Question Can't take out CPU cooler from the motherboard

[mujmuj]

I want to disassemble this cooler from my motherboard. There are of course 4 pins. I can easily plug out two pins. But the other pins are buried. How can I take that out?

I tried to take Part 1 apart from Part 2. But I couldn't do that either.

 

[MrN1ce9uy]

Part 1 is the fan. Part 2 is the heatsink.

The fan is clipped onto the heatsink. The heatsink is screwed to the motherboard. Both are removable.

Be sure to have thermal paste to re-apply if you remove the heatsink. Tip: Isopropyl Alcohol and cotton swaps clean up and remove old thermal paste.

*Edit: I could be wrong on the clip pull out. Most fans clip to the heatsink. I'm assuming that is the clip.

 

[mujmuj]

Thanks. But I can't see how to do the "pull out" part. How can I do that? Can I just try to brute-force using my big screw to take part 1 apart from part 2?

 

[CountMike]

Thanks. But I can't see how to do the "pull out" part. How can I do that? Can I just try to brute-force using my big screw to take part 1 apart from part 2?

Find and download instructions for that cooler. It's like MrN1ce9uy showed should be able to do it with finger nails, it's not strong spring and need to pull just a bit

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[mujmuj]

Oh wow yes I just did remove it manually.

Both part 1 and part 2 are very dirty. How best can I wash them?

 

[MrN1ce9uy]

Oh wow yes I just did remove it manually.

Both part 1 and part 2 are very dirty. How best can I wash them?

Compressed air for light dust. Warm soapy water and a scrub brush for caked on dust. Careful not to bend the fins of the heatsink. Maybe a wet wash cloth for the fan blades.

 

[geofelt]

The trick to removing a cooler is to heat it up first.
Running cpu-s bench will do the job.
Then power down and unplug the pc.
That softens the paste making the cooler easy to remove.
You may need to remove the fan to get access to the mounting screws.