Re: Hard to Remove PM 2.0 x 3.0 Battery Hold Down Screws

VanguardLH <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> Boris <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
>> Laptop is my daughter's HP Spectre 13-ac000 x360 Convertible PC, 
>> purchased in March, 2017.  Some years ago (sorry, I don't know when)
>> the laptop was giving "extreme low battery" warnings, and eventually
>> wouldn't hold a charge, but it would boot up when using the charger. 
>> Finally, the laptop wouldn't boot up even with the charger.  My
>> daughter then put the thing in her closet and bought a new laptop.
>> Yikes. 
>> 
>> She brought this up to me today, and I said let me see it.
>> 
>> I plugged it in, and the orange charging light went on.  An hour
>> later, the charging light turned white.  Ok, guess it's charged, but
>> it still wouldn't boot.  Nothing, not even a hint that anything's
>> going on inside. 
>> 
>> Per troubleshooting advice, I pulled the charger, and held the on/off
>> button for 30 seconds.  Plugged the charger back in, but still
>> wouldn't boot up.  Troubleshooting suggested that the battery may be
>> the cause and to remove battery and try again with just charger and
>> battery removed. 
>> 
>> So I got the manual:
>> 
>> http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05357578.pdf
>> 
>> I got the back panel off (had to use a hairdryer to get the adhesive 
>> attached plastic caps off under the rubber feet, where the last two
>> panel hold down screws were), but I can't get the PM 2.0 x 3.0 screws
>> removed to get the battery out.  They are in there very, very tight. 
>> I have tried very, very hard, with lots of pressure.  I just can't
>> budge the screws here.
>> 
>> https://postimg.cc/bZ70k20R
>> 
>> I've always used jeweler's screwdrivers to do this type of work. 
>> Would a computer technician screwdriver set make a difference?  Are
>> the  points shorter to get tightly into the short depth of these
>> small screw heads? 
>> 
>> TIA
> 
> The heads look thick enough that maybe you could get the tip of the
> jaws of a vise grip pliers (jaw locking pliers using a thumb screw,
> squeeze to lock, and use a lever to unlock).  You'll want a small one.
>  Once the vise grip is attached to a screw head, don't turn by hand. 
> Instead press down on the pliers to keep from popping off, and use a
> crescent wrench to twist the pliers.  

Completely understand what you are saying, and I will try.  I do have the 
mini-vice grips (one of my favorite tools) at home (not here).  I may 
just go to the local hardware store where I'm at now and get a pair and 
try.

> 
> If you get the ratching screwdriver set that has replaceable bits, a
> good set will have different styles of Phillips heads.  

Have one here, and will see if it has small enough bits.

You want a
> sharp ended bit, not one that is ground flat to fill the empty low
> space inside a larger screw.  The important part is the tangs of the
> tip engage the sides of the slots in the screw as much as possible for
> the depth of the slot.  

Yep.

Too small a tip won't well engage the sides of
> the slot.  You want well defined and sharp edges on the bits flanges. 
> An old screwdriver has probably been rounded off.
> 
> Besides using the right-sized bit, some have ridges aka ribs on the
> flanges to better grip the screw when under pressure during twisting.
> 
> https://cdn.mscdirect.com/global/images/ProductImages/7515227-21.jpg
> https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2007/11/06/whats-the-difference-philli
> ps-head-screwdriver-bits 

I see.

Thanks much for the reply.