12

I wanted to take apart my controller because one of the buttons is sticking a bit. There are 5 screws in the back, all of them torx.

Luckily I have been screwed over by Microsoft using torx in the past, so now I have two different sets of screwdrivers just in case I come across them again. I managed to take three screws out no problem, but the other two would not budge. The only correct sized screwdriver in two fucking packs has a missing thread at the end of the screwdriver and it was just enough to not be able to get the screws out. I filed that motherfucker down for an hour, got one screw out but the other remains.

WHY IS IT THAT WHENEVER I NEED TO TAKE ANY ELECTRONIC GADGETS APART, THESE FUCKERS USE THESE STUPID SCREWS

I wanted to take apart my controller because one of the buttons is sticking a bit. There are 5 screws in the back, all of them torx. Luckily I have been screwed over by Microsoft using torx in the past, so now I have two different sets of screwdrivers just in case I come across them again. I managed to take three screws out no problem, but the other two would not budge. The only correct sized screwdriver in *two fucking packs* has a missing thread at the end of the screwdriver and it was just enough to not be able to get the screws out. I filed that motherfucker down for an hour, got one screw out but the other remains. WHY IS IT THAT WHENEVER I NEED TO TAKE ANY ELECTRONIC GADGETS APART, THESE FUCKERS USE THESE STUPID SCREWS

15 comments

[–] xyzzy 5 points (+5|-0)

Torx is actually the best commonly "standard" for screws in cases like this. But you need the exactly right size screwdrivers and maybe they use a half size. Two small sets will give you most sizes double, you need one large set. Sometimes the screws are fastened with lock-tight or something too.

Many manufacturers use non-standard sizes, or an altered profile, to prevent a regular set of torx drivers from working. The hollow tips are a common one.
Torx is usually the best for these applications, but not the specific 'fuck-you' sizes that these assholes use.

[–] xyzzy 4 points (+4|-0)

Many manufacturers use non-standard sizes, or an altered profile, to prevent a regular set of torx drivers from working.

Or to avoid licensing fees, usually the vendors which are very strict when it comes to their patents.

Torx is used because it sticks to tools and can therefore be screwed by machines.

But I agree, there are way too many manufacturers which use proprietary or one way only screws.

[–] [Deleted] 2 points (+2|-0)

The hollow tips are a common one.

The hollow tips were known as tamper-proof screws. I had a set of drivers from when I worked on arcade machines. They made it much harder for the little shits customers to vandalize or break into the machines using daddy's tools.