Removing Heatsink issues.

[applash]

My friend who has never built a PC before decided "oh why not, i'll try and build it myself." Thinking his experience in a High School Level engineering class would be enough for him to build it. Anyway when he was installing the CPU he did not know you were suposed to link up the Arrows. I'm praying nothing is broken as far as that goes. Now this part is where it gets weird. I'm not sure if he installed it wrong or this model just sucks but the heatsink seems near impossible to remove. The latch handel does not work and it dosen't seem to be possible to pop the latches with a screwdriver. I've never had problems like this when it comes to heatsinks before which leads me to believe he put it on wrong. Any ideas?

I made a video showing the issues. Ignore my friend trying to break it.

http://vimeo.com/25633628

[zburns]

On your video I can see the tip of the spring loaded bracket that slips thru to the other side but this bracket goes thru over the heat sink. You should have paper instructions on how to install the heatsink; installing this 'tough' bracket is the last thing you do. You should be able to visually see how one end sticks thru a fixed bracket on one side -- that you can do nothing with. On the opposite side, there should be an obvious small L shaped bracket about 3/4" per leg. Look at this right angle bracket -- you can push it down (it is hard to do), and get it to disengage from under the piece of metal that is holding it in place.

Better that you look at the paper instruction and try to 'reverse' engineer the install process, but hopefully you have the paper and it coincides with what I am saying.

It should not be hard to figure it out. Pushing down on the little right angle bracket is hard to do, does take some force. Before you do it, look carefully at 'HOW' to do it --common sense. It should be easy to do!

EDIT: I just looked at the video again, the part you push on is towards the center of the mobo. Again, use my post to see if it agrees with the 'heat sink install instructions' that your friend had to have. You have to compare what I said to paper instructions; if you cannot do this, make sure you understand what I am saying and look at the part so see if 'my dialogue makes sense'.

EDIT 6:20 pm EST: Not sure what I am looking at on your video. The bracket you are flipping is part of 'a latch' that holds the heat sink on -- yes or no? If it is, my instructions will not work; in this case, you have to have instructions that came with the heat sink.

All I can tell you on the heat sink that I am talking about, there is one single chromed steel bracket that goes thru and on top of the heatsink. It engages on one side by pushing thru a slot. The other side on 'my type' heat sink takes some force to push it down and cause it to clip up under part of the assembly.

Back to your situation, the bracket I see you thumbing with and getting a little movement. Is it suppose to engage with 'a rotating cam like piece of metal' to push the heatsink down OR was the bracket (handle) attached to something and has broken off? You should be able to look at it and figure it out -- got to be simple. If the bracket or handle is part of the heat sink assembly and there does not appear to be anything broken -- again you should be able to look at it and figure it out. Good Luck!!

EDIT 6:25PM: Here I am again, looked at some AVC models and on one, I see a handle with a CAM design that pushes down as the handle is rotated to horizontal. There is a rectangular small plate with a hole in it underneath the cam surface. The cam pushes down on the steel bar or plate that goes thru the heatsink and you hook the small plate with hole over something attached to the mobo -- that is where your tension comes from. Here is what I am looking at: http://www.avc.com.cn/ediy/products/Frozen%20Fighter.htm

If you do not have the instructions and cannot figure it out, do a post with the name of heat sink, manufacturer, and the part # off the heat sink -- can probably find the instructions on the internet at the mfgs website. I will find them, try to figure it out and post back to you.