GPU RAM Heatsinks

[cscs]

Is it essential to have heatsinks on your GPU RAM?

I bought a Zalman VF700 GPU cooler for my GF 6600 GT AGP. The problem is that the 4 RAM heatsinks get in the way of the GPU heatsink. I'm wondering if it's ok to remove a RAM heatsink or two? Or will this cause some sort of problem? The giant GPU heatsinks sits very close to a few of the RAM heatsinks so I'm guessing there would be passive cooling, I'm just not sure if it's enough.

Anyone hazard an educated guess? Or has anyone tried this exact setup themselves?

Thanks

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: cscs
Is it essential to have heatsinks on your GPU RAM?

I bought a Zalman VF700 GPU cooler for my GF 6600 GT AGP. The problem is that the 4 RAM heatsinks get in the way of the GPU heatsink. I'm wondering if it's ok to remove a RAM heatsink or two? Or will this cause some sort of problem? The giant GPU heatsinks sits very close to a few of the RAM heatsinks so I'm guessing there would be passive cooling, I'm just not sure if it's enough.

Anyone hazard an educated guess? Or has anyone tried this exact setup themselves?

Thanks

I'm thinking that since the ram is DDR, that it shouldn't need to be cooled, since the fan cools it some already. I wouldn't try anything like overclocking it, though.

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

no it won't unless you do serious overclocking. just leave them be, because the stock cooler doesn't get to all of them anyway.

 

[ss284]

It should be fine. Seeing as there are 6600gt models that dont have any ram cooling whatsoever you should be fine.

-Steve

 

[cscs]

I took the heatsinks off but now I have another problem.

On bootup, the screen is garbled. I can see the BIOS logo and recognize the location of the text and even the "Loading XP" screen appears. However, everything is garbled instead of text. In XP the 6600GT won't install properly. It just tells me upon attempting to install that files are missing (installing from factory CD).

Any ideas? Don't see any other gpu's / loading priority in bios/cmos so I don't think that's it.

 

[cscs]

Now XP loads with the 6600GT, but XP is garbled. I can make out enough to try and attempt an installation, but halfway through that, the computer restarts itself. Tried numerous tries with the same effect. Tried nVidia's drivers as well and got the same results.

Any idea what might be going on?

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: cscs
Now XP loads with the 6600GT, but XP is garbled. I can make out enough to try and attempt an installation, but halfway through that, the computer restarts itself. Tried numerous tries with the same effect. Tried nVidia's drivers as well and got the same results.

Any idea what might be going on?

You sure you didn't jar the heatsink too much when you handled it? Or maybe even ESD damaged it.