EDIT: FOUND Lost important tiny screw where to buy?

[tviceman]

I was replacing the TIM and thermal pads on my laptop GPU and vram when one of the screws used to lock the vram heatsink into place FELL INTO MY LAPTOP AND IS LOST FOREVER. I took out a few parts hoping it would appear but it never did, nor is it moving around when I shake the laptop chassis. I'm awesome. Anyways the lost screw has a slightly smaller thread than all the other screws that hold the cooling fan, chassis exterior, etc. together and therefore I can't move a less needed screw from another area of my laptop to replace the one I lost.

The only place I can think of that might have a screw this small is an eye glass store. Are there any other places that may be of a more sure bet to finding this particular size screw?

 

[Steltek]

The bad thing about leaving it in there is it may eventually cause an electrical short when you fire up the laptop again.

You may really want to think about further dis-assembly of the laptop to find the screw.

 

[2timer]

I was replacing the TIM and thermal pads on my laptop GPU and vram when one of the screws used to lock the vram heatsink into place FELL INTO MY LAPTOP AND IS LOST FOREVER. I took out a few parts hoping it would appear but it never did, nor is it moving around when I shake the laptop chassis. I'm awesome. Anyways the lost screw has a slightly smaller thread than all the other screws that hold the cooling fan, chassis exterior, etc. together and therefore I can't move a less needed screw from another area of my laptop to replace the one I lost.

The only place I can think of that might have a screw this small is an eye glass store. Are there any other places that may be of a more sure bet to finding this particular size screw?

That's tough, more than you'd think it would be. When I lived in Colorado Springs there was an electronics supply store, independent, that sold tiny M2 and M3 machine screws. But here in this city, the electronics supply doesn't sell fasteners. Fastenal may have it on special order. And you can order it online here: http://www.mcmaster.com/

When I repaired my netbook, I lost 3 screws. I was careless. I couldn't find them anywhere, so I just salvaged them off the motherboard. The motherboard had about 10 screws and a few were redundant.


You learn to be creative on a budget

 

[2timer]

The bad thing about leaving it in there is it may eventually cause an electrical short when you fire up the laptop again.

You may really want to think about further dis-assembly of the laptop to find the screw.

Those screws are so tiny in a laptop, it's probably stuck on some adhesive or pulled against a magnet.

 

[bryanl]

Try a hardware store (not a home center like Home Depot) or hobby shop.

Definitely find the missing screw in the laptop before it shorts something.

 

[tviceman]

I got the screw out. I was afraid I'd have to take out the mainboard, but after taking off all the chassis screws I split the front of it, gave it a shake, and the culprit fell right out. Thank the heavens.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Ah-hah! Great news on this terrible day in Boston

 

[aarontpx]

I got the screw out. I was afraid I'd have to take out the mainboard, but after taking off all the chassis screws I split the front of it, gave it a shake, and the culprit fell right out. Thank the heavens.

Crysis averted.

HEYO!