• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Should I mod my 9700PRO???

R

robcy

Senior member
Would a Thermaltake Crystal Orb with 8 tin coated copper BGA ramsinks help in cooling down my card. Its a conjunction of wanting more cooling, and a better appearance. Right now at stock speeds (CPU, and Video) the video Memory is quite hot to the touch, and sometime freezes during the Games 4 of both 3dmark01 and 03. I have quite a few fans near the card. When I open the case, and point a house fan at it all benchmark run fine. This did not happen until I upgraded my CPU from 1600+ to a 2600+. Could it be that it is working harder due to the new CPU.
 
I would suggest removing the GPU's shim iit helped mine. Many 9700's come with the core not even touching the heatsink, making for a VERY hot card. Cooling the core a bit helps the entire card get a bit cooler including memory. For instructions do a search over on the rage3d forums.
 
what are your case temps? it seems pretty clear that the new cpu is heating up the inside of your case a lot more than the previous one (unless you've got a clever duct system that blows the heated air straight out of the case like the oems use).

oh hold on... did you run the previous cpu at 150 MHz FSB? cuz that might be it. k7s5a = not teh overclocker
 
Originally posted by: JBTele
I would suggest removing the GPU's shim iit helped mine. Many 9700's come with the core not even touching the heatsink, making for a VERY hot card. Cooling the core a bit helps the entire card get a bit cooler including memory. For instructions do a search over on the rage3d forums.
Click to expand...
And why exactely would that help the memory? Considering that the HSF on the card doesnt touch the memory, and due to the design of the HS, does`nt even blow air over the memory either.
 
Originally posted by: robcy
When I open the case, and point a house fan at it all benchmark run fine. This did not happen until I upgraded my CPU from 1600+ to a 2600+. Could it be that it is working harder due to the new CPU.
Click to expand...
Whats probably happened, is that the new CPU produces more heat, which then heats up the case temperatures, which in turns means that almost no cold air gets to the card for it HSF to cool it propely. I`d guess that you have poor case ventiliation if that is the case. The bare minimum for any case, imo, is 1 intake at the front, and 1 exhaust at the rear. Neither including the PSU fan.
 
I did run the 1600+ at 150X10.5 without any problems. The case temp have remained constant at around 89-91 degrees. I have 2-80mm & 1-60 mm intake fans, and 2 high speed 80mm exhaust fans not including the PSU fans. I have run all benchmarks at stock speeds of 133. Even when I open the case and put a housefan to it, the video memory is very hot to the touch. I blame it on the thought that it is working harder under the 2600+ than what it was under the 1600+. The ATI is one of the firsts one produced, which I got in mid Sept. 2002.
 
I had a very bad experience with the Crystal Orb and my 9700 Pro. Thermaltake's quality is has been horrendous of late. The bottom of these heatinks have a slight concave to them, making it very difficult to have proper contact with the surface of the chip without lapping.

In the case of my 9700 Pro, it was even more difficult due to the elevated shim surrounding the core. In order to make any direct contact at all with the heatsink, I have to removed the shim. It was then that I discovered the concavity of the heatsink base channelled more pressure towards the corners of the chip instead of the center. When pressed onto the chipset, this resulted in a crushed corner and a very dead 9700Pro.

Luckily, I was able to get the card replaced. The Cystal Orb has since been lapped and used on an old GeForce2 Pro. I have not bothered to mod the replacement 9700 Pro since. I'm satisfied with the cooling performance of the factory unit for now.
 
The guy that said that cooling the core helps cool the memory is 100% correct. It has something to do with the way the BGA ram is mounted into the PCB I believe. If the core is hotter, it heats up the whole PCB...which the memory is most definitely a part of. I actually threw a 1U heatsink from cooljag on my 9700 with some AA adhesive...the back of the card...opposite the core is now cool to the touch even though my room temps are around 85ish during the day. This is with my card OC'd pretty heavily. Also the HSF let me overclock the core to 400Mhz..up from around 345ish, and gave me around another 25Mhz on the memory.

Smithers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top