Where does this screw belong!?

[Simo1122]

Hey All,

So I put a new HD into my 13" macbook pro, put it all back together and booted up and worked fine....

Then a few hours later I found this screw on the floor, took the mac apart but I have no idea where it came from....thats if it even came from the macbook.

See attached images...anybody know!?

 

[alphaod]

If all you did was remove the HDD, that screw shouldn't have been removed. And if you're sure you didn't remove any extra screws then you should be fine.

 

[Covart]

Looks like a possible Mac screw based on the blue locktite on the threads. Did you happen to notice if all the screws were in place for the optical drive? It's difficult to see the exact dimensions of that screw, but it kind of looks like it might go there.

 

[alphaod]

Looks like a possible Mac screw based on the blue locktite on the threads. Did you happen to notice if all the screws were in place for the optical drive? It's difficult to see the exact dimensions of that screw, but it kind of looks like it might go there.

It does looks like any of the screws on the motherboard [including the optical drive], but I can't imagine why any of those would be removed to replace the HDD.

For the HDD it's just the case screws (which are smaller than this), then the 2 screws on the bracket (which don't come out), and then the 4 T6 mounting screws.

 

[Covart]

It does looks like any of the screws on the motherboard [including the optical drive], but I can't imagine why any of those would be removed to replace the HDD.

For the HDD it's just the case screws (which are smaller than this), then the 2 screws on the bracket (which don't come out), and then the 4 T6 mounting screws.

He didn't have to remove anything. The screws may not have been tight from the factory, loosened over time, then possibly one fell out when he removed his hard drive. I can't imagine any other scenario, since that screw doesn't go to the back plate or hard drive.

 

[Simo1122]

He didn't have to remove anything. The screws may not have been tight from the factory, loosened over time, then possibly one fell out when he removed his hard drive. I can't imagine any other scenario, since that screw doesn't go to the back plate or hard drive.

You see, thats what I was thinking.

All I did was take off the bottom case, unscrew the two littler black Y screws on the battery, the two securing the hard drive then the four on the hard drive.

I don't even recall taking out a screw that big. I thought it might have been from somewhere else, but that blue pretty much means it belongs to a mac

 

[MacOCD]

This visual may help you find it's home.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/...13-Inch-Unibody-Hard-Drive-Replacement/1337/1

Maybe you can retrace your steps and figure out which screw you took out that wasn't supposed to be taken out.

You may have already figured it out anyway

 

[Covart]

You see, thats what I was thinking.

All I did was take off the bottom case, unscrew the two littler black Y screws on the battery, the two securing the hard drive then the four on the hard drive.

I don't even recall taking out a screw that big. I thought it might have been from somewhere else, but that blue pretty much means it belongs to a mac

The blue locktite doesn't necessarily mean it came out of your MBP, just a possible indicator. It was hard to tell how big that screw is based on the photo's, but it does seem bigger than anything I have pulled out of mine.

I can only think of three possibilities:
1. It is part of something inside your MBP and was never tightened and fell out.
2. It fell into your MBP by accident at the factory and was never part of your assembly.
3. It's not part of your MBP at all.

In all 3 cases, it is not much to worry about. A simple visual inspection of the inside of your MPB would probably ease your mind though. (I would focus on the optical drive again. I replaced mine with an Optibay and that screw looks suspiciously like one of the screws.)