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Zalman GPU coolers

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nikebee said:
should be hopefully treating myself to one this weekend (sorry to hijack the thread) but are they pretty easy to install?

not done this stuff before... been building pc's for a fair few years now, but this is the first time i've ever changed a fan on a graphics card :)

Ive been doing comps for a few years now as wel dived into watercooling not long ago and had to take the coolers of my sli system. To be honest it was so easy its like takeing the cpu hsf but with screws.

It was so easy dont kno how any one can do it wrong and if any one as ever done it wrong
 
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I know this is an old thread but I need some help. My Arctic Cooler Freezer Pro for CPU and Zalman VF-900 for GPU have just arrived but I am just a little nervous about something. I have only built one pc in my life (the one I am putting the fans in) so I have never taken old ones off. What I am concerned about is whether I will be able to get them off because of the thermal paste? Will the coolers pull off or how will I get them off easiest? Also do you advice me cleaning the CPU and GPU (removing thermal paste) before installing new fans? If so what with? I would rather not have to buy a product to as I need to fit these tomorrow. Thanks for any advice :D
 
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-White-Knight- said:
I know this is an old thread but I need some help. My Arctic Cooler Freezer Pro for CPU and Zalman VF-900 for GPU have just arrived but I am just a little nervous about something. I have only built one pc in my life (the one I am putting the fans in) so I have never taken old ones off. What I am concerned about is whether I will be able to get them off because of the thermal paste? Will the coolers pull off or how will I get them off easiest? Also do you advice me cleaning the CPU and GPU (removing thermal paste) before installing new fans? If so what with? I would rather not have to buy a product to as I need to fit these tomorrow. Thanks for any advice :D

Hi there, Yes htis is an old thread but good question as many people are too afraid to ask.

For the CPU.. run prime or play a game for an hour or so.. that should ease the thermal paste so it should just slide off...

Playing a game could heat the thermal paste on the GPU aswell but make sure it is a game that uses a lot of your system power... this way your CPU and GPU reach higher temperatures.

:)
 
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Just unscrew all screws/clips attaching the stock cooler, then gently pull off, twisting slightly as you lift.

To clean the thermal paste off, i use Articlean (which is basically just lemon juice AFAIK). Anything that will dissolve the paste without damaging the GPU will do really eg alcohol, lemon juice. Then just wipe it off (i use toilet paper for this), and apply new thermal paste.
 
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VF900, superb cooler, it allows me to run my 7900GT overclocked 630-800 , and i have the fan at low speed, and it idles at 32-34, maxes out around 39-42. Brilliant.
 
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I just used a old (and indeed used) tissue to wipe the old thermal paste of my card, no dissolving agent at all. Just took a few good strokes. And don't worry if you don't get it all or if it smudges, it won't do any harm if a little bit gets left on the PCB. Just get as much as you can off the GPU itself. Then rub a small amount of your Arctic Silver onto the core, spread it out then remove again (this fills in the microfractures and improve conductivity even more). Then reapply the Arctic Silver and wack the heatsink on. Bingo.
 
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man_from_uncle said:
I just used a old (and indeed used) tissue to wipe the old thermal paste of my card, no dissolving agent at all. Just took a few good strokes. And don't worry if you don't get it all or if it smudges, it won't do any harm if a little bit gets left on the PCB. Just get as much as you can off the GPU itself. Then rub a small amount of your Arctic Silver onto the core, spread it out then remove again (this fills in the microfractures and improve conductivity even more). Then reapply the Arctic Silver and wack the heatsink on. Bingo.

Thanks Townlee and Man_From_Uncle I found your posts very helpful. My GPU (X850XT PE) averages around 90degrees so there is something wrong hence why I bought the new cooler (I think it may be just dust as it is very dusty but the cooler is so blooming loud anyway). I think even half an hour at 80-90degrees with my computer should be enough :D . Thanks again for your help! Looking forward to fitting my new coolers on.
 
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-White-Knight- said:
Thanks Townlee and Man_From_Uncle I found your posts very helpful. My GPU (X850XT PE) averages around 90degrees so there is something wrong hence why I bought the new cooler (I think it may be just dust as it is very dusty but the cooler is so blooming loud anyway). I think even half an hour at 80-90degrees with my computer should be enough :D . Thanks again for your help! Looking forward to fitting my new coolers on.

NP, let us know the temperatures you get :)
 
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Well I have just installed my new hard drive and decluttered the case and I'm now stressing out my computer to weaken thermal paste. I can already here the graphics card fan has turned up so do you think I should just run one cycle of 3DMark05? Seen as my graphics card was reaching 90degrees easily? (Its currently 88degrees according to ATITool). I will be using a lint free cloth to get the thermal paste off my GPU and CPU, is that alright? Wish me luck when I fit the fans, I am dreading it!

Edit: Got the Arctic Cooler Freezer on (The aluminium bit base is smaller than the cpu?) But I cant get the X850XT cooler off! Its a blooming nightmare! I have the perfect sized screwdriver to use with the screws but they are unbelievably tight and starting to wear making it harder to unscrew. Any suggestions, hopefully not "You'll have to live with the stock cooler" :( .

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/4733/dsc093163va.jpg
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8458/dsc093178km.jpg
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/9370/dsc093194ih.jpg
 
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-White-Knight- said:
Edit: Got the Arctic Cooler Freezer on (The aluminium bit base is smaller than the cpu?) But I cant get the X850XT cooler off! Its a blooming nightmare! I have the perfect sized screwdriver to use with the screws but they are unbelievably tight and starting to wear making it harder to unscrew. Any suggestions, hopefully not "You'll have to live with the stock cooler" :( .

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/4733/dsc093163va.jpg
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8458/dsc093178km.jpg
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/9370/dsc093194ih.jpg

You need to drill the heads off with a very small drill bit or grind the heads off with a demel..
 
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kinggost said:
chewed them screws good did you have the right screw driver there

Yes as I said earlier. They were partially like that before I even started. Is there a piece of software that will now show my graphics temp like with FRAPS? (Over the top of games in the corners)
 
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