Could you provide a picture? Something sounds off, like you’re conflating the CPU with something else, or you’ve missed a step.

So I might be missing something, but it’s not these. I built this PC from parts, so I know all these steps.

I would post a picture, but honestly, the PC is built and in the case right now. I might want to swap the motherboard soon though (and last time I tried removing the CPU from this motherboard, I faced this issue and gave up), which is why I am asking.

MSI B650 Gaming Plus WIFI is the motherboard, it sounds weird yes, it sounds like there shouldn’t be something surrounding the CPU, but the CPU literally goes in the “hole” and is surrounded by it.

Just gonna throw this idea out there since you’ve addressed all of the potential mistakes. It looks like if you can grab the CPU by the top, then you can pull it out, right? If so, anytime in doing a construction project and need to do this sort of maneuver, I just put something adhesive like tape it got glue on the top of the part I need to extract (the CPU in your case), then that gives me something to grab onto so I can pull the thing out.

Glue or suction cup might work, yes (though with glue, I’d be scared of damaging something if the glue for example grabs something wrong too).

Also, someone mentioned about the gaps on the sides of socket for fingers to fit that I did not know, so that might work too.