Screws in projector connection won't stay put

[chellrose]

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook. It has a standard port/plugin/whatever on the back so one can hook up an external monitor, projector, etc. I'm not sure what the plug is called, but it's one of the big ones with 2 screws like you see on a lot of monitors and projectors.

The port on my laptop has 2 "holes" for the 2 screws. These "holes" are attached to the laptop by screws of their own.

Anyhow, I connect the projector to my laptop by plugging it in and tightening the screws. When I'm done, and I go to disconnect the projector plug, at least one of the screws brings its "hole" with it. The laptop would no longer have a place to tighten in the screw from the projector plug. (Although I do disconnect the "hole" from the projector plug and screw it back into the laptop.)

I've very nearly lost this "hole" several times, and I use it in a big lecture hall with connections in the floor and so on. The "hole" has nearly inserted itself in a power outlet at least once. I would, of course, prefer to avoid that scenario. So my question is, is there a good way to make the "holes" stay in the laptop? A friend suggested Lock-Tite, but that didn't hold. He also said that super glue would be a bad idea.

Thanks. Sorry for the lack of appropriate computer-hardware vocabulary; I have no idea what these parts are actually called.

[ajgreeny]

It sounds as if it is the standard VGA cable with screw connections, and unfortunately what you describe is fairly common, and happened to me on my previous desktop machine..

All I can suggest is that you get some narrow nosed pliers and make sure the "hole" as you call it, ie the nut into which the screw on the cable fits, is as tightly fixed as possible, without breaking the laptop case structure, of course.

Then next time you attach the projector using the VGA cable make sure you only tighten the screws enough to hold the cable in place; it really does not need to be screwed in as tightly as you appear to have done in the past.

[zealibib slaughter]

a very small amount of jb weld placed on the threads very carefully will fix this. i would suggest a toothpick.

[chellrose]

Excellent. Thanks! I'll try both of those things.

[Cheesemill]

This probably isn't an option in your case but I always used to end up leaving the screws on the cable permanently screwed into the 'holes', and just screwing these in and out of the laptop.