Unusual mac problem - screw caught in wrong thread!

[gabedamien]

Hello,

So yesterday I managed the nerve-wracking task of swapping out my Macbook Pro hard drive for a new 7200rpm 320GB Western Digital drive.

Sadly, while putting it back together, I had a brain freeze while replacing the VERY LAST SCREW, and accidentally put it in the left-side thread for the DVI port. ARGH! It's the same diameter, wasn't paying attention.

Now the screw is stuck in there. It's totally loose, can rotate and shake it, but the problem is the screw head is beyond the open port in the casing. It's too narrow to slip some kind of pliers in & around, it doesn't fall out on its own even with careful shaking, and putting a screwdriver to it just pushes it back in. I even tried a tiny drop of krazy glue stuck on the end of an implement, thinking I could then pull it out directly and dissolve it with acetone, but that very nearly ended in disaster.

Any clever suggestions???

 

[Chuckypool]

A lightly magnetised screwdriver (assuming you're not too close to anything that doesn't like magnets).

Otherwise try a piece of blu-tack.

 

[gabedamien]

Chuckypool - thanks, I hadn't thought of magnets, that's a good idea. I doubt blu-tack will work but I'll give it a shot.

 

[JustGretchen]

Best of luck. If all else fails you could try the apple store. They have all kinds of cool tools they use. I watched a genius take off one of those Spek hardcase things that people put on their macbook/pros the can't get off with some crazy tool.

 

[gabedamien]

Heh, so it turns out I have no real magnets in the apartment.

So I get the battery from my razor, thinking I'll make an electromagnet - except I've run out of insulated wire.

So I think for a second... and realize I have the mag-safe connection!

Well, turns out the plug itself is not magnetic, the port is.

So finally I try to magnetize a small #6 torx screwdriver by passing it along the mag-safe port. No visible change for whatever reason.

D'oh... will have to wait until I get a real magnet, I guess. The things we do to try and fix stuff...

 

[miles01110]

An electromagnet isn't going to work unless you're able to get a lot of turns or a lot of current.

How about a vacuum cleaner with a new bag in it?

 

[Wheaty]

here are my usual tool "silly little screw" fixes.

-Magnetic Screw driver,
-Magnetic pick up tool,
-Turn item with the screw upside down (to fall out) then gently unscrew with minimum pressure gravity is a very useful tool!
-Blu Tac, chewing gum/similar
-Thread to loop around screw head to pull it out while using screw driver.
-hot melt glue

Cup of tea, sit down and a nice biscuit.. by far the most cost effective enjoyable, and often most successful solution... When your tense and frustrated you have less control for these fiddly activities.

Good luck.

Wheaty

 

[Jtuner77]

I am now in the same dilemma...i tried a bit of crazy glue with no luck.....anyone else got any ideas?

I want to get this out cause my MBP just failed and I don't want Applecare to think I tampered with it....

 

[Wheaty]

I am now in the same dilemma...i tried a bit of crazy glue with no luck....

If you have tried once with the glue, it may be worth another go. You can get allot of oils even from your hands that will stop a bit of glue from sticking. Now you have glued it once, it should have left a better surface for any new glue to adhere to.

Oh, and once you glue something to it sit there for a good 5 minutes with gentle pressure (unless you can rig something up to apply pressure) to ensure the a good bond.

Wheaty