satchef1

Hi. A couple of weeks ago i replaced my x1950 XTX with a bargain priced 3870. I slapped on an Accelero S1 and all was good. Last weekend though that card died It's since been returned to the shop.

The problem i'm now having is with the x1950XTX. I decided to pop the S1 on that card, but its now overheating. I know the S1 can cool the XTX, i know someone running the same set-up. I've got an Antec 900 case, opened up the side, fans on full, turbo module attatched and the card is idleing at 65C! If i try games it flies up over the 100C mark and the system locks up.

I'm thinking it's the thermal paste i'm using? I get the same sort of results when i re-attatch the stock cooler. At first i was using some Akasa thermal tape. Assuming that didn't work i swapped it put for some Cooler Master thermal paste. The thing that makes me suspect the thermal paste is it's nowhere near as thick as the stuff that came on the cooler (or my CPU cooler). The tape was also pretty thin, it was similar to the stuff shipped on the RAM sinks, rather than the spongy stuff that was on the stock sinks.

Before i order yet more cooler, am i barking up the right tree? Or is there a more likely explanation?

xXkeyboardkowboyXx

No way should it be running that hot with that cooler. Is there supposed to be any cooling for the ram?

dont use thermal tape, or thermal pads. how big is the die? (the gpu, where you apply the paste)

Use the cooler master paste and apply it using this method. http://innovationcooling.com/applica...es/approx3.JPG

only apply it the the gpu then just put the cooler on it and snap/tighten it down.

Make sure to clean all the previous paste off first.

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j0z3

Yes, try to reseat the cooler also.

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satchef1

So... haul it apart, clean it up again, ignore the instructions that came with the paste and just pop a blob of paste in the middle of the chip instead? How about the RAM sinks? Leave them as they are, or just forget about them?

The chip itself is fairly small, 2 or 3cm squared. I'm not sure if it's significant or not, but the paste i have is white rather than grey (kinda new to this, it's the first time i've had to reapply thermal compound to anything).

xXkeyboardkowboyXx

If it has ram sinks leave them on. Use half the amount that i have a picture of. you don't need very much. the point of thermal paste is fill any small bumps/crevices with something that conducts heat. instead of having air in there. so it doesn't require much.

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satchef1

Ok, done that. Now idling sub-40. Gonna use ATiTool to test 3D performance now as that's where it went to hell last time.

EDIT: Artifacting test in ATiTool locks up the system. Will go try The Witcher now and see if the same thing happens. The last temp in the GPU-Z log was still sub-40...

Second Edit: The display driver kept crashing during the intro video. Temps were fine, reached 52C but it was a very slow and steady increase. Going to try reinstalling the drivers now and then will try the game proper.

xXkeyboardkowboyXx

hope it works out for you.

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