Bloody HDD Swap Didn't Go As I Planned!!!

Kintarō Hattori

I got myself a shiny new WD 320GB drive to pop into the PS3. I backed everything up and set about replacing the drive. Everything woud have been excellent BUT the bloody blue screw just wouldn't judge a milimetre let alone an inch. The screws are infamous for being of extremely low quality so as a result I now have a mangled screw.
I used an appropriate screwdriver as I got two that actually hold the drive into its cage off no problem but the blue one seemed stuck fast.

What do you think my chances are with a pliers?

311

Whats the diameter ? ,I usually drill through them and they fall out.

If it's too small ,maybe try a hacksaw and saw a Straight line trough the head and use a flathead screwdriver.If it's tiny try using something like a dremel tool.

Kintarō Hattori

Some good suggestions there 311, thanks, though I think I'll keep them as a last resort!

311

Yeah ,it's probably too small for what I've suggested.

Heat can help a lot to loosen threads aswell ,I know it's madness around a drive but if you could use the tip of a solder gun to heat the screw ,it might give you some leverage.

eddhorse

There should be a sticky for this !

Happened me and everyone who has tried it since in this forum.
I got a hacksaw and cut a line into the screw , then used a flat head screwdriver and it didnt go back in after that !

Butter screws i tells ya

Kintarō Hattori

eddhorse wrote: »

There should be a sticky for this !

Happened me and everyone who has tried it since in this forum.
I got a hacksaw and cut a line into the screw , then used a flat head screwdriver and it didnt go back in after that !

Butter screws i tells ya

Yeah they really really are incredibly poor quality. I presume you put the cage back in without the blue screw, or did you manage to find a suitable one in a hardware shop?

311

Hey serious about the heat ,I do have to unscrew 3" diameter brass threads in work. Have to take out a blow torch:eek:

Once the screw expands slightly it opens up the thread.

eddhorse

It was actually the caddy screw i lost not the blue one so i just left it out.

Trip to the hardware store for you tomorrow, at least you can bring the caddy with you i guess.....

Kintarō Hattori

311 wrote: »

Hey serious about the heat ,I do have to unscrew 3" diameter brass threads in work. Have to take out a blow torch:eek:

Once the screw expands slightly it opens up the thread.

Ah I know you were serious but that's pretty hardcore! Anywhoo the threads are gone on the screw and I don't have a pliers with a big enough grip to take it out.

eddhorse wrote: »

It was actually the caddy screw i lost not the blue one so i just left it out.

Trip to the hardware store for you tomorrow, at least you can bring the caddy with you i guess.....

I'd love to take the caddy with me but it's the blue screw, the one keeping the caddy in the PS3 that is causing me the grief.

eddhorse

Oh right sorry, ed slaps head !
It would be even hard to hacksaw that screw.

Google is your friend after that
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For the blue screw: Normally use the right size torx or phillips screwdriver. Although if its stripped and destroyed: Use a tube of screwgrab and dab a bit on the tips of some long nose pilers. Grip the blue screw firmly and turn it slowly. It should work.

For the small harddrive screws: use a 1ptx150mm screwdriver and turn it.

Drilling should be used if ALL else fails. (Not recommended).

When you put the screws back on, tighten it by HAND so that you'd never have to go through this difficulty again when upgrading with another harddrive!
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If you contact Sony they will send you replacment screws seemingly