Laptop Stripped Screw ?????

Did you try a rubber band over the tip of the screwdriver? Or is it to far gone? You might need a small rubber band depending on the screw size. Next step would be epoxy or cutting a slot as stated, last drill it out. Good luck.

Gdetrailer wrote:

K Charles wrote:
The object of a left hand drill bit, if used right and you are lucky, is to catch and then unscrew the screw.

I have worked on HP laptops, there is ZERO chance ANY "lefthand drill bit" is going to catch enough material with out doing collateral damage to said laptop.

1/32 in. High Speed Steel Left Hand Drill Bit (12-Pack)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Drill-America-1-32-in-High-Speed-Steel-Left-Hand-Drill-Bit-12-Pack-DWDLH1-32P12/310590796

Once you have the head off if you take off JUST the head. Then pull the drive. Then grip what's left of the screw with pliers and twist it out.

Or forget it. when you put the new drive in.

Just pulled a drive from an old dead toshiba. said drive is no encased beside my new HP renamed "old Tosh" it's my archival drive and has lots and lots of space.

If you can drill the head off the screw, then use a left hand drill bit. They really don't work any differently than a right hand drill bit, but there is an excellent chance they will unscrew the fastener while trying to drill off the head.

Haven't come across too much thread locker that is stronger than a drill bit. Must be some super special stuff.

K Charles wrote:
The object of a left hand drill bit, if used right and you are lucky, is to catch and then unscrew the screw.

I have worked on HP laptops, there is ZERO chance ANY "lefthand drill bit" is going to catch enough material with out doing collateral damage to said laptop..

We are talking a very TINY SCREW here, not a manifold bolt on a vehicle. That screw is also held in by blue thread locker making the chances of breaking off the harder drill bit pretty darn good.

That TINY little screw is countersunk into the plastic with nothing protruding above the plastic to grab so pliers, cutters can't get anywhere near gripping the head.

It has been a while since I worked on a HP laptop( and glad of it, they are a PITA) so I can't remember if the access panel slides off or if it pulls straight up.. If it pulls straight up, removing just the screw head by drilling the head off is the quickest, safest way.

Personally, OP should take it to a PC shop and pay to have them remove the screw before more collateral damage is done in the process, PC shop will have better screw drivers that don't strip screw heads, heck, they may even have to apply heat to the screw to loosen the thread locker.

Get a portable hard drive that plugs into the USB and call it a day.

SteveB wrote:
If you have a dremel tool you could cut a slot in the head and take it out with a flat blade screwdriver.

This ^^^
I have done this myself to extract stripped out screws.
Very very carefully cut a slot into the screw head. You will need a very fine cutting bit on a dremel and a steady hand so it doesn't walk all over the place.
And a small shop vac to get all the filings out. Use painters masking tape to cover over any vents, slots etc that go into the back of the computer. You don't want even a spec of this inside. Take the battery off first.

Ranger Smith wrote:
Usually you can get the edge of a razor blade under the screw and lift the screw while unscrewing it.

or a very sharp knife.. Done that many times

^^^^^^^^Exactly, that's the purpose of a left hand drill bit. More often than not it will unscrew the offending bolt.

The object of a left hand drill bit, if used right and you are lucky, is to catch and then unscrew the screw.