Cleaning the dust from a XFX 8800gt?

[DW87]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knew how to open the card to see the heatsink - I strongly suspect that the new heat problems I've just noticed are to do with the wall of dust which completely blocked my old 6800gt, and I fear my card is just getting way too hot (I just saw 89 degrees celcius under load). The old card I was able to just undo a few screws which only held a single plate over the heatsink and fan, allowing me to get all that stuff out. Anyone have an XFX 8800GT that they've had to clean out?

 

[cusideabelincoln]

The single-slot cooler should only have a few screws, although it looks like the dual slot cooler has way more screws. Honestly, if you use a can of compressed air you should be able to remove almost all the dust from the card without taking off the cooler or cover.

 

[error8]

Yup, use a can of compressed air, or you could just blow some air into the cards cooler just by using your lungs. Anyway, 89 C is not amazingly high for the stock cooler. My gigabyte 8800 GT used to reach 86C in a cool room. You have to tweak the fan speed in order to obtain "normal" temperatures.

Taking the cooler apart, means that you have to unscrew some 9-12 screws. It doesn't make any sense , because you can clean it without doing that.