# Torx Screws



## ramtec (Nov 26, 2002)

Does anyone know where to get the torx screws from? My newest ebay unit didn't come with any so I need five.


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## Rob Nespor Bellis (Feb 17, 2001)

My best guess would be Maplin. If you have one local pop down there with the ones you need from the other TiVo so you can match them up. 

Rgds,

R.


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## ramtec (Nov 26, 2002)

thanks I'll give them a try


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## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

Ordinary PC case/PCI card slot screws will normally do the trick if you're not bothered about restoring to 'original' spec


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## ramtec (Nov 26, 2002)

blindlemon said:


> Ordinary PC case/PCI card slot screws will normally do the trick if you're not bothered about restoring to 'original' spec


Thanks blindlemon did think of these but didn't want to damage the thread on the tivo.


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## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

There's no thread on the case or drive support - just a bit of metal with a hole in it 

Any screw with the same diameter and thread pitch will be fine - doesn't have to be a torx.


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## ericd121 (Dec 12, 2002)

Also, the case is (normally) so tight, are screws necessary?


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

There are only 3 Torx screws on the exterior of the Tivo case you need to remove to take it off. These are at each corner on the back and in the top middle on the back. And the top middle screw doesn't seem necessary as most of us with a Cachecard run without it and have bent up the part of the casing the middle screw would go through in order to pass through a network card lead. If you are missing a 4th and 5th torx screw off the back of your Tivo those are screws that normally shouldn't be removed.

There are also two torx screws holding down each of the hard drive brackets inside the Tivo and then each hard drive is screwed to the bracket below with four more screws (still Torx I think).

Any competent independent specialist hardware shop selling screws ought to keep Torx screws in this size - although sadly there are less and less such places left and my local one closed down 3 or 4 years ago. You can forget the likes of B&Q and Sainsburys Homebase though as they only sell screws that shift in large quantities.


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## 6022tivo (Oct 29, 2002)

Normal PC screws are ok, also someone has already said it, but I have not had any rear screws on mine for a while, the case is as snug as a bug in a rug.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

6022tivo said:


> Normal PC screws are ok, also someone has already said it, but I have not had any rear screws on mine for a while, the case is as snug as a bug in a rug.


But why are bugs always snug in rugs is what I want to know.

Surely a bug would in fact dry out horribly inside a rug?


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

While the type of head doesn't matter, its isn't advisable to replace a self-tapping screw with a screw of a different thread size, since that can open up the hole a bit more, or weaken its edge. In fact, they used to advise replacing screws in the same hole as they came out of, although I've always considered that a bit excessive.

I can't remember whether a TiVo has pre-threaded holes (e.g. with a nut welded on to the case), uses self-threading screws with a (hard) sprung clip for the screw to locate in, or just uses self-threading screws through (soft) sheet metal. The latter is where any weakness shows up.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

iankb said:


> The latter is where any weakness shows up.


Seems to be the latter method on the back of the Tivo case although seems more like a proper thread for the Torx screw holes that the hard drive brackets are secured by.

I already have one of my holes on the back in which the Torx screw no longer grips securely.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

I've never put them back; the lid stays very firmly on without them!


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## healeydave (Jun 4, 2003)

How many do you want?


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## ramtec (Nov 26, 2002)

healeydave said:


> How many do you want?


Five would be good if you can accommodate healeydave. I know some have posted that the back has only three screws (which I aware of), but my post didn't make things too clear ,sorry, the reason for five is that two are missing off the hard drive too, which I def. need to secure.


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## healeydave (Jun 4, 2003)

You have a PM.


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