gigabyte 9800 pro question

[pyoteman]

Hi all,

I'm about to attempt to replace the stock cooling on a Gigabyte 9800pro, 128
meg card with a VGA Silencer. I'm just wondering if anyone has removed the
stock cooler so that I know what to expect, namely what type of interface
material is used, how much effot is required to remove the heatsink and
clean off the core, and is the core level with the shim or is it recessed?
I really like this vid card and I'm a bit nervous about messing with it, so
any guidance would be appreciated. TIA

Pyoteman

 

[Wblane]

I took the heatsink off of my Sapphire 9800 Pro. I couldn't tell if the
heatsink was
flush w/the core, but the thermal interface material was toast. It was dried
out and flaky. From my own experience w/a 9500 Pro the most important thing is
to avoid putting too much pressure on the core when removing or replacing the
heatsink (you can crack the core if you're not careful, don't ask me how I
know).

Hi all,

I'm about to attempt to replace the stock cooling on a Gigabyte 9800pro, 128
meg card with a VGA Silencer. I'm just wondering if anyone has removed the
stock cooler so that I know what to expect, namely what type of interface
material is used, how much effot is required to remove the heatsink and
clean off the core, and is the core level with the shim or is it recessed?
I really like this vid card and I'm a bit nervous about messing with it, so
any guidance would be appreciated. TIA

Pyoteman

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

 

[pyoteman]

Well, I received my Arctic Cooling VGA silencer(ver 2) from NewEgg
yesterday, and my nervousness quickly faded as it usually does when I'm
holding a new piece of hardware in my hands. Without hesitation I pulled
the pins out of my Gigabyte 9800pro and tried to remove the heat sink. It
seemed at first to be glued on solidly, but continual pressure started to
produce a bit of movement. Eventually, it came loose with slow, steady
twisting. Underneath, I found a thermal phase change pad that looked like
it melted over the core(just as it should have). I cleaned it off, and
spread a thin film of Arctic Silver. I experimented by placing the new
heatsink on the core, and I got a perfect match, with a core sized smear of
paste being left on the heatsink, so I guess it is pretty flush with the
shim. I kept the shim on and proceeded to install the kit. It is working
well now, although the fan does not blow as much air as I hoped it would. I
can barely detect air flow at the back of the case, but I can feel heat so I
guess its working. Even on the high setting, the fan is not audible above
my other case fans. My Northbridge seems to be running about 2C cooler.
Maybe I will do some overclocking experiments tonight. Hopefully, this
experience will be of use to someone.

Pyoteman