hp pro 6300 small form factor desktop lid wont come off

[firstchoicecomp]

I just got 2 of these in from a refurb guy and i cannot remove the top to save my life.  I am a big ole boy and have plenty of hand and arm strength, not to mention I have been doing this 30 years.  I have worked on hundreds of these HP sff and never seen this before?  Is there a way they locked the lids beside the obvious loop in the back.  I even used a small pry bar and I can bend this thing like you would not believe but the top don't budge.  Shine a flashlight inside and do not see anything unusual?

[DGroves · Accepted solution]

sometimes the case gets warped, or the handle you pull up to release the latching hooks does not actually fully disengage

visualise your hand pointing fingers down, now now curl one finger, that's what the two hooks look like they engage the metal frame of the case on either edge of the with of the latch

if you carefully fiddle with it using a small flat bladed screwdriver you might be able to push them back, both are connected to the same pivot rod, so moving one will also move the other