Need help opening a case

[mmaruca]

Hi all! Newbie here.:D

Hoping someone is familar with this model of PC, or has a better grasp of opening a case than I have.

I'm trying to crack open the case on a TradeWIN (J-Model) by WIN Laboratories, Ltd.. for a friend of mine. The company has apparently gone out of business, so no support site is available.

The User's Manual doesn't say how to actually open the darned thing (I'm trying to replace the internal CD-Rom drive). The only screws are on the back panel. There's one Phillip's head screw at the top on the metal plate, but all of the other "screws" are not slotted, so I'm guessing I need some kind of a special tool to remove those(?).

Is anyone familiar with this particular PC, or have any suggestions on how to open this little bugger? If anyone even knows what kind of tool I need for these screws I'd be hugely indebted - they don't even appear to be for a torx screwdriver, because it's almost like a circular hole in each "screw" :confused:

Thanks in advance!
Mmaruca

[YODA74]

Hmm is this a tower or an old desktop like an old 486DX2 if it is the desk top model after you take out the screws you will have to slide the insides out.kind of stand it on end. If it is a stand up model should be just 2 to 4 screws holding the side unscrew them and pull the panel twords you.

[sleddog]

Please don't take this as an insult to your intelligence, but 'screws' with circular holes in the end sound suspiciously like rivets :)

Remove whatever phillips screws you can find. Try sliding the cover to the rear, try sliding it to the front, try lifting it up.

[BigBlue66]

You may have to remove the front bezel to get at the screws holding the sides on.

The Enlight 7237 is set up this way. After removing the front bezel, there is one lone screw holding the side panel on. Remove that and slide the panel towards the front of the case to remove it.

In order to remove the front bezel, one has to insert fingers underneath the bezel to release the clip-like thing that holds the bezel on. Once that's free, the bezel just pops off.

This may or may not be the same for your case, but it's worth a shot. Look at the bezel carefully to see if there is a simple way to remove it.

[mmaruca]

Thanks Yoda & Sleddog! The PC is a tower (approx. 3 yrs. old) and the weird thing is that the hard drive is in a drawer for easy removal - the info I've been able to dig up on it is that they were originally designed for ease of upgrading, so I'm guessing the cover is easy to remove & I'm just missing the trick.

mmaruca <- Bops self on the head - YUP! Rivet is the word I was looking for!

So am I safe in assuming the rivets are not intended to be removed? I removed the only phillip's head screw there was, and am trying with little success to get the cover off somehow. Now I'm trying to see if I can get the front facia off, in case that's where some magic lever is located. If all else fails, I'm thinking of trying a sledgehammer. Thanks for all your help!

:D

[YODA74]

So am I safe in assuming the rivets are not intended to be removed? I removed the only phillip's head screw there was



yes that is correct donnot remove the rivets.

http://me.icobb.com/photos/yoda74/cab.JPG

This is all pretty straight forward your going to have to make sure all screws are out and maybe pry on the panel to jar it loose maybe a small screw driver or a butter knife? sorry can't be more help without having the case in front of us.You probobly won't get the front off without being inside the case.

[Budfred]

Welcome to PCGuide!!

And congratulations on stumping this group!;)

I did an advanced search on Google and there isn't anything out there that I could find on the tech specs for that system. Have you considered a small butane blow torch??:D

I would look for hidden latches, prying off the face, and I would check the bottom of the box to see if there are any screws there. If you can, it would be helpful if you could post different angles of view of the box and we may be able to help more.

Budfred

[JUAN DOS]

This is probably a long shot, but here goes nothing.

If the visible but mysterious screws are truly screws, but of unfamiliar type, it is possible to cut a slot in the head of said screws using a dremmel with a metal cutting disk. I have come across weird screws like that on appliances where they only want a service tech to have access.

Right now I'm doing just that to a microwave that broke....
I've got the cover off now....
I wonder what this thingy is right h...............

[david eaton]

mmaruca Something of a long shot, but if the screw at the top is removed, is it possible to lift the top panel? I'm thinking that perhaps the top comes off, and reveals some more screws that hold the sides which then are removed upwards.


Budfred Really! suggesting a "small butane torch"! I have found oxy-acetylene to be quicker and cleaner! :D

That way you can just make a window in the side, and tape a freezer bag over it whan you are finished inside!

David

[mjc]

Me, I prefer my Binford 3500 high speed reciprocating saw with a carbide fine toothed metal cutting blade.....:D

Here (http://www.aaronssecurityscrews.com/free_table.htm) is a table of some of the most common types of security screws....

[mmaruca]

Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions! The computer is a friend of mine's, who only has dial-up (and AOL, at that) which connects at like 26-33K, so I was really trying to gather as much info as I could before this weekend, when I'll have a chance to work on it again.

I'll definitely try every piece of advice you guys gave (short of the blow torch) and let you know which of the magic tricks got the sucker open.

Thanks again for all of your help!
mm

[ranchdog]

...... Give it a Chainsaw Massacre. :D



RD.