Removing a cpu heatsink?

Allright, I have done this before on a number of other systems, however I am working on an older system with what I suspect is an aftermarket cooler on a tray processor. The system is an old amd athlon 64 based on an msi motherboard.

The usual large black retaining mount for the heatsink and fan on the back were removed as was the fan itself, the crossbar with locking lever and fan were as well. My problem is that the heat sink itself is secured by another crossbar across it that is secured by jewelry screws to something, the front mount for the fan blocks access to those screws, and while loose doesn't move enough to give access nor does there appear anyway to do much else with it, outside those screws.

I am putting an athlon 64 x2 into the motherboard because I had one lying around and thought I'd upgrade my home data server a bit. Now I'm frustrated because I can't figure this one out. Any ideas?

In theory there is a small chance that the cross heat sink peice is just secured to the heat sink and nothing else , and that the resistance is just old thermal compound that has become cement. I don't want to force it and risk breaking the socket underneath though. Under the whole asembly I can see the edges of the cpu socket that should have its own locking bar for the cpu itself on it, I have zero access to that however. Any suggestions? I'm fairly sure this isn't the stock heat sink though it is fairly similiar to it, but have removed and replaced cpus from athlon 64 x2 and they didn't have this second cross peice and screw system.