help! Broken PCIe Latch

[ElFather12]

I was trying to remove my GPU from my PC for safe transportation since it's a really big GPU, and the road is bumpy. I didn't want anything to snap. I also have a big CPU cooler, and paired with the big GPU, I have a hard time reaching the release latch. I took a thin screwdriver and pushed down, and that is when it snapped. Fortunately, the latch disengaged, so I was able to pull out the GPU safely. What do I do? Should I try to fix it? 

As you can see in the pictures, only half the latch broke; the other half still works, but I'm worried that if I were to reseat my GPU, I would break it trying to take it out again because the other half of the latch is covered by the GPU itself.    

[Hinjima]

5 minutes ago, ElFather12 said:

I was trying to remove my GPU from my PC for safe transportation since it's a really big GPU, and the road is bumpy. I didn't want anything to snap. I also have a big CPU cooler, and paired with the big GPU, I have a hard time reaching the release latch. I took a thin screwdriver and pushed down, and that is when it snapped. Fortunately, the latch disengaged, so I was able to pull out the GPU safely. What do I do? Should I try to fix it? 

As you can see in the pictures, only half the latch broke; the other half still works, but I'm worried that if I were to reseat my GPU, I would break it trying to take it out again because the other half of the latch is covered by the GPU itself.    

 

 

This happens all the time   This is a very common issue, more common than you would think.

 

Just seat the GPU back into the slot carefully when you want to install the GPU and it should be fine, the latch itself is not crucial for the GPU to work.

A GPU stand might be benficial to keep the GPU from sagging and slowly sliding out of the slot if the latch won't grab the GPU.

 

Other than that, I see nothing that would prevent you from using your GPU.

[ElFather12]

1 minute ago, Hinjima said:

This happens all the time   This is a very common issue, more common than you would think.

 

Just seat the GPU back into the slot careful when you want to install the GPU and it should be fine, the latch itself is not crucial for the GPU to work.

A GPU stand might be benficial to keep the GPU from sagging and slowly sliding out of the slot if the latch won't grab the GPU.

 

Other than that, I see nothing that would prevent you from using your GPU.

Thanks so much, man. This is my first ever PC build I've had for less than a year, and I was really scared I screwed up big time.

[Dedayog]

1 minute ago, ElFather12 said:

Thanks so much, man. This is my first ever PC build I've had for less than a year, and I was really scared I screwed up big time.

No bog deal, as said above.

 

Conversely, you could have just placed the PC on its side so the GPU is vertical and drove just fine.  That way the forces are up and down on the slot rather than torquing it.  I have done so more than a dozen times without issue. 

[freeagent]

Next time give the GPU a wiggle side to side to find center and gently pull up while depressing the latch, it should help.

[Hinjima]

1 hour ago, ElFather12 said:

Thanks so much, man. This is my first ever PC build I've had for less than a year, and I was really scared I screwed up big time.

Nah, this is such a common thing. I see this all the time  

Its a minor 'problem', I wouldn't even call it a problem.  I think a minor inconvenience is what I am looking for here.

 

As mentioned, there is nothing that would stop the GPU from functioning 100% even with a broken latch as long as its seated correctly.

It'll work just fine   Just be a bit careful next time.

 

[Blue4130]

I'd remove the other half of the broken latch as well. Once you put the GPU back in, you won't be able to remove it again with that other part of the latch locking it in place since you can't release it from under the gpu. Better to go with 100% NO latch than a half broken one.

[Pusbucket]

Just broke the latch on my new Gigabyte board.

At first it worked great with a larger tab to push down on. 

worked a charm when brand new the day I built the system. But after just under two weeks of heat and use, it was hopelessly stuck and I broke it.

Luckily the whole mechanism is a simple pressure fit hinge so it popped off easy with some needlenose pliers. 

My system isn't a tower, so no concerns about a sagging card.

Had to pull the GPU to install a heatsink on my 990 pro ssd. worth it, idle temps dropped by ~ 10 degrees.