Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
floppy can damage the data on the disk. Fortunately, floppy disks aren't used that much
anymore. Hard drives are shielded by a metal case; optical drives are not affected because
they're not magnetic; and memory and other chips are not affected by magnetic fields (unless
they are magnitudes stronger than what you'll see in a hand tool).
Tweezers or a parts grabber like the one shown in
Figure 20.2
can be used to hold any small screws
or jumper blocks that are difficult to hold in your hand. The parts grabber is especially useful when
you drop a small part into the interior of a system; usually, you can remove the part without
completely disassembling the system.
Figure 20.2. The parts grabber has three small metal prongs that can be extended to grab a
part.
Finally, make sure your kit has several sizes of Torx drivers or bits; a Torx driver has a star-shaped
head that matches the special screws found in some systems (see
Figure 20.3
)
. Torx screws are
superior to other types of screws for computers because they offer greater grip and the tool is much
less likely to slip. The most common cause of new motherboard failures is the use of slotted
screwdrivers that slip off the screw head, scratching (and damaging) the motherboard. I never allow
slotted screws or a standard flat-bladed screwdriver anywhere near the interior of my systems. You
also can purchase tamperproof Torx drivers that can remove Torx screws with the tamper-resistant
pin in the center of the screw. A tamperproof Torx driver has a hole drilled in it to allow clearance
for the pin. Torx drivers come in a number of sizes, the most common being the T-10 and T-15.
