Special screw on motherboard by Dell

[BAD311]

I'm replacing a faulty motherboard in a Dell desktop. Everything is ready to come out except a weird dark looking screw in the top right corner of the motherboard if I'm looking into the case from the side of the case. I, obviously, used a screwdriver to remove it, but it will not budge. I figured maybe it's because I can only remove it by removing the side panel on the back-end of the motherboard, but it's a flat round piece of metal that's flush to the aluminum mounting plate.

I do not want to just rip the mobo out. But it's very difficult to remove the screw, it will not budge. Not only that but the CD-Rom and 3.5" drive bays that drives slide into cannot be removed, making it a very tight fit that doesn't allow my hand to get in there and apply more pressure. Maybe I try a longer screw driver? but my 7" is the longest I got, lol. Never seen a mobo with this special screw before.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

take a picture

 

[pcgeek11]

In alot of Dells the motherboard is mounted on a tray that has to be removed from the case before the MB can be removed from the tray.

 

[BAD311]

I'll see if the tray must come out, if not, I'll take a picture and post it. Will report back shortly.

 

[BAD311]

Alright guys, well, no photos!

I tried to unscrew it but the screw literally broke into 4 pieces.

It looked like a screw that you gotta turn and it tightens down as you turn, forcing the head to become smaller and allowing the mobo to be removed. Except that the PC is 5-6 years old and the screw was seized. THAT, or the PC took a lightning strike which is why the mobo blew and that screw took the brunt of the hit.

I removed the screw and its specialized mounting piece. Now the mobo is held in with only 6 screws instead of 7. I checked the board to insure it wouldn't be damaged in the future from installing memory, plugging in cables, etc... and it'll be fine.

Thanks guys!