Question Screws won't turn, can't open case!

[BoomerD]

How can one know which size the screws are? It's not like they're marked .... at least, not where I can see any such possible mark.

I'm just trying to be sure and get the right thing on the first try, without having to buy two or three different items. I'm on a limited budget!

Use a standard phillips driver as your guide. What size comes the closest to fitting the screw? (remember, #3 is large, #2 is medium, (most common) #1 is smaller, then on to 0, 00, etc for very small screws.)
As for your NVMe drive...those are usually pretty tiny screws...maybe 0 or 00. I've made a #1 work, because I don't have a magnetic screwdriver that's smaller, but it's pretty large by comparison to the actual screw size.

 

[aigomorla]

This one for most PC stuff:

Amazon.com

This one for Cell phones / Laptops / nVME: (unless the screw is a hex or torx)

Amazon.com

If you see yourself taking apart your laptop a lot... then id probably recommend this set instead:

Amazon.com

But again to clearify, the Top for most PC stuff.
The second one for nVME and light laptop and cell phone stuff that isn't a Torx or a Hex.
The last for nVME, 99% of most laptops, including Hex and Torx.

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

This one for most PC stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Vessel-Ball-2x100-200mm-Screwdriver/dp/B000TG8OM6/

I'm just trying to pin down which one I need to get the case open, for the moment.

Is ^^ that ^^ it? I ask because "most PC stuff" isn't quite clear to me. Do you mean to include these mimi-PC box things like the one I have?

 

[aigomorla]

I'm just trying to pin down which one I need to get the case open, for the moment.

Is ^^ that ^^ it? I ask because "most PC stuff" isn't quite clear to me. Do you mean to include these mimi-PC box things like the one I have?

Yes, except the nVME... for reasons i listed above.

"Most PC Stuff"
Means M4 screws you find in PC's like motherboards and SSD mounting screws, and 6/32 screws you see on other stuff including the case side panels as well as regular hard drive mounting screws, and is a "+" head.

I just realized your a super lurker...


Anyhow back on note... the one u linked above should take care of your mini pc case...
The toshiba laptop case or nVME, you will need the second or the last one i linked.

 

[BoomerD]

As far as I can tell, this set has JIS #1, 2, & 3 along with a single slotted blade and 2 pozigrip bits:

Amazon.com

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

Yes, except the nVME... for reasons i listed above.

"Most PC Stuff"
Means most M4 screws you find in PC's like motherboards, and 6/32 screws you see on other stuff including the case side panels and is a "+" head.

If I show you a screw and you know what size it is, I'll take your word for it, but as to figuring out on my own what size a screw is, I am completely clueless. Terms like "M4" and "6/32" may as well be an ancient lost language AFAIC.

In simple terms: Am I going to need a tiny precision screwdriver to install the SSD and the memory cards?

 

[aigomorla]

As far as I can tell, this set has JIS #1, 2, & 3 along with a single slotted blade and 2 pozigrip bits:

Amazon.com

i don't think that one can do nVME's, and it costs more then the straight JIS one.
Otherwise im all for recommending it.

Vessel is one of my favorate brands for PC maintenance outside my dremel when things piss me off.

 

[mindless1]

Can we see pics of the screws, along with a metric ruler beside them, hopefully also measuring the slot length? OR of course, caliper measurements in mm ?

It is doubtful (yet possible) that you need larger than a #1, and possibly only a #0 JIS. #1 is 4mm and #0 is 3mm tip diameter. That's to compare to slot width, not screw head diameter. JIS #1 is rated down to M2 (.0) screw size, not good for much smaller, but JIS 0 will also do M2.0.

 

[aigomorla]

If I show you a screw and you know what size it is, I'll take your word for it, but as to figuring out on my own what size a screw is, I am completely clueless. Terms like "M4" and "6/32" may as well be an ancient lost language AFAIC.

In simple terms: Am I going to need a tiny precision screwdriver to install the SSD and the memory cards?

If your going to install a regular SSD + HDD + mounting your motherboard into your case, and your case panels.
Yes... the first one i linked will work.


If your going to install a nVME... then no... the head is too big as nVME's are very small:



So you want to get your mini PC box open... then yes....
You want to install a nVME inside that case... then no... you need something like the old school eye glasses driver, so the last one i linked.

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

Use a standard phillips driver as your guide. What size comes the closest to fitting the screw? (remember, #3 is LARGE, #2 is medium, (most common) #1 is smaller, then on to 0, 00, etc for very small screws.)
As for your NVMe drive...those are usually pretty tiny screws...maybe 0 or 00. I've made a #1 work, because I don't have a magnetic screwdriver that's smaller, but it's pretty large by comparison to the actual screw size.

You seem to be saying that the number used to indicate the size of the screwdriver is not the same as the size of the screw. Would that be correct? In other words, if I have #2 screwdriver, it's not only going to work on #2 screws -- not that I have any idea what a #2 screw is... I don't. Nor do I know what number goes with any other size of screw.

 

[aigomorla]

Amazon has free returns on prime if your prime.... so just buy the Vessel one and if you dont like it or it doesn't work, you can always return it.

You can't go out to a american hardware store and find a JIS driver or bit without paying way more then what it costs on amazon.

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

Can we see pics of the screws, along with a metric ruler beside them, hopefully also measuring the slot length? OR of course, caliper measurements in mm ?

It is doubtful (yet possible) that you need larger than a #1, and possibly only a #0 JIS. #1 is 4mm and #0 is 3mm.

I have tried photographing these screws and my hand shakes too much to get one in focus. I don't know where/how to find the caliper measurement (is that different from the diameter of the screw head?), and I don't have a ruler or tape at hand. I can try to find one. For the time being though, my eye tells me that the screws are probably whatever mm# is closest to a quarter-inch.

 

[aigomorla]

my eye tells me that the screws are probably whatever mm# is closest to a quarter-inch.

Amazon.com

That will open that screw.

 

[mindless1]

1/4"? That's larger than I was expecting, yeah a JIS #2 or #1. I'd go with #1 as it is more versatile for smaller screws. The larger the screw, the less important it is to use a JIS driver (unless a higher torque application like a motorcycle). Then again you don't have much control over whether a manufacturer went torque crazy or threadlock was used.

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

If your going to install a regular SSD + HDD + mounting your motherboard into your case, and your case panels.
Yes... the first one i linked will work.
View attachment 84651View attachment 84652

If your going to install a nVME... then no... the head is too big as nVME's are very small:
View attachment 84653


So you want to get your mini PC box open... then yes....
You want to install a nVME inside that case... then no... you need something like the old school eye glasses driver, so the last one i linked.

Thanks for the detailed reply. "First one I linked" still means the Vessel 220 Ball Grip +2x100, right?

As to nVME, I must confess that although I can see that the item in the picture is labeled as "1TB NVMe SSD," I am not sure I know what it actually is ... I assume it's something one can use in place of what I would call a hard drive... the last new computer I built was about 2007 or so, and I know they have come up with new storage methods but I thought they were called M-something....

What I have to install in the mini-PC box aside from a Samsung SSD such as the one in your picture, is an item called "DDR4 SO-DIMM". I don't think any kind of screwdriver will be required for that, but I am not sure because I can't see the slot yet! According to the quick-start manual, it's supposed to just snap into place, but I've heard some people say that they had to remove something in order to get to the slot.

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

Amazon.com

That will open that screw.

the screws are probably whatever mm# is closest to a quarter-inch.

What I meant was the diameter of the screw head, not the width of the cuts in the screw head. Is the Vessel 220 Ball Grip +2x100 (JIS) still the right size for opening the case?

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

I've got the Vessel 220 Ball Grip +2x100 (JIS) in my Amazon cart and ready to click "Place Your Order" then it occurred to me that my quarter-inch comment may have been misinterpreted!

I await one last confirmation on the Vessel 220 Ball Grip +2x100 (JIS) before I commit to buying this.

 

[BoomerD]

You seem to be saying that the number used to indicate the size of the screwdriver is not the same as the size of the screw. Would that be correct? In other words, if I have #2 screwdriver, it's not only going to work on #2 screws -- not that I have any idea what a #2 screw is... I don't. Nor do I know what number goes with any other size of screw.

Screwdriver size ONLY relates to screwdriver size...not screw size. There are way too many different screw sizes to have a separate screw driver for each one...and the screw size only relates to the size of the threaded portion (and length) 3/16" x 1/2"...could fit a #1 or #2 phillips (or JIT depending on the screw head)

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

What I meant was the diameter of the screw head, not the width of the cuts in the screw head. Is the Vessel 220 Ball Grip +2x100 (JIS) still the right size for opening the case?

By "width of the cuts" I mean how long each of the two arms of the cross are, not how much space there is between the two sides of each cut.

 

[BoomerD]

I've got the Vessel 220 Ball Grip +2x100 (JIS) in my Amazon cart and ready to click "Place Your Order" then it occurred to me that my quarter-inch comment may have been misinterpreted!

I await one last confirmation on the Vessel 220 Ball Grip +2x100 (JIS) before I commit to buying this.

There's no way for us to know for certain it will fit...(but I think it will)
Please try Phillips #1 and #2 before buying that. Let us know which one comes the closest to fitting correctly.

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

Please try Phillips #1 and #2 before buying that. Let us know which one comes the closest to fitting correctly.

I don't know how to tell the number of a screwdriver's size. They are not labeled.

 

[BoomerD]

By "width of the cuts" I mean how long each of the two arms of the cross are, not how much space there is between the two sides of each cut.

The diameter of the screw head is pretty much meaningless for determining the size of the screw...or the necessary driver. However, if the screw head is about 1/4", that's pretty small...and you MIGHT need the JIS #1.

We really don't have enough info to give you a "100% guaranteed fit" answer.

 

[NewSilkTurtle]

I can tell you, though, that the shaft on the smaller of the two drivers I have here is about the same diameter as the refill for a ball-point pen! The larger one is about as wide as a strand of linguine (uncooked). Does that help?

 

[BoomerD]

I don't know how to tell the number of a screwdriver's size. They are not labeled.

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/an-easy-guide-to-phillips-head-screwdriver-sizes

 

[BoomerD]

I can tell you, though, that the shaft on the smaller of the two drivers I have here is about the same diameter as the refill for a ball-point pen!

Even that is somewhat meaningless...depending on the refill, it could be widely different.

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