NF4 Ultra to NF4-SLI help!!!

[Matt2]

Ok, so I took off the northbridge HSF on my DFI LanParty UT NF4-Ultra in order to mod it to SLI so I can order a second 7800GT.

To my horror the broken resistor that you have to bridge in order to get a fully functional SLI chip has this hard goup over the top of it. I had never heard of this happening before.

Do I have any options? is there a way to remove this crap? Or am I stuck with a single video card?



Any help is appreciated.

 

[ub3rnewb]

A pic would be nice, but is there any way just a craft knife and a ****** load of carefulness would work?

 

[Matt2]

the girlfriend is on the way with the digital camera, pics coming soon.

 

[Matt2]

here is the pic:

WTF

Compare to Anand's DFI NF4 Ultra HERE

So any ideas what that crap is? Can I soften it up before trying to scrape it off?

Need some help! I had my second GT in the basket and everything!

 

[theMan]

looks like dfi decided to put an end to modding their boards. can you scrape it with a screw driver? or is it harder than that?

 

[Ike0069]

I remember reading (several months ago I think) that DFI made a "fix" to prevent the SLI mod that you were planning to do. My guess is that you have found their "fix".

 

[vanvock]

The early boards didn't have that, it was added to thwart the mod but I've read where it's still doable by scraping it off but it may require the hands of a surgeon. Good luck.

 

[Matt2]

hmm... I got this board back in June. I didnt think they had fixed it that quick.



Anyway to soften that crap so I dont have to chisel it off?

I want SLI so bad, but I dont know if it's worth the risk of my board...

*sigh*

 

[Matt2]

ok, I used a razor blade to start scraping that stuff off.

THIS is how far I've gotten.

I can see the resistor, but how far do I have to scrape down before using the circuit writer?

I dont wanna do too much more and scratch up all the traces.

What do u guys think!?

 

[duragezic]

Wow I'm surprised how much you cleaned it off! Must've been hard... I'd be too worried to damage the chip tho. Mobos aren't that cheap. The pic is a little blurry there, but it looks like you can see the resistor easily from the pic, so I would guess it'd make good contact.

 

[Matt2]

Wow. I am the man!

on startup in the post it says "nForce4 SLI"

Anything is possible I guess!!!

 

[w00t]

nice, job man.

 

[GamerExpress]

Sweet, well done dude. Good luck with the rig too.

 

[Spike]

This stuff has been talked about alot in the DFI-street forums. Apparently if you are careful it can be easily removed (as the OP shows) and the board modded. The folks at the other board have been doing this for a while and in my brief looking I did not see anyone who had ruined his board but clearing the stuff off.

-spike

 

[python023]

Nice work!

 

[Matt2]

Thanks everyone.

It wasn't too hard using the razor blade. Just took a lot of patience. I would lightly scrape off as much as I could and then used a Q-tip and 99% isopropyl alcohol to clean it off.

In retrospect I dont know if I would do it again. I kinda just started scraping it off on impulse. About half way through I was kicking myself in the butt for taking a razor blade to my beloved motherboard.

It all worked out for the best I guess.

 

[ub3rnewb]

Cool, where did you get the bridge, though?

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: ub3rnewb
Cool, where did you get the bridge, though?

A lady named Donna from DFI RMA/customer service dept. is sending me one for $10 plus $8 shipping.

Ackmed actually gave me her contact info.

So the second GT and the bridge should be on their way! Hopefully I'll get both by friday.