Hello, i have a 3 1/2 year old Dell Dimension 3000.

Everything is OK with it, but i want to upgeade the RAM and put a new hard disk in it.

Bought the stuff, but now i'm stuffed! Because, i can't open the case. its got security screws on it. i asked Maplin electronics about it and they said i would have to go to Dell to ask. Well, i will, but i was just wondering if anyone knew what it is i am supposed to ask Maplin for. Maplin might sell them, but i have to know what i'm asking for. Does anyone know what type of screwdriver set i am after. One of the reasons i am reluctant to ask Dell, is they may only sell them to me if i go on a course, and i am not going to spend any REAL money on such an old machine.

Any help, as always, would be greatly appreciated.

i live in UK, I bought a set of screwdriver bits from ASDA (owned by Walmart) for about £2.50/ 5 dollars. There are about 15 different shapes for all kinds of security screws.
But I have also had success before by wedging a normal screwdriver in or modifying a normal screwdriver with a file.
I would not think they were really tight screws (like they might be on a car)so i would have thought you could shift them fairly easily.

Do a Google search for "security bits" and you should get some help.

If the screw head appears as a star with a peg in the middle, you are looking for Torx Security driver bits or screwdrivers.

Confirm with google search from Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_10664

Scroll down.

There is nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.

Did you ever RTFM at the link below? There is a LATCH, not screws that secure the cover, as shown on Page 52!!

http://support.dell.com/support/edo...

Go back to Maplin electronics & tell them to always first RTFM before recommending anything to naive customers.

i_Xp/VistaUser

OH! The easy way. :)

I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you peanut.

peacock

If it turns out you do need the security bits I bought a set of 100 different security bits for like $5 from a place called Harbor Freight Tools. They sell online too.

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpi...

Drill them off, the torque will spin em off.
compaq used torx havnt seen dell use them.

re Xpuser 'you know he's right!'

http://home.comcast.net/~affordable...

the day dell use anything secure will be the last, sounds like some ones had the pc before you.

Well thank 'you all'. i didn't expect quite so many responses.

Reply to No. 4 - XP User
There is no latch cover as detailed on P52. It does say its not on all models and it defintely isn't present on this one.

There four screws and the best picture i can give you, is they look like this....

(.)
The () is really circular and beveled sharply to the surface, where is fits flush to the surface. So you can't get any grip on it.

The . is a circular hole with a diameter of about 1mm.

You cannot see any shape for the screw head. I would have to shine a bright torch into the hole i guess. The hole has a depth of about 1cm.

Anyone seen anything like it? Can anyone help?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ct...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ct...

http://www.action-electronics.com/e...

http://search.ebay.com/security-bit...