I'm trying to figure out how to remove the lever-controlled heatsink from my old Athlon X4 motherboard. I've already unscrewed the fan on top, but I'm stumped on how the lever system works. I don't want to risk breaking anything by forcing it, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
If it’s not moving at all, that might be because it's stuck from the thermal paste. A tip I learned the hard way: leave the computer on for about 10-15 minutes before you try to remove it. I once made the mistake of not doing this and ended up pulling the CPU right out with the heatsink. Not a fun experience!
To remove the heatsink, pull the lever towards you until it snaps into the opposite position. Then gently wiggle the cooler a bit to see if it’s stuck due to old thermal paste. If it moves freely, move the lever to the right to release the latch, and you should be able to pull the cooler off without any trouble. Just be careful!
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