Old Heatsink Removal Problem

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Shaina11

Shaina11

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Apr 23, 2014
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Restoring an old desktop. I'm about to repaste the CPU, however I cannot remove the heatsink as I have never dealt with this kind of a locking mechanism before. (Photos linked below.) I don't know whether to pull the latch up, or push it down. Either way it is firm, and I don't want to risk breaking for improper removal. If anyone knows what I should do here, please let me know.

Heatsink Photos
Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

P.S. On an unrelated note, the heatsink and chassis fan cables do not want to come out, and I don't want to break them by forcing. Does anyone have a suggestion for how I can get them free? There is very little room to reach them. (Photos linked below.)

Photo 1

Photo 2
 
Solution
U
Push down on the back of the black tab to get it off the socket clip then while holding it down pull up on the tip to clear the clip and release
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jollypirate

jollypirate

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Jul 18, 2014
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You should be able to remove the heatsink by getting the metal thing to unlock by messing with that plastic black part (i do forgot what you have to do specificaly) Try pulling out the cables with plirs or by benting the little plastic part on the outside.
 
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Shaina11

Shaina11

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Apr 23, 2014
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unksol said:
Push down on the back of the black tab to get it off the socket clip then while holding it down pull up on the tip to clear the clip and release
Click to expand...

When you are referring to the tip, do you mean the tip of the black tab, the side closest to the heatsink, or the end of the tab, where I'm pushing down? It's fighting back pretty hard, and I'm not sure I'll be able to lock it back once removed. :lol:

jollypirate said:
You should be able to remove the heatsink by getting the metal thing to unlock by messing with that plastic black part (i do forgot what you have to do specificaly) Try pulling out the cables with plirs or by benting the little plastic part on the outside.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response.

I'll have to try with some different tweezers, one that doesn't practically have a blade on the end. Or maybe a small pair of pliers might work if I'm careful. They put them in such a difficult place. Right between the heatsink, RAM, and they have a capacitor right behind one of them. :pfff:
 
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Shaina11

Shaina11

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Thanks for the info. I notice the chipset heatsink has little spring-type things in place of where screws would typically go. Any tips on how to release it? Also to lock it back? I know the machine's old, but it still runs. Just needs a repaste and a few replacements here and there. Once it's running better it'll be great for old 9x/DOS based games.
 
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Shaina11

Shaina11

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It looks like I might have to remove the motherboard to remove those springs... I'll try it with a screwdriver instead of removing the chipset first. The hard part is going to be relocking the heatsink in place.

EDIT:
I can't get the heatsink off right now, it's giving up a fight. Even with pliers and a screwdriver. I may have to take the whole motherboard out and try to remove the chipset heatsink's "pushpins" and hope I can use them again. Still not certain that will help, but for right now, the desktop is running, it doesn't overheat, I'll get back to this at a later date.

I was also still unable to safely remove the fan cables so I left them as is. Even if the chassis fan is plugged into the CPU fan, and vice-versa. (Not my fault, it came like that.)
 
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Shaina11

Shaina11

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Update:
Sorry for my massive delay. A while back I finally was able to remove the heatsink, turns out I was a goof and was pushing straight down on the tab, to the point where the chipset heatsink was in the way. Thus I thought I would have to remove the motherboard to remove the chipset heatsink's plastic clips from the back side, but as it turned out, I had to remove the CPU heatsink before I could get to the last two screws to remove the motherboard.

After a few days I attempted yet again to remove the heatsink. Eventually upon closer examination with a light, I soon realized that you have to push down on the back of the tab(closest to the heatsink) while pushing the back of the tab down, pull the front up, and then out. There's a locking tab on the CPU socket that I should've noticed from the beginning, it was so obvious.

Then I was a goober and when I tried to remove the heatsink, although noticing it was tougher than it should've been, the CPU came out of the socket with the heatsink, thus bending some pins. Thankfully the CPU still works, I just had to spend 45-90 minutes with a card and twissers examining and attempting to straighten the pins.

Bottom line is, problem solved. Thank you all for the suggestions, and again, sorry for the massive delay, I just hadn't got around to updating the thread yet.
 
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Shaina11

Shaina11

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Apr 23, 2014
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Though I still like to see my projects completed and running well. I don't like to start something and either screw it up or never finish it. Plus, I just like old technology for some reason. In fact, I'm building a vintage PC for DOS games.
 
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