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Irremovable screw on GPU cooler backplate

Goose

Goose

Goose

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
4,773
Location
Kent
I was going to remove the cooler from my Sapphire 4850 512mb so as to apply some MX-3. However, one of the very tiny screws holding on the backplate is completely jammed in there and wont move one teeny tiny bit.

I'm at a loss as to how exactly i might be able to get it out. If anyone has any thoughts please let me know.


Thanks.
 
Screw removal guide 101:

1) Check you're using the right screwdriver for the job
2) Check the head on the screw hasn't become hopelessly rounded
3) If 1 & 2 ok, try again, applying pressure down the screwdriver to minimise slip
4) Try gently heating the area in case some form of locking compound has been used
5) If the head is buggered, you can try supergluing a screwdriver into the screw head, and unscrewing it that way
6) If you're here, things are getting desperate. Next step really is to drill the screw out.
 
If the screw head is destroyed, another trick to get it out is to use some pliers and create grooves on the head to get tourq with the pliers.

Had this happen to me 2 days ago :o
 
Good advice from Makhaira.

If that does not work you will have to drill the screw out. You only have to remove the head & not the entire screwed portion.

1) Pick a drill bit that is slightly larger that the head of the screw.
2) Ensure you position the drill in the centre of the old screw.
3) Drill very slowly and do not push down to hard (let the drill do the work)
4) The head will separate from the threaded portion.
5) Remove the cooler.
6) Remove remainder of the screw with a pair of pliers.

Remember to remove all traces of swarf (little bits of metal from the cutting process) as this can cause short circuits (compressed air works well)

(I have had to do this a few times my self after fitting EK blocks as the screws supplied have very soft hex heads and round very easily.

The Screw Extractor Set is a good idea (psmawson) but as the screws are only 2.5 - 3 mm then the extractors will not work as they are to large.

Remember be careful and take your time.
 
Thanks for all the advice, chaps.

The screw is become increasingly rounded but is problem just about ok. The only other thing i've tried so far is for me to hold the card and the top of screwdriver (putting as much pressure on as i can without snapping anything) while my dad attempted to turn the screwdriver by clasping some heavy pliers to it in order to get more twisting action. The result was that the screw didn't budge one bit.

My dad has a drill but hasn't got a small enough attachment for a screw that tiny. I'll try the heating trick first. What would be the best implement to do this without risking damage to the card itself?

Thanks again.
 
If the screw is one single colour ie silver then its unlikely to have any locking compound on the threads.
If the thread end is coloured yellow, blue, white then it has locking compound on it.
With all the cards I have taken apart there has been no compound used.
If all the other screws came out without any problems, then why should this one be any different?
The problem will be dissimilar metals and oxidation between the thread & cooler.
You also have the problem in how screws are manufactured and they end up with soft heads that can easily be damaged.
 
1) Pick a drill bit that is slightly larger that the head of the screw.
Click to expand...

While this might work there is no need to drill the whole head away- I would use a drill slighty larger than the shank of the screw, once you drill and reach it then the head will come away anyway.
 
if you can grip it with pliers try molegrips these will lock tight while you turn it

or use a dremel cutting wheel to make a groove for a flatheaded screwdriver
 
I had this problem with a rounded screw head on a laptop once. The problem with small, poor quality philips head screws is that it's very easy to bore the grooves out of them. This often happens when you use a screw driver tip thats slightly too small.

I used a smallish high quality flat head screw driver to acually 'saw' a good deep groove across the top of the screw head. I then used a larger flat head to turn the screw. Took a good while but it worked!
 
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