Need Advice: Opening computer hard drives from laptops

What do I need to buy to loosen the extremely tiny screws found on a computer's hard drive? I think both of my hard drives that I have are from laptops. My standard hex wrench set, both English and metric, are no where near small enough. What do you guys use to open these things? I am just trying to get any gold pins or fingers out, circuit board, the hard drive plates, and any aluminum. Hammering until it comes apart might ruin these things, right? I tried to add photos, hopefully that works.

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I found this, but is this what I would need?
7-piece Precision Torx Driver Set

Thanks ahead for the help.

Don't laptop drives have glass platters?

I think the smallest one I had to buy was a T6 then a T7, that is short for torx,
Some real cheap kits won't go that small. I got those extras at a Menards dual purpose hardware/lumber store, cost me a buck each.
Then I have a kit but I lost the smaller ones which is why I had to get extras.
Here is what I started with; around 10 bucks

T-6-7

Originally Posted by AuburnEwaste

You are wasting time taking apart laptop hard drives. Whack them with a hammer and the glass platters will shatter. The boards are so light they are better sold as whole hard drives.

I guess it depends on the buyer. I get .60/lb for any laptop scrap which includes a hard drive tossed in the mix. I flick off the board and get my .0005 lb of HD board.. guess they add up to something over time.. where as I only get .42 for whole hard drives.

I suggest in the beginning to take apart everything you have time to do. It will broaden your knowledge and help you decide what to do with them in the future. Mike

Of all places, walmart has the tools you need in a neat and cheap red case with clear cover. It's advertised as a bit set with 1/8" drive bits, that's what you need. Ignore what looks to be a security torx, it is not. Use a T4 thru T7 on most (for me every laptop drive with torx screws so far) laptop drives.

Once open, be careful the platters are glass AND tempered meaning if you break them they wont just...crack, they explode into a billion pieces that can get in everything including eyeballs and skin, ask me how I know this.

That's your helpful answer. If you have difficulty getting the bit to fit, carefully use a fine side sharpening stone/hone or 500 grit sandpaper on the interface of the bit, when they are made they tend to round themselves and "grinding" them perpendicular makes them work better. Do this by hand, if you don't the heat will destroy the cheap temper and make your bit break.

It's all situational & everyone's situation is different. What's profitable for one might not be profitable for another. Your best friend is an inexpensive scale and a watch. Keep track of ALL the time you're putting in. Weigh up what you're getting out of it.

You might find that you're losing money with some things.

You might find that on some things you're only making one or two dollars per hour after taking out your operating expenses.

Other things might be more lucrative.

ETA: Just a suggestion: Once the boards are off the hard drives it's nearly impossible to ever get them operational again. It would take a data recovery lab & at least ten grand in specialized tools to do the job.

If you're concerned about data security pulling the board is really all you need to do. For all practical purposes anything beyond that is lost time / wasted effort on a low value item.