x61s RAM Screw Won't Unsrew... it just spins and spins!

[Aristotle11]

So I get 2x2GB=4GB DDR2 ram for my x61s (which now has 2x1=2GB dual channel), and went to unscrew the ram plate and install the ram. I have done this procedure on many other thinkpads, so I don't think it is going to be difficult. But when I go to unscrew the second screw (farthest to the right when upside down and front, nonbattery side facing me), it just spins and spins. It doesn't spin entirely freely. It gives as much resistance to spinning as a normal screw would when unscrewing. It also spins infinitely in either direction, screwing in clockwise or unscrewing out counterclockwise. Either way, the screw won't budge. It doesn't lift at all.

How do I get this thing off? I have extra screws for it, so that is not a problem. It is also under warranty, so I am tempted to send it in (although I don't know if they would fix this for free, since I only want to put in my own ram and not theirs).

I also thought I might take the whole thing apart and see what is spinning, but I have never done that.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Aris

[Harryc]

Drill off the screw head and see whats going on underneath. Sounds to me like a broken, missing, or stripped threaded mount point. Do not let metal filings get into the machine.

Edit: Now that I think about it, the X61s RAM lid screws may be captive to the cover, in other words drilling the head off might not do any good because the screw itself is part of the lid. I'm not positive about this, but something to keep in mind.

[Aristotle11]

Yes, the screw is captive in the cover. If I drill it out, I won't have a screw there, which would make the cover stick out a bit I think.

I think by two options are to (a) use the warranty or (b) take the whole motherboard out. How hard is it to take the whole motherboard out to change the ram?

I also read (p. 93 of the service manual) that removing the motherboard required removing the DIMM cover. Is that really necessary?

Thanks,
Aris

[Harryc]

I think I'd get a new cover and drill out the screw vs systemboard removal.
http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-Lenovo-X60-X61- ... 563b137db9
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-IBM-X61-X61S-DI ... 1c11edc316

[Aristotle11]

Harryc, Thanks so much for the links! I think that is the way to go. Do you think lenovo would cover this under warranty?

[Harryc]

Yes I think they would cover it.

[virge]

Try putting upward pressure on the screw while turning it. You can do this by pulling up slightly on the ram cover plate. Sometimes this will allow the threads on the screw to catch if they are slipping. If that doesn't work, then you can go the warranty route. No harm done.

[GrandMasterKhan]

They will cover it under warranty but I think you should stop messing with it before it gets worse. Scenario analysis ie you keep trying to unscrew and strip the screw. So know it looks like there was nothing wrong and YOU stripped the screw and/or threads on the cover/casing. Result? Reject request for warranty service. Bottom line? You hurt yourself by messing with it. Braddah, sometimes doing less is more. Less can be better not worse than more.