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Switching Coolers on GPU

V

veggz

Banned
Ok, so I have just finished frying my second graphics card in about two months after trying to install my Zalman VF700-Cu, leading me to believe I am committing some grave error. Here is exactly what I am doing; please critique/bash my noobishness as necessary 🙂 :

1. Remove stock HS/F- straightforward process
2. Follow directions to begin installing Zalman as per website.
(Here is when I may begin doing something wrong)
3. Apply rather generous amount of 70% rubbing alcohol to Kleenex and wipe off original thermal solution.
4. Using plastic bag apply a thin layer of Arctic Silver 5 directly to the core.
5. Complete installation.
6. Computer fails to POST. For the second time.

I fear I may have accidentally gotten quite a bit of the AS5 onto the area immediately surrounding the core on my last attempt: could this be the source of my problems? I did try to wipe it off the best I could (again, with a generous amount of alcohol and Kleenex) but the area remained tarnished and did not return to the original green color. However I did not make this mistake with my first build and yet the same problem emerged (failure to POST).

Please respond if you can, I am getting extremely frustrated as I am getting tired of shelling out $150 every time I screw this up.
 
U are making sure that ALL the alchohol is dried up before applying the AS5 right? Also you might not have killed the card, sometimes if you have the thing too tight it won't work. My bro did that with his zalman heatpipe cooler and his 9800 pro, he put it on too tight and the card artifacted and froze, wouldn't POST, etc. Remounted it, and it has been running flawlessly for 3-4 years now.
 
Well, I tried loosening up the screws a bit and still nothing. Thanks for the reply though; I think I'm going to just sell my Zalman and just live with the noise with my next one.
 
Originally posted by: veggz
Well, I tried loosening up the screws a bit and still nothing. Thanks for the reply though; I think I'm going to just sell my Zalman and just live with the noise with my next one.
Click to expand...

ah the joy of dishonest RMA's.... just a guess.

If you are actually buying a new one everytime...you realize you could have just bought a $450 card by now?
 
It really shouldn't be that tough....

I've installed bunch of Zalman GPU heatsinks now haven't killed one yet.
 
There are a few things you're probably doing wrong. For one, you should remove ALL of the old compound using Q-Tips to polish the core to a mirror shine. Second, using Arctic Silver 5 on a GPU with exposed resistors like this is probably a bad idea. Get some Ceramique instead, since it's nonconductive. Also, make sure you're using the rubber grommets included with the Zalman on the mounting nipples on both sides of the PCB. If not, you've possibly cracked the PCB around the screw holes.
ASCII Diagram of this:
[ ] <--Nipple B
== <---rubber grommet
========== <--Video card
== <--- rubber grommet
||
[ ] <--- Nipple A
Also, when tightening the cooler down, make sure to tighten each side evenly- one turn on one screw, one turn on the other, repeat until the screws are completely tight. Otherwise you run the risk of cracking the core. Make sure it's not hitting any capacitors or anything that would cause it not to sit level on the GPU also.
 
AC5 is not supposed to conductive either, but slightly capacitive; enough to cause problems I'm not sure. Either way Ceramique is much easier to remove should there be a problem and performs nearly identical and will definitely not interfere with any components on the board. Also nothing wrong with using the included Zalman compound.
 
AS5 should be fine, but do test mount. I mean, use a smaller amount of AS5 than you think is neccessary and mount the heatsink w/o the screws. Take it off and see how the thermal compound spread over the GPU.

I find that kleenex fragments easily and leaves behind small fibers. I think you would be better using an old cloth that has been washed a bunch. Plus some kleenex has lotion or oils on them which could leave a residue.
 
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