Results 1 to 17 of 17
  1. #1
    foobar started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    162
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked 221 Times in 89 Posts

    Computer brand quirks I find anoying

    There are a few brands of computers that I find to have annoying quirks. I've done enough lately, that I'm starting to come prepared for teardown based on the computer.

    HP / Compaq - uses those little torx / slotted screws.

    IBM - even worse, uses the screws with the slotted head only. Also, seems to be the only brand I've seen that screws the CPU heat sink down.



    Dell - I dislike the ones where the motherboard is on a steel tray that slides out when the green tab is lifted up - especially when there is an add-on card with more PCI slots. It seems like I have to figure out this system each time, and I've had more than a few that I had to get a screwdriver or even a pry bar to pry the tray out.

    In the past, I tackled computers with just a Phillips #2, a thicker flat heat, and a pair of wire cutters. I usually take these on in the LR while watching TV with the wife. Now I've put a small toolbox together with 99% of my tool needs. That's how I've come to deal with the non standard screws.

    Anyone who has figured out the Dell sliding tray assembly, please let me know what you've learned. I've found some that come right out, but most need some force in multiple points to come out.

    Other common quirks that slow down your tear down?

  2. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by foobar:



  3. #2
    Jonniebrass's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    1,007
    Thanks
    582
    Thanked 496 Times in 296 Posts
    I just did a bunch of dells with the sliding tray. I have a technique finally that works. When you remove the tray with board bend the tab back away from tray put flat head screw driver between main board and add on board give a little tug. The small board pulls away from gold finger wiggle to get it off then just slide main board off. I bend the tab back and put plate inside case.

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to Jonniebrass for This Post:


  5. #3
    happyscraper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    spring hill,fl
    Posts
    2,864
    Thanks
    350
    Thanked 1,371 Times in 847 Posts
    To do this job right you need the right tools. You will need an elelctric screwdriver and several types of bits and 1/4" socket. On those dells with the slide out trays the add on board has a little metal clip on the right hand side (I'm trying to remember) bend it down then pull board out.

  6. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by happyscraper:


  7. #4
    AuburnEwaste's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Metro Detroit
    Posts
    773
    Thanks
    32
    Thanked 976 Times in 413 Posts
    The trick on these Dells is to pop off the plastic housing that the CPU heatsink fits into.

    First, remove the screws holding the motherboard and the expansion board down. The expansion board is held into the case by a metal tab that bends outward. Then slide the whole assembly out of the case. On the expansion board, grab the side with a pair of pliers and yank on it until it loosens, then slide the board out. Next, set the motherboard on a flat surface and pop off the plastic housing that the CPU heatsink fits into. Once this is removed, the board should come off the metal backing. Maybe I can make a video tomorrow.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to AuburnEwaste for This Post:


  9. #5
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Alabama
    Posts
    764
    Thanks
    1,067
    Thanked 1,213 Times in 471 Posts
    I'm with you on those pesky slotted screws on old IBMs. There are a lot of things I don't like about Dells. One of which is that many of the wires are held down by steel clips that are so tough that you sometimes have to cut the wires to get them out.

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to Pnutfarmer for This Post:


  11. #6
    foobar started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    162
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked 221 Times in 89 Posts
    You know, I've never bent the metal tab on the Dells. That may be what I've been missing.

  12. #7
    foobar started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    162
    Thanks
    54
    Thanked 221 Times in 89 Posts
    The metal tab at the bottom was the key to those Dells! I did two last night and once you bend the tab out of the way, they slid out with no problem. Thank you so much! Once again, I'm glad to be a part of this forum!

  13. #8
    Goatrutar's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    35
    Thanks
    24
    Thanked 20 Times in 12 Posts
    Apple Powermac G5. The stuff of nightmares.
    High on life. And glue.

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to Goatrutar for This Post:


  15. #9
    Electrowaste's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Location
    NE Alabama
    Posts
    279
    Thanks
    622
    Thanked 313 Times in 130 Posts
    It actually really embarrassing to admit, but those brackets that hold the heatsink down in many different computers, I still have never figured out how to open them correctly. We take large flat-blade screwdrivers, wedge them between the heatsinks, and them twist the driver and that normally pops them off.
    Jeremy Burrage - Founder & CEO
    Electrowaste Recycling LLC, Guntersville, AL
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elect...31655806922157

  16. The Following User Says Thank You to Electrowaste for This Post:


  17. #10
    Sirscrapalot's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2012
    Location
    A sandbar off the atlantic..OBX,NC
    Posts
    6,123
    Thanks
    11,885
    Thanked 8,783 Times in 3,854 Posts
    I use a pair of klines, or needle nose for those heat sinks. Works well, snaps the thin metal or pulls it right out.

    Most annoying? For me it was a Gateway, I forget the model. Silly things had so many hidden releases locks, buttons. Gah. Drove me nuts the first 10 of them. After it became simple but a royal pita. Half the locks stuck/frozen, so I'd end up busting them.

    Otherwise I enjoy most of them. The screws for mother boards annoy me to. They always try an hide like 3 of the **** thigns for some reason. Same with a hard drive, always at lest one under the freaking sticker! lol

    Sirscrapalot - Screw it, I'm getting the hammer. - Possible words said while dealing with a stubborn tower.

  18. #11
    spinroch's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    675
    Thanks
    1,983
    Thanked 1,556 Times in 460 Posts
    I can never get the D**N steering wheel off!
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    F1 Recycles

    Electronic/Electrical/Mechanical Recycling
    www.f1recycles.com


  19. The Following 7 Users say Thank You for This Post by spinroch:


  20. #12
    Scrappah's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    1,058
    Thanks
    320
    Thanked 1,419 Times in 676 Posts
    Uggggh ... Don't know how many times i've thought to myself that the best use of a Mac is in the landfill.



    It's a rant thread so please forgive if i'm being a little intemperate.

  21. #13
    Sirscrapalot's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2012
    Location
    A sandbar off the atlantic..OBX,NC
    Posts
    6,123
    Thanks
    11,885
    Thanked 8,783 Times in 3,854 Posts
    You call that a rant? LOL

    Scrappah we need to show you past rants.

    Seriously those green latches..pop them off with a screw drive or smack them with a hammer. No more issues.

    Yes yes I know you all resell or make new computers an what not.

    Aim right with the hammer an no issues to your goodies. I speak as a master of the 10th degree of hammering.

    It works on every PC! an MACs!

    You can't just go all willy nilly on it tho. Your aim must be true.

    Oh an motherboard screws still suck.

    Sirscrapalot - hater of hidden screws.

  22. #14
    Scrappah's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    1,058
    Thanks
    320
    Thanked 1,419 Times in 676 Posts
    < Gentle laughter > I'm just tryin' to be good and not stir the pot. You know how some folks prefer Chevys and others prefer Fords ? It's like that with PC and Mac sometimes. It would be all kinds of better not to get into that argument. All the more reason to tread lightly on that subject. That said:

    Gory .... some of those things are waaay overbuilt. If nuclear war ever broke out the only critters to survive would be a cockroach and a Mac !

    My problem is that I'm just too darned methodical. Disassemble in reverse order of the way it was assembled.That works like a charm with a PC but it's a major PITA with a Mac. I have to go on-line to find the dis-assembly instructions ! It's like they intentionally went out of their way to make em' difficult to work on.

    Can't see any reason to resell or ever try to put one of those @#$%^&* things back into service. Best use is in the landfill cause they're in the way when you're tryin' to get things done. Bah .... persnickety nonsense !

    Next time i get a Mac in the shop I'll start with the safety glasses and a 3 lb. maul.

  23. The Following User Says Thank You to Scrappah for This Post:


  24. #15
    ETTRAN's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Location
    massachusetts
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts
    hi,great pic of a home computer,ed.

  25. #16
    ETTRAN's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Location
    massachusetts
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts
    you have that right,ed.

  26. #17
    matador's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    We purchase laptop computers and many components for greater than scrap value. We offer a shipping reimbursement program.replies

    Member since
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Big Wonderful Wyoming
    Posts
    2,310
    Thanks
    1,813
    Thanked 3,204 Times in 1,450 Posts
    I'll take your Green Slot Loaded Dell motherboard and raise you a Pentium II/III motherboard in the Dimension XPS. Pointed brackets hold it in place. What a pain!

    And, Anything Mac should count.


  27. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. Dig into my computer pile...and find THESE.
      By armygreywolf in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 0
      Last Post: 04-28-2014, 11:00 PM
    2. Brand new scrapper
      By therealTI3 in forum Introduce yourself
      Replies: 11
      Last Post: 02-12-2014, 07:05 PM
    3. Brand new scrapper
      By therealTI3 in forum Scrap Metal Spots
      Replies: 4
      Last Post: 12-09-2012, 12:51 PM
    4. Find you a computer geek!
      By Scrapcrazy in forum General Electronics Recycling
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 09-15-2012, 09:59 PM
    5. Brand New
      By OzarksGuy in forum Introduce yourself
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 08-05-2012, 06:37 PM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook