apparatus and methods for secure attachment of a heat sink to its respective retention clip as well as attachment to an electronic device are presented . one embodiment of a retention clip retention apparatus consists of a protruding hip depending from a side of a heat sink protrusion adapted to capture the retention clip between the hip and the heat sink body . one embodiment of a method for forming the hip consists of using a tool to deform the heat sink protrusion . one embodiment of heat sink lateral retention apparatus consists of one or more split bobbins adapted to attach to the retention clip to prevent lateral motion of the heat sink with respect to the clip .