Replacing my noisy graphics card HSF (56k warning)

[Konovalov]

When I built my new system over the Christmas break my choice of graphics card was based around price and something that would get me through the next year until DX10 cards mature. I purchased this XFX 7900GS card (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=121108). At just GBP £100.00 it was good value for money. However there were a few downsides with the card. The stock HSF is a tiny little thing which spins at a fast rate. As a result it was noisy and given that my three 120mm case fans and AC Freezer 7 Pro fans spin at low speed it was by far the noisiest component in my pc. In order for my PC to be near silent I would have to replace this noisy little bugger.

Enter Zalman and their VF900-Cu LED HSF. I purchased it here at scan (http://www.scan.co.uk/products/productinfo.asp?WebProductID=470199).

The boxed retail package dying to be unpacked and installed.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010004.jpg

All the goodies in the box.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010006.jpg

The stock XFX 7900GS card removed from my system ready to be modded (top view). Note the slogan "See it:Hear it:Feel it". They are definately right about the hear it bit which is not something to be proud of.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010018.jpg

And rear shot of stock card.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010019.jpg

The removed stock HSF. All I needed to do was unscrew the four screws on the back of the card and then use some careful man power to unseat the HSF from the GPU and memory. It took a bit of effort as it was well stuck to the card.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010020.jpg

And this is what the video card looks like with the stock HSF removed finally.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010021.jpg

After removing the old thermal paste left on the GPU.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010024.jpg

Then I installed the 8 blue ramsinks onto the memory of the card.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010025.jpg

After this I applied Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste to the GPU of the card. I used AS5 rather than the small tube of paste that Zalman provided.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010026.jpg

A picture of the business end of the Zalman HSF prior to seating it on the XFX 7900GS.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010027.jpg

And finally the end product of my labour with the Zalman VF900-Cu sitting pretty on the XFX 7900GS graphics card.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010028.jpg

Installed in case (Please ignore bad cable management. Another project.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/BenKonovalov/Graphics%20card%20mod%20HSF/P1010029.jpg

My initial impressions after install are great. The fan is running at full speed yet I can barely hear it. With the stock XFX HSF I found that the card ran at about 42-45 degrees C idle and at load this jumped to 55-65 degrees C. These temps are as viewed in the Nvidia control panel within display properties. Now after installing the Zalman VF900-CU my temps have come down considerably. My idle temperature is around 30-32 degrees C while at load it runs at around 40-45 degrees C. And I would expect this to come down a touch once the Artic Silver 5 settles in over the next 72 hours.

So in summary I have to say that this is one of the best products that I have ever bought. It was easy to install and the instructions were clear and easy to understand. It did exactly what I wanted. Most importantly it reduced the noise from my system dramatically. Secondly it also reduced my graphics card temperatures in a major way which I hope will give me some headroom to overclock this card down the track. The 7900GS has a reputation as an overclocker and hopefully now with this GPU cooler from Zalman I am in a position to unlock that potential. Definately £25.00 well spent and it gets the Konovalov seal of approval.

[flintlock]

Nicely documented mini project. :know:

I'm hoping to build a new gaming rig within a few weeks (hopefully before SH4 is released) and plan on using a Zalman HSF on a C2D. The harware reviews I've read over the recent months usually seem to bestow much praise to Zalman's cooling solutions.

Again, nicely done, Konovalov!

[U-533]

Rock and Roll Konovalov :up:

I went and bought a small A/C 5000BTU window unit built a vault like thingy to put my tower and all in installed said A/C unit and it stays at a comfy 50 degrees year round.

Your solution sounds less expensive and more effective:up:

Again R&R!:rock: :rock:
:sunny:

[Zantham]

What I use:
XFX GeForce 7950GT

http://www.xfxforce.com/web/product/listConfigurationDetails.jspa?series=GeForce%26tra de%3B+7900&productConfigurationId=879071#openLarger

Has no fans = completely silent :D

[LoBlo]

I would be afraid to mess with my Graphics card, since it would absolve the life-time warranty that came with it.

[TteFAboB]

I would be afraid to mess with my Graphics card, since it would absolve the life-time warranty that came with it.

Ditto. I'd never do this by myself, alone. I simply have no experience.

The techies of today all started messing with old crap, also worthless crap, and if they knew where to go they had lots of jobs to build up loads of experience. I don't have any. I never bothered opening my old 386/486.

Congratulations. He who dares, wins. :up: :know:

[Onkel Neal]

Great job, Konovalov. I may have to do that to my graphics card. I thought it was pretty darn quiet too, until I went to install an LG DVD burner this weekend, and saw that the graphics card fan had fallen off the card :oops:

[elite_hunter_sh3]

neal is it possible you take some pics of ur video card with the damage i may be able to help with the video card. what company is it? u might be getting a better card for free if the way im thinking is possible.

[Onkel Neal]

Thanks, Elite. It's an MSI nVidia 6600GT card. I bought it 6/26/2005 and their website says it has a two year warranty, so I sent an e-mail to the company. Hopefully they will replace it.

[Konovalov]

Thanks guys for the compliments. It was definately a worthwhile experience. I am a relative noop to this modding scene. I only built my first complete gaming rig over the Christmas holiday period and encountered hardly any problems and none that were show-stoppers. It really is quite easy so long as you do a little bit of research. My aim of posting this was not so much to brag about it but rather to share the experience and to hopefully encourage others to tinker and improve their systems. :up:

[flintlock]

My aim of posting this was not so much to brag about it but rather to share the experience and to hopefully encourage others to tinker and improve their systems. Your post, at least to me, certainly didn't come across as a bragging post at all. But rather a helpful, well documented upgrade that would've been right at home as article on any PC hardware enthusiast site. Well done -- and again, thanks for sharing! :up:

[elite_hunter_sh3]

Neal and konovalov(srry if typed wrong)

u shud see this mod a cpu stock amd cooler on a 6600 gt

http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=91827

edit* LMAO "stinking drunk in trinidad rofl"

[Konovalov]

Neal and konovalov(srry if typed wrong)

u shud see this mod a cpu stock amd cooler on a 6600 gt

http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=91827

edit* LMAO "stinking drunk in trinidad rofl"

OMG :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Poor little 6600GT.

[elite_hunter_sh3]

hey lol it works for him his temps dropped a good 30-40 degrees, lol his video card will last a lot longer then his warranty will