Stuck SATA cables

[BackwoodsBob]

There has to be a trick to this.
The sata connectors with the metal clip/lock on them.
I can squeeze on them until my fingers hurt and not get them to release.
I have ripped out the connector on a board once trying to get the stupid thing out.
Whats the trick? I have tried pushing against the board like you would automotive connectors and no love...

 

[Toothless]

Wiggle wiggle. Do the worm with the connector.

 

[Mussels]

you just push the metal in, and pull the cable out. If you've got some getting stuck, they're damaged.


per this image, you would push "down" as you removed them

 

[BackwoodsBob]

you just push the metal in, and pull the cable out. If you've got some getting stuck, they're damaged.


per this image, you would push "down" as you removed them

Yeah yeah! those guys right there.
Push down against the board, yeah?
squeeze the little clip on it as hard as you need to and it SHOULD come out, right? I shouldn't have to get the pliers after it to give it enough squeeze, right? I have had about 50% success rate getting these to come out. About half my computers have an extra sata cable that just wont come loose.

 

[Mussels]

push against the board? no

you push it into the cable - you push the raised part flat

 

[erocker]

Get a flathead screwdriver that small enough to fit in there, get it in there apply a little pressure and it should come out.

 

[Mussels]

I cant help but wonder if you're doing something really wrong and BREAKING them on inserting/removing....

You push the metal tab in towards the cable, and only slightly. it should not bend into a new position or anything.

 

[AltCapwn]

Get a flathead screwdriver that small enough to fit in there, get it in there apply a little pressure and it should come out.

I use that trick with RJ45 cables too. I should quit eating my finger nails...

 

[maxfly]

Once you get them out. Burn them. Go to monoprice and get new ones
I hate those things.

 

[Hueristic]

Do not pull out before pushing down but if you have and the clip is stuck try pushing in with force and then depress and pull out. there are some real junk cables that can get hung if pulled before being depressed.

 

[delshay]

If you push down on the metal tab as far as you can & it does not release with a light pull, then bend the tab the other way (ever so slightly) so that it sticks out more, then you push down on the tab again & it should release.

I use this type of leads as it prevents data loss if computer has a sudden shock applied to the case,

 

[TheLostSwede]

Never, ever in my life had an issue with them. Just push to release. So much better than the kind without locks that fell out when barely touched at times.
Maybe do a dry run with a cable not attached to anything to figure out the mechanical aspect of the lock if you're tearing off board connectors.
As pointed out, it's really simple, if you lay the connector on a flat surface, just press it like you'd press a door bell button. The force should go down in this case, not towards the edge of the connector (i.e. the part that's inserted in to connector).

 

[Mussels]

You arent like... pulling the tab OUT to release them are you?

 

[BackwoodsBob]

Seeing as I can get about half of them out, I guess I am not doing anything wrong. The bend the tab out so it goes in further when squeezed trick might be just the ticket.
I am guessing they are just junk locks on them that need to be massaged.
Thanks for the replies.

 

[delshay]

Depending on the location of all the SATA socket, when all are filled you may not have access to all the locking tab. This means you have to remove them in a certain order. If I want to remove a cable near the centre, then I use needle nose pliers to pinch the tab & gently pull, simple because there is no access when you have five SATA socket in a line.

 

[maxfly]

Seeing as I can get about half of them out, I guess I am not doing anything wrong. The bend the tab out so it goes in further when squeezed trick might be just the ticket.
I am guessing they are just junk locks on them that need to be massaged.
Thanks for the replies.

I doubt very highly your doing anything wrong. Theyre just mass produced, poorly designed 2 cent junk cables that will bring out the worst in anyone. You go in expecting a simple 2 second process but you find yourself having to perform surgery to disconnect a shitty little cable lol! So you have to baby them off or they fall apart or worse yet (as youve found) they pull your ports apart if you get frustrated with them.
Ive got a box full of the useless buggers, i refuse to bother with them. Probably 80-90% of them are faulty out of the box. No matter how hard you try they wont unlock without a fight. The others are easy peasy but thats rare. Not to mention most are made of hard plastic so they're a pita to hide and ugly to boot. Rather than set myself up for frustration i just toss em in my junk box. Why bother. Of course every time you buy a mb you get another wad of them so ive got more of these useless sobs than i care to count.
OK end o rant

Obviously its an easy solution for most, particularly for me. Ive only got one sata ssd in my main rig. So i only needed to buy a couple sleeved cables to match my bitfenix alchemy psu cables and done. For everything else i managed to catch a sale at monoprice or ppcs (i forget which) and nabbed a 10 pack of black, sleeved sata cables for like 4 bucks that are nice and pliable and look good in any rig i throw them in
Oh! And guess what? These sata cables with no locks. They actually stay connected like theyre supposed to. Whodathunk? hahahaha

 

[BackwoodsBob]

Theyre just mass produced, poorly designed 2 cent junk cables that will bring out the worst in anyone. You go in expecting a simple 2 second process but you find yourself having to perform surgery to disconnect a shitty little cable lol! So you have to baby them off or they fall apart or worse yet (as youve found) they pull your ports apart if you get frustrated with them.

Oh! And guess what? These sata cables with no locks. They actually stay connected like theyre supposed to. Whodathunk? hahahaha

 

[jboydgolfer]

if you use a pair of needle nosed pliers & grab the metal latch where you depress it with your finger, & pull parallel with the cable, away from the sata plug, while bracing the female end with your non dominant hand it will come out (the locking latch). its flimsy metal, it will bend even if its currently plugged in. you just need to be cautious. worst case scenario, there are many sata plugs on a motherboard, if you do damage one, or need to abandon one, whats the loss?

im offering this suggestion only as a last resort, if the choices above are not acceptable. ive removed them from motherboards in the past, & it did no damage, that doesnt mean you wont. just keep in mind, if you DO this method, youre only pulling on the metal latch, not the plastic plug. youre meant to brace the male plug & the female outlet, while pulling the metal tab with the pliers, just like in the video. it might be best to remove the motherboard from the case, so you can properly secure & address the issue.

 

[cornemuse]

Happened to me too. I could not get the plug removed, I pulled the plastic part of the mobo socket off. Took an hour to finally get it back on the metal contacts & finally superglueing it back on. I STOPPED using the locking/latching cables on the mobo.

 

[delshay]

I've never had any problems with SATA cable that has a locking latch. Just press & it releases with little to no effort ..If anything the snap-in cable if pulled at the wrong angle put more stress on the SATA socket when removing.