Zalman 900 HELP QUICK

[unwashed potato!]

im trying to install a Zalman 900 on my x1900 xtx and i have just taken off the stock fan. The first thing im supposed to do is put the 8 heatsinks on the 8 spots on the GPU, but i have only got 7. Now is 8 needed? am i going to have to get OCuk to send my another 1? if so how do i do this?

trouble is atm my computer is out of services with no GPU so im having to use my brothers computer to do this.

 

[MichaelHo]

Hi,
i have just installed this on my 1900xtx. i got 8 heatsinks with mine. 2 were stuck together, so look for any 'big' heatsinks as they may be 2 stuck together.
after that its pretty straight forward, just follow the instructions.

I am however quite disappointed as when im gaming it goes to 91degrees :S
on idle its about 40.

 

[no_1_dave]

Then you've put it on wrong. There is no way that your X1900XTx would hit 91c with one of these new Zalmans fitted correctly!

 

[MichaelHo]

followed the instructions, when i turn the fanmate up and down i hear the fan get louder and quieter.
what could have went wrong?

 

[squiffy]

Check the fit on the core, perhaps too much thermal grease or not on flat? The fan controller can adjust the fan speed, that's the point. So it is working

 

[MichaelHo]

i put on a lot of thermal grease, the whole tub basically. thats too much?

 

[squiffy]

Yup the little toothpaste tube is probably enough for 10 applications. You want the contact between the two to just to be sticky. Push them together slightly, now remove it. If there's a lot of grease in a square that's pushed out you've put too much. Imagine a sandwich, you don't want "jam" amount splodged everywhere, you want a thin spreading of butter, very thin. It should appear like this when you remove the heatsink.


http://www.brian1.net/computers/grease/p1151899.jpg

 

[SteveOBHave]

Yup the little toothpaste tube is probably enough for 10 applications. You want the contact between the two to just to be sticky. Push them together slightly, now remove it. If there's a lot of grease in a square that's pushed out you've put too much. Imagine a sandwich, you don't want "jam" amount splodged everywhere, you want a thin spreading of butter, very thin. It should appear like this when you remove the heatsink.


http://www.brian1.net/computers/grease/p1151899.jpg

Yeah, dead right, should be a layer approximately the depth of 2-3 pieces of paper on the GPU. Also can help to put a little on the heatsink itself and then rub it off with a plastic bag, altho on the Zalman the lapping (surfacing - it's a mirror finish which is ideal) done on the HS is so good that you shouldn't need to do this. Whatever you do, do not over tighten the screws as you can damage your GPU.

 

[MichaelHo]

thanks guy, what shall i use to remove the excess paste? plastic bag?

 

[no_1_dave]

A tissue

 

[fullfat]

A tissue

yup, no need for fancy stuff round these parts
(all i use too)

 

[Conman]

A tissue

please try to use Isopropyle or Alcohol (70%) with a cotton buds to clear any residual. Make there is nothing on the core.

For the thermal paste just put it only a drop (2-3mm diameter). Once you put the heatsick on the core DO NOT lift it up the BUBLES will get in and lower the thermal conductivity from the core to heatsink.

go to artic silver 5 website for pictures and precise instructions.

 

[MichaelHo]

ok i receive as5 and articlean today. Cleaned both surfaces with articlean and only put a lil dot of as5 on. However i still get very similar results. full load is still about 100degrees. i have to say my tower is in a kind of confined space, each side of the tower has about 10cm space and at the back there is about 10cm aswel. Could this be a reason why i get high temps? the room itself is pretty cool as its on the bottom floor, ive been in hotter rooms before.

is full load at 100degrees damaging to the gfx card?