Opening a SNES without the special screwdriver?

[Elledan]

My housemate's SNES seems to have given out suddenly and won't power on. AC adapter is still good, so the problem is inside the console itself. Obviously no regular screws were used, but these special flower petal-like ones. My housemate doesn't want to get the screwdriver for these screws (8 Euro is too much, apparently) but may get another cheap SNES instead. I still would like to take a look inside and see whether it's something I could fix, like a blown fuse or cap.

Anyone has an idea of how to open this unit without damaging it? I did some googling and saw a few approaches that could work, but I lack a Dremel to modify a screwdriver and some other methods I didn't fully understand how to use them.

 

[dezertrat]

just buy the security drivers, then you can open all kinds of stuff

 

[iGamer]

Yea aren't they torx screws or somehting? I wish I still had my SNES, the original top gear was awesome! I guess I could get an emu, but its not the same.

 

[BrainEater]

I believe they are 'torx security screws'.

3 bux at a tool store , gets you the bit.

 

[iGamer]

I believe they are 'torx security screws'.

3 bux at a tool store , gets you the bit.

I think you're right, too lazy too check myself, so I'll just go with that

 

[Elledan]

This site has some info on it: http://casemod.wikia.com/wiki/SNES_disassembly
Picture of the screws in question: http://casemod.wikia.com/wiki/File:SNES-10.jpg
Wiki page on Torx: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx

Seems like it isn't Torx as it doesn't have the (inverted) star shape.

This thread is informative: http://assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20487

Okay, so the official name is indeed "external linehead" and the exact size designations are ALH2 - ALH6.

 

[BrainEater]

Yep thats not torx.

An 'external torx' socket *might* work tho...

If it were me , I'd take a flat head screwdriver that was large enough , and file it into a 'spanner'.

 

[Smiffy]

I had to open a SNES a few years ago but didn't have the bit, so I melted the end of a biro and let it set over the screw, then you can just unscrew it.

This is a biro in case it's not a universal term...

 

[swatbat]

I had to open a SNES a few years ago but didn't have the bit, so I melted the end of a biro and let it set over the screw, then you can just unscrew it.

This is a biro in case it's not a universal term...

I've done this as well in a pinch. I have a real tool in the 2 sizes nintendo uses somewhere now.

 

[Elledan]

The melting pen thingy method I have seen before, but also reports of the plastic wearing away when the screws were somewhat tight or the plastic too soft. Creating a custom spanner screwdriver may be a subtle method but I have noticed that one can buy these bits at hardware stores as well. My housemate has a bunch of them, but not in the 4.5 mm gap size required for the SNES. Time to look around some more, I guess

 

[Zero82z]

Speaking as someone who has done this before, it's really a bitch without just getting the proper bit and using it.

 

[Elledan]

Speaking as someone who has done this before, it's really a bitch without just getting the proper bit and using it.

Yeah, that's what I am thinking too I'm currently asking around on some IRC channels for people who also live in the Netherlands and have the bit lying around so that I can borrow it for a bit (har!) I think I found one who does, but he has to dig through a pile of 'o stuff to find out whether he still has it.

Also thinking of replacing these security screws with regular ones for easier maintenance in the future.