I have an XFX 8800 Ultra XXX (675Mhz core stock), and got the Zalman VF1000 and RHS-88 heatsink for Christmas. I spent this morning going through the instructions, carefully removing the stock heatsink unit and installing the new Zalman exactly as the instructions dictated. I put the card back in my system, fired it up, and was happy to see that my idle temperature had dropped from 79C to 45C, quite an improvement I'd say.
So I spent the next hour relaxing, just listening to some music and browsing the net, when my monitor goes blank. System doesn't turn off, no beeps or anything, but no more display. I reboot, and still get nothing on the screen. I pop the door off my case, and notice a faint crackling noise, as if you were burning grease on a stove. I turn my system off, and reinstall the stock 8800 Ultra heatsink. Upon powering it up, I still get no display, and still hear the faint crackling noise.
I've filled out a warranty request with XFX (Their double lifetime warranty is modder friendly, and covers the card even if aftermarket HSF's have been installed), but in the meantime, I'm trying to figure out what caused this, so I don't repeat it when I get a new card and eventually install the VF1000 and RHS-88 once more.
Used the Zalman thermal paste that came with it for the core, spread evenly over the core with a credit card. For the RHS-88, I just used the thermal tape that came attached to it (yes I peeled off the protective film before installing
)
As far as I know the memory had good contact, as the RHS-88 is a big heatsink designed specifically to cool the 8800 Ultra/GTX ram chips, I/O chip, and other tiny electrical components. It uses thermal tape, and several spring-tensioned screws to mount tightly to the card. I'm positive I had good contact made, as when I unscrewed the screws, the heatsink still remained firmly attached to the card, and only came off after some back and forth wiggling. I can also see the imprints from the RAM, and read the numbers and crap that are printed to the top of the ram chips.
I'm currently running my system with my old 7800GTX, and it's not even close to the same raw power the 8800 Ultra XXX puts out. If anyone has any ideas as to what caused this, and/or if it can be reversed/avoided in the future, I'd greatly appreciate some input.
So I spent the next hour relaxing, just listening to some music and browsing the net, when my monitor goes blank. System doesn't turn off, no beeps or anything, but no more display. I reboot, and still get nothing on the screen. I pop the door off my case, and notice a faint crackling noise, as if you were burning grease on a stove. I turn my system off, and reinstall the stock 8800 Ultra heatsink. Upon powering it up, I still get no display, and still hear the faint crackling noise.
I've filled out a warranty request with XFX (Their double lifetime warranty is modder friendly, and covers the card even if aftermarket HSF's have been installed), but in the meantime, I'm trying to figure out what caused this, so I don't repeat it when I get a new card and eventually install the VF1000 and RHS-88 once more.
Used the Zalman thermal paste that came with it for the core, spread evenly over the core with a credit card. For the RHS-88, I just used the thermal tape that came attached to it (yes I peeled off the protective film before installing
)As far as I know the memory had good contact, as the RHS-88 is a big heatsink designed specifically to cool the 8800 Ultra/GTX ram chips, I/O chip, and other tiny electrical components. It uses thermal tape, and several spring-tensioned screws to mount tightly to the card. I'm positive I had good contact made, as when I unscrewed the screws, the heatsink still remained firmly attached to the card, and only came off after some back and forth wiggling. I can also see the imprints from the RAM, and read the numbers and crap that are printed to the top of the ram chips.
I'm currently running my system with my old 7800GTX, and it's not even close to the same raw power the 8800 Ultra XXX puts out. If anyone has any ideas as to what caused this, and/or if it can be reversed/avoided in the future, I'd greatly appreciate some input.
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