HP Zbook G3 15 M.2 screwdriver size and removal of damaged screw

[Cesar1020]

I wanted to add a second M.2 NVMe disk to my HP Zbook G3 15, but I couldn't pass from the simple procedure of removing the holding screw.

The manual says it is a Phillips PM 2.0 x 3.5 screw.

I used a Phillips PH1 and/or PH0 screwdriver and it cam out several.

After a few tries it looked like this:

It seems like this particular screw was tightened at very high torque. An angry worker in the factory, may be?

I tried many other of the laptop screws I could see, just to try, and they loosen with very little effort, all of them except the one I had to remove.

After I took that photo I tried a few more times until the cross shape dissapared completely.

Two question:

1.- What is the proper screw driver to remove this screw?

2.- How do I remove the damaged screw?

Thanks in advance,

Cesar

[Huffer]

Stop chewing up the top of the screw. With some fine needlenose pliers try to get a grip on just the sides of the screw and start it turning. 

[Cesar1020]

Thanks, but yet, what is the proper screwdriver size?

Say if I want to also remove the current M.2 next to this empty slot.... I don't want to damage that one.

[Huffer]

I have the exact same laptop and used a Phillips head tech screwdriver I picked up at an Ace Hardware in a kit. I have had the M.2 disks in and out of it several times with no issues. You can tell when you put the screwdriver point in the slot if it is solidly engaged. 

Your choices to get that screw out are to use the needle nose pliers I mentioned which will not damage the adjacent slot if done carefully or tap the screw which is a bit dicey. You get a drill and a very thin bit and drill into the top of the screw until it seizes up then turn the screw with pliers. 

[Cesar1020]

Thanks for the advise on the nose pliers, I could get the screw out with that method.

What is the blue pain in the screw thread btw ?

Yet, I don't know what is the proper size of screwdriver to remove these screws? PH1, PH0, PH00?

I tried to remove the wlan card, which is under  I will install the new M.2,  so to get a good screw.

Well, I got the same result, the screw is screwed. I used the PH0.

What's wrong with this screws? They're tightened like if there's no tomorrow.

Do I need an special equipment?

[Huffer]

You should not. I see that blue paint all the time on laptop screws. I think it may be there either to keep the screw from rusting or so it easy to tell it is a new screw. The blue paint gets chewed off a bit when you screw in the screw.