A hard disk drive (HDD) top cover removal tool includes a nest assembly, a clamp, a guide plate, and a purge and vacuum assembly (PAVA). The nest assembly secures an HDD and rotates it from a first to a second position. The clamp presses against a top cover of the HDD such that the top cover maintains contact with a hard drive body of the HDD. A hole defined in the guide plate is aligned with a screw location of the top cover and the hard drive body, and receives a screw driver for removing a screw fastening the top cover to the hard drive body. The PAVA purges and evacuates particles from the screw location of the top cover and the hard drive body of the HDD in the second position. The clamp releases the top cover. The PAVA removes the released top cover from the hard drive body.