Guide to installing Arctic VGA Silencer

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rhsiao12

n00b
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Jul 13, 2004
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I just bought the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro from Newegg and want to install the Arctic VGA Silencer and Tweakmonster BGA ramsinks. I was wondering if there are any good guides (with pictures) for doing the installation on this card because most of the ones I've found show how to do it on a 9700 Pro. Also, are there any good guides on how to lapping the card? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
 
Also, you don't lap the card - you lap the heatsink (usually starting with a few hundred grit sand paper and working up to at least 1000 grit for a nice finish)
 
I just used the included instructions. It's not hard, unless you need to remove your shim. If that is the case, use a hair dryer to loosen the glue and pry it up CAREFULLY and SLOWLY with a razor or fine knife.
 
I purchased the PowerColor 9800SE in hopes of doing the softmod. But I experience artifacting. Do I just need to buy the acrtic silencer and some ramsinks?
 
I really had no problem following the instructions that came with my VGA silencer... and I can't see how it would be any different for other cards. Holes, screws, tighten... I did have to use a hairdryer to remove my heatsink, but that was it.
 
Yoblad said:
I purchased the PowerColor 9800SE in hopes of doing the softmod. But I experience artifacting. Do I just need to buy the acrtic silencer and some ramsinks?
Click to expand...
Do you have the 256-bit memory version of the 9800SE? If not, no mod will help you. You need to have the 9800SE 256-bit memory edition to mod.
 
Yes, I have the 256-bit version. All I need to know is if better cooling will fix the artifacting after the mod.
 
Yoblad said:
Yes, I have the 256-bit version. All I need to know is if better cooling will fix the artifacting after the mod.
Click to expand...

not likely :(

The artifacting in those cards is due to damaged pipelines and is usually not related to heat.
 
i was wondering how important it is to install ramsinks on the video card? i hear mixed reviews, but a lot of people say that it is not really necessary. any ideas??
 
I did this mod to my AIW 9800 pro, I took some pictures. I also used ramsinks. PM me, and i'll send you the pics.
 
rhsiao12 said:
I just bought the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro from Newegg and want to install the Arctic VGA Silencer and Tweakmonster BGA ramsinks. I was wondering if there are any good guides (with pictures) for doing the installation on this card because most of the ones I've found show how to do it on a 9700 Pro. Also, are there any good guides on how to lapping the card? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
Click to expand...

where can you find that guide for instaling the VGA Silencer on the 9700 Pro?
 
Good luck with the install. I installed mine perfectly and it ruined my 9800pro. Theres an extremely fine line between where the VGA silencer is secure enough to not shift on the video card and where it crushes the core.
 
Orbius said:
secure enough to not shift on the video card and where it crushes the core.
Click to expand...
Those damn cores are so easy to crush. I ruined a 9800pro shortly after they came out by putting a AMD cooler on it. I shall never remove another shim! Now I just mod the heatsink. I find out where the core will contact, then grind away at the heatsink, leaving a paper thin square. I'm getting a Silencer sometime this week, I'll post results.
 
when screwing down the bracket make sure you dont tighten all the way down or else you will crush your core.

just tighten until you think its secure enough where it doesnt shift or move around.
 
Artic VGA Cooler Rev3 installed successfully on my AIW 9800 PRO, or so I thought. I ran ATITOOL and I barely managed to get no artifacting at STOCK SETTINGS ??

My question to myself, what was the point of that ? I have no artifacting now, but I am only stable at 377/332, which is like 1% less than factory spec.

Part of me is asking myself, is it not making proper contact ? not enough artic silver compound, did I not screw it in enough ? Or do I have to accept the fact, I have an AIW card........

Note: I never lapped the bottom of the heatsink. :confused:
 
Well, I got my Rev2 in today from a very nice seller on Ebay, free_usa_shipping. The total was only $11 shipped! Anyways, I installed it exactly like it said in the directions, and it worked. System booted up fine. I ran 3Dmark03 and 1 sec. later got a hard crash. I took the silencer off, and it was making very little contact with the core. So, I ground off part of the base of the heatsink, leaving a small square to contact with the gpu. I then lapped the square with some 1500 grit sandpaper. Everything works great now, I'm testing my limits with atitool as I type this. I really thought the cooler would have more airflow, but it seems to work great as is. I'll post back when atitool is done.
 
It didnt help nor harm my overclock. 445mhz was the max with my Vantec Iceberg4 and the new Silencer. I'm just happy to get that hot air our of my case. My system temp has gone down 3 degrees F. :)
 
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