HD4850/4870 Aftermarket Coolers

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AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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The LEDs on the backside of the card are supposed to flash red briefly during POST, and then all four should turn off (assuming everything goes right).

- Did you remount the CPU cooler properly? Is it making full contact? Fans spinning?
- How careful were you when you installed the Vantec? Didn't scratch up the GPU core did you? Do you have heatsinks on the voltage regulators? (the things on the far right side of the card)
 
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brandonb

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2006
3,731
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Originally posted by: AmberClad
The LEDs on the backside of the card are supposed to flash red briefly during POST, and then all four should turn off (assuming everything goes right).

- Did you remount the CPU cooler properly? Is it making full contact? Fans spinning?
- How careful were you when you installed the Vantec? Didn't scratch up the GPU core did you? Do you have heatsinks on the voltage regulators? (the things on the far right side of the card)
Click to expand...

The only thing I didn't have was the ramsink on the voltage regulators. I ran the machine for about 3 minutes without any. Did I fry my card by doing that? Or do you think if I get ramsinks for the voltage regulators it may start up? I'm going to stick an old Nvidia 7800 in the machine later at lunch break and see if I have problems.
 
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smoothvirus

Member
Jun 7, 2005
187
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76
I have the VisionTek 4870. I purchased the VF1000 to cool it but I haven't installed it yet. As others have noted, the VF1000 only comes with enough heatsinks for the RAM, but not the VRM chips. So I went to Microcenter to get more of the Zalman heatsinks but they were sold out. However they did have these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835108071 , so that's what I got.

Now that I'm looking at photos of other peoples VF1000 installations, it looks to me like the VF1000 is going to overlap the VRM chips, in which case it's very unlikely the Swiftech heatsinks will fit. Guess I'll find out in a few days.
 
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brandonb

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2006
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Hmmm. I placed my old Nvidia 7800 in my computer, and its still not booting. I wonder what I can try now. It has to be something with the CPU since that was the last thing I touched before it started giving me trouble. Its that or I fried the MB or something.
 
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brandonb

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2006
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Woohoo! It was the CPU. I remounted it and its working just fine. I did have to hack off the voltage regulator heatsink from the stock cooler and placed it on the card. Everything is working fine now.
 
Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: smoothvirus
I have the VisionTek 4870. I purchased the VF1000 to cool it but I haven't installed it yet. As others have noted, the VF1000 only comes with enough heatsinks for the RAM, but not the VRM chips. So I went to Microcenter to get more of the Zalman heatsinks but they were sold out. However they did have these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835108071 , so that's what I got.

Now that I'm looking at photos of other peoples VF1000 installations, it looks to me like the VF1000 is going to overlap the VRM chips, in which case it's very unlikely the Swiftech heatsinks will fit. Guess I'll find out in a few days.
Click to expand...

Let me know how your experience with the VF1000 goes. I don't think the Swiftech ram sinks will fit though. I had some on a 7800GS AGP card. They cool really well, but their adhesive blows and they are likely going to be too tall. Not sure about the clearance of the VF1000 cooler though. Oh, I epoxied the ram sinks to my old 7800GS because the thermal tape was so crappy, so keep an eye out when you install them on the VRMs.

I also sent an email to HIS regarding the issues with the stock cooler, perhaps I can convince them to send me an updated BIOS that will resolve the fan speed problem and enable PowerPlay. That'd be a cheaper solution than either the Twin Turbo or the VF1000. Naturally, I'd share such a BIOS with AT as well.
 
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smoothvirus

Member
Jun 7, 2005
187
0
76
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Originally posted by: smoothvirus
I have the VisionTek 4870. I purchased the VF1000 to cool it but I haven't installed it yet. As others have noted, the VF1000 only comes with enough heatsinks for the RAM, but not the VRM chips. So I went to Microcenter to get more of the Zalman heatsinks but they were sold out. However they did have these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835108071 , so that's what I got.

Now that I'm looking at photos of other peoples VF1000 installations, it looks to me like the VF1000 is going to overlap the VRM chips, in which case it's very unlikely the Swiftech heatsinks will fit. Guess I'll find out in a few days.
Click to expand...

Let me know how your experience with the VF1000 goes. I don't think the Swiftech ram sinks will fit though. I had some on a 7800GS AGP card. They cool really well, but their adhesive blows and they are likely going to be too tall. Not sure about the clearance of the VF1000 cooler though. Oh, I epoxied the ram sinks to my old 7800GS because the thermal tape was so crappy, so keep an eye out when you install them on the VRMs.

I also sent an email to HIS regarding the issues with the stock cooler, perhaps I can convince them to send me an updated BIOS that will resolve the fan speed problem and enable PowerPlay. That'd be a cheaper solution than either the Twin Turbo or the VF1000. Naturally, I'd share such a BIOS with AT as well.
Click to expand...

The VF1000 is installed now, working very well. I went from 70C idle to 35C, a vast improvement. I've got a temp probe from my Kama Meter next to the GPU (not in between the sink and the GPU itself). I'm seeing 38.9c on the probe right now as I type this.

Yes, the Swiftech sinks are too tall. However, you can slide them in between the fins on the VF1000. Works just fine! This also has the advantage of the VF1000 actually holding the Swiftech sinks over the VRM chips so they can't drop off.
 
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smoothvirus

Member
Jun 7, 2005
187
0
76
I just ran the World In Conflict benchmark. Under load the temperature probe showed 47.6C at the highest. This is while running the fan on the VF1000 at high speed.

After careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that the stock cooler on the 4870 sucks.
 
Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: smoothvirus
I just ran the World In Conflict benchmark. Under load the temperature probe showed 47.6C at the highest. This is while running the fan on the VF1000 at high speed.

After careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that the stock cooler on the 4870 sucks.
Click to expand...

Any problems getting the ramsinks to stick? I don't know about the ones Zalman includes, but the Swiftech MC14s I used in the past were horrible. As I said earlier, they had to be epoxied on.

 
S

smoothvirus

Member
Jun 7, 2005
187
0
76
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Originally posted by: smoothvirus
I just ran the World In Conflict benchmark. Under load the temperature probe showed 47.6C at the highest. This is while running the fan on the VF1000 at high speed.

After careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that the stock cooler on the 4870 sucks.
Click to expand...

Any problems getting the ramsinks to stick? I don't know about the ones Zalman includes, but the Swiftech MC14s I used in the past were horrible. As I said earlier, they had to be epoxied on.
Click to expand...

No problems getting the Swiftech's to stick. But they're being held in place by the fins on the VF1000 anyhow so there's not anyplace for them to go.
 
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