Graphics Dead 8800GTX, and heatpad replacement

Hi All,

My EVGA 8800GTX has recently developed a major fault.. out of the blue one day, using Win7 64-bit the screen went blank, although it seemed as though Windows was still running. On rebooting, the screen has red horizontal lines and the image is broken up - even in the BIOS; not only once Windows gets going.

I took it out, removed the heat shroud and hoovered out the fairly substantial dust build-up in the cooling fins, removed and cleaned up the fan and rebuilt it, which seemed to work - I was able to use it again, but only for a few days.

However, the red lines soon came back, and now Windows will not boot - halfway through booting, it seems to BSoD and this just happens in a loop.

Thoughts? It seems heat might be a problem, but IMO this doesn't usually cause problems right from the BIOS screen?

I was going to strip it down and do a much more thorough cleanup and remove and re-TIM the cooler. I notice it has heatpads for the RAM, and I'm unsure as to whether I can replace these with TIM - they appear to be fairly thick pads.. by which I mean maybe a mm thick, whereas TIM is just a fraction of a mm thick?? Should I source some replacement pads, or can I just use a generous layer of AS5 or Ceramique?

Thanks,
JJ

 

Bear in mind that the card won't be on load and if you're turning the machine on after a while, won't be heated up yet when you're in the BIOS. If it's a heat problem, you won't see it until it hits performing temperatures a few seconds later after the BIOS passes the basic checks.

 

This stuff is better: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Akas...icro-Fibreglass-Double-sided-thermal-adhesive.

Make sure you check the gap between the h/s and the chip, some require a double thickness pad.

 

By double thickness, do you mean a different product to replace the stock stuff, or just multiple layers of the one linked to build-up to the necessary thickness?

JJ

 

Multiple layers.

 

If you are feeling bold google the 'oven trick 8800 gtx'!

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=606658

Sounds stupid I know!

 

It's not stupid at all, there are quite a few tiny solder joints in a graphics card, there's no way you can go and fix them yourself. Throwing it in the oven reflows the solder and fixes breaks.

 

Still sounds stupid, when in everyday PC life we aim to keep temperatures down!

Your right though, by all account small fractures in the solder disrupt the power supply to the GPU which is why it suddenly goes bad. Furnace treatment is part of the graphics card production process anyway to allow all the solder to melt in to place. Guess you're just adding the final touch by poping it in a domestic oven!

 

I'm pleased to report, the baking trick worked.. stripped it down, cleaned it up and baked it for 6m30s, reassembled with AS5 and the thermal pads above, and it worked - red horizontal (in the BIOS; vertical if it gets to the desktop) lines have gone.

Bloody marvelous


JJ

 

We should have asked you to take photos, it would have made a great thread here.

Well done.

 

There are already like 6 threads about reflowing 8800GTXs. People have been doing it since about one week after the cards were released. Just use the search to see.

 

I've done it to 5 8800GTXs - its worked on 4.

 

Glad it worked out!

Electric oven or Gas? What temperature did you use in the end?

 

Congratulations! I just think it's awesome when such a ghetto fix works so well..

 

An ancient electric oven.. followed the guide and chose 200C as the middle temperature, and chose 6m30s as a middling time.. the oven has no window, so was a little nervous that we couldn't watch the progress. I peeked in as the timer rang, and I could see the larger bits of solder were looking shiny, so we pulled it out at that stage.

What a great fix.. really pleased.

JJ

 

Heh.. I mailed EVGA Support to let them know about the fix - they had declined an RMA, because I forgot to register the card when new - and they have just mailed back asking what temp and how long I'd baked it for. Perhaps they might offer this as a FAQ for out-of-warranty products in future?? lol

JJ

 

I can't see them advising out of warranty users to bake the card!

Needs a little technical know how on part of the user. Interesting to know they're entertaining the information you imparted on them however

 

This layering malarky is a recipe for insulation; my building up material interface layers you are effectively making the thermaly conductive properties of your heatsinks and paste redundant.

Thicker thermal pads which compress filling the space are a much saner idea.

 

Do you have any links to where you could buy this sort of thermal pad Domestic_ginger?

 

http://specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=9893

All the thermal pads for VRMs and RAM etc on the 8800GTX are 1mm. If you really think something is warped, 1.5mm pads are available too. As Domestic_ginger said - it's a much better idea than doubling up on thinner pads.