How to attach a new TV to an existing wall mount

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

1. 1
   looking up the manual or brand of the mount online
2. 2
   buying correct-sized screws from a hardware store
3. 3
   using washers to prevent overly long screws from bottoming out
4. 4
   hiring a professional to reposition or replace the mount
5. 5
   Securing the mount directly using heavy-duty toggle bolts in drywall along with screws into a single metal stud
6. 6
   Installing a plywood or melamine backer board spanning multiple studs to distribute the load before mounting

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.