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View Full Version : Tecchy question re: cooling graphics cards


SpinSpinSugar
27th Jan 2003, 23:10
Probably not the right place fer this but you never know.

SSS has an A/V computer system in his living room which runs through the amplifier and the TV, mainly as an Mp3 Audio/DivX video jukebox. All it is is a stealthy looking LAN'd black aluminium box and wireless k/b and mouse. The goal is to make it practically silent, which is definitely obtainable.

I've swapped my Northbridge and CPU fans for Zalman copper sinks, and the PSU and case fans are all on speed switches. So far, so good. Nice discreet low whooooosing noise from all them big diameter fans. Just got a noiseless HDD too - all that remains is the graphics card. Now this wasn't a problem until recently when I demanded a nice image on the telly.

Originally I had a Geforce2 with an S-video out. No fan, but lousy image. Now I've acquired an ATi All-in-wonder (one of the originals, not the Radeon ones) and the image is SUPERB. However, it has a pesky high rpm whizzy fan which makes a high pitched whine. As a result, I bought a Zalman graphics card copper sink too, which attaches to the GPU via thermal epoxy.

HOWEVER.

Can't get the ruddy fan off the GPU as it it appears to be bonded on. Does anyone....

a) have any experience of un-bonding sinks from GPUs, or
b) know a graphics card with the TV output quality of an ATi all-in-wonder that is either fanless, or has a fan/sink unit which ISN'T bonded to the GPU?

ORAC
28th Jan 2003, 12:48
Fan Removal (http://users.rcn.com/chinmonster/hsremove.htm)

SpinSpinSugar
28th Jan 2003, 13:01
Thanks ORAC.

Truly there is nothing you do not know.