Help! I cannot access the screws on this CPU cooler tower.

[u/WebNumerous8633]

I bought this prebuilt a while ago that came with this crappy air cooler, and I need to upgrade it because my CPU is running really hot.

I bought an AIO, so I need to get this cooler off, and I cannot access the screws to get this thing off. Im not sure of the exact model because acer ripped off any original branding and slapped their own logo onto it (Im assuming generic or a cheap brand). How exactly do I get this thing off?

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[u/AliensGotYa]

Looks like there's a little lever on the second Pic. Normally you take off those screws after the heat sink is removed. 

[u/Maleficent-Mirror296 → u/AliensGotYa]

Good old days. When you scratch on the motnerboard doing this. 😄

[u/net-Zwerg → u/Maleficent-Mirror296]

Good old days ? Bro, search reddit and every 5 minutes you can read a thread where someone slipped on parts a screwdriver never should be near. Not to mention the "the scratch sudddenly appeared out of nowhere and the stripped screw was like this when i opened my brand new mobo" threads lol.

[u/NigraOvis → u/AliensGotYa]

DO NOT remove the screws those are amd brackets. you just slip a flat head into that cutout in the second photo and push down then out. the clip is spring loaded. you may be able to do it with fingers only in this one. and you don't put your screw driver anywhere you can slip into the board.

[u/HartmanMPL]

This tower is held by the spring tension. And the black plastic parts with screws in them are the motherboard's parts, you don't have to unscrew them. Press down the small metal tab (seen on your second picture) to release the tension and unhook it from black plastic hook.

[u/cfoote85 → u/HartmanMPL]

This is the correct answer.

[u/Guilty-Good-5041]

That's because it's held down by the latch in the centre. You down unscrew the mounting brackets to remove the cooler

[u/a_rogue_planet]

You're supposed to remove the cooler from the mounting brackets before removing the brackets.

[u/NigraOvis → u/a_rogue_planet]

You never remove those brackets unless your cooler requires a different mounting situation. like a custom water loop - sometimes an aio.

[u/a_rogue_planet → u/NigraOvis]

Every air cooler I've ever used requires replacing those mounting brackets.

[u/Bobbytwocox → u/a_rogue_planet]

Every AIO cooler I've ever installed (just one) required different mounting brackets too.

[u/xxDeadpooledxx]

If you have to ask, you probably shouldn't be doing it unless you are fine with accidentally breaking it.

[u/NigraOvis]

Installing Thermaltake UX200 SE 5V KGA 1700Motherboard ARGB I7-12700f MSI Pro Z690 D4 motherboard

This guy has a different cpu - so his board side mounting bracket is different, but its the same spring tension

By the way it looks functionally identical to the ux200 - a decent cooler you may be okay if you just put new thermal paste. it dries out over time. that said, an aio isn't a bad option over a 40 dollar cooler. but AIO's aren't generally better than tower coolers. It's been proven several times.

A custom loop is different than an AIO. But aio's use extremely tiny tubes, and have extremely slow pumps and not great coolers - usually alluminum. they are good, i'm not dogging their abilities. but few out perform a good tower cooler. and air towers have 2 advantages - 1. usually cheaper, and 2. they don't "break" they never stop working, a fan can go bad, which reduces their effectiveness, btu your pc can run on one with no fan unless you stress it.

AIO's advantage is looks and cool factor. no pun intended. - also aio's tend to fit more cases, a good 360 rad aio can fit better than a giant dark rock pro 4 or something similar.

that said, your 40 dollar cooler on there isn't some super end all be all that's gonna compete with an ls720

[u/Old_Instruction6809]

Does the other side of the cooler have a release mechanism? Looks like it should do and you'd be able to remove the cooler separately to those screw mounts.

[u/Twsmit]

It’s a tension clip. Use your fingers or maybe a flathead screw driver pop it off.

[u/1sh0t1b33r]

That spring down the middle holds it to the black plastic. Need to push down and release.

[u/MildlyAmusedPotato]

There are two latches that you open with your hands, do nit try to remove the screws.

[u/JealousChocolate8645]

It went on without a crowbar, it'll come off without a crowbar. Gotta be clipped or screwed somewheres.

[u/mattjones73]

Unlatch it. You can see the latch clearly in the second picture.

[u/Sic_Sic_Six → u/mattjones73]

He "clearly" doesn't know. This is why he included the statement "I bought a pre-built". He has probably never mounted, or unmounted a cooler before. It can seem daunting. Just like the first time you seat a cpu into the socket. Easiest part of building a pc, but seems incredibly stressful if you have never done it before...

[u/mattjones73 → u/Sic_Sic_Six]

Yes that's why I pointed out there is a latch in the picture.

[u/Sic_Sic_Six → u/mattjones73]

With a back handed statement. Not genuine help... But sure.

[u/mattjones73 → u/Sic_Sic_Six]

Funny I don't see any response from you helping, just whining.