you fit this your self if not might be worth taking the MB out and having a look.
 
If they are so small and you don't really care about the screwdriver head, you can take a hammer and lightly tap the screwdriver into the screw, depending on how small it is. It will dig in and be easier to undo.

Probably won't work though as I haven't seen any cpu heatsinks with tiny screws, that require small screwdrivers.

I had to use this method to get some tiny screws out of a laptop. :o
 
In the end I just detached the mounting bracket from the mobo as I couldn't get the screws undone. Was a PITA but did what I needed to do.
 
is it the freezer pro rev 2 cooler that is in ur sig?

if it is then if feel ur pain. those 2 screws at the side are a ball ache
 
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