First Overclock: 9800Pro (not quite to XT?)

Unexpected

There's no way of checking the core without taking off the hsf. It's very easy, just pull out the two locking pins and then squeeze the prongs and they'll pop through the holes. Then gently twist and lever off the hsf (the shim will protect the core). I made a photo diary of the whole process if you need help with anything in particular.

Gonna be doing this when my zalman heatsink and fan comes. Just to see if I am on the right wavelength, when it heatsink and fan comes off, will there not be thermal paste or whatever covering the core of the chip making it unreadable menaing you can not see if it is a r360 core or not or do you just wipe off the paste and put on new stuff when ur done?

if you put the whole diary online I will send you 5 euro!

Sir Random

I'll post pics when my g/f has them uploaded (she's at it now)

Yeah, the core is covered in gunk but I wouldn't dream of trying to re-use it. I always apply fresh AS3/AS5 whenever I install/replace any hs.

Unexpected

Is AS3/AS5 just normal thermal paste like the stuff you would put on the cpu ye?

I'll post pics when my g/f has them uploaded (she's at it now)

i think I am speaking for everyone when i say: Mucho gracias!

silverside

Yeah thanks for all the info. What did you use to clean off the old paste?

I'll be wanting to know what you had for breakfast next

Adeptus Titanicus

K, checked the RAM, will leave the HS untill I get the Arctic.

While I was looking at it I realised I could slip a temp probe in under the heatsink, presumably between the HS and the shim, so I could get more accurate temp readings. It's currently reading 52 degrees. Seems kinda hot considering I have it running at stock speed (but I have nothing to compare that against). Running 3DMark03 it got up to 63.5 degrees. I upped it to 414/365 and ran 3DM2003 and it went up to 65 (set off the aerogate alarm ) so not too much hotter at that for an extra 413 marks :dunno:

Edit:
FYI: Isopropyl Alcohol is pretty good for removing gunk. Got a bottle from a chemist.

So what did you have for breakfast Sir Random:

Sir Random

Originally posted by silverside
Yeah thanks for all the info. What did you use to clean off the old paste?

I'll be wanting to know what you had for breakfast next

I use Isopropyl Alcohol, available from chemists.
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/051203_05s.jpg

Fitting the VGA Cooler:

#1, Disconnect power connector:
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/100404_02d.jpg

#2, Remove the HSF locking pins:
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/100404_01d.jpg

#3, Squeeze the prongs so they pop through the holes:
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/2110d_02.jpg

#4, Remove HSF:
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/100404_03d.jpg

#5, Clean the core:
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/100404_04d.jpg

#6, Rub some AS3 into the base (optional) and use matchsticks to line up the card:
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/100404_06d.jpg

#7, Put some AS3 on the core and attach the card, tightening the 2 screws alternatively. Finished!
http://www.handspun.utvinternet.com/daniel/100404_07d.jpg

Adeptus Titanicus

Fair play to ya. That's really great. The matchsticks are a good idea too!

Edit:
Just wondering, does your card have a temp probe built in? i.e., was it an XTunderclocked and flashed down to a Pro. If it did, the XT drivers would allow you to use the temp monitor. I came accross the attached pic that apparently shows the diode that does this.

Crap, can't attach img when editing. See next post...

Adeptus Titanicus

Here

Sir Random

Forgot to mention, you MUST attach the Arctic power connector to the card BEFORE attaching the HS. It's impossible to do this afterwards (as suggested in the official instructions :rolleyes: )

EDIT: There's no sensor on this board so the autoclock feature doesn't work.

neokenzo

Just my 2 cents.

Firstly, ATItools read my card as R350. I havent checked it for myself because I dont have the paste to reseal the heatsink again. So I cant verify how accurate ATItool readings are. Maybe one of you could check whether ATITool is showing you the right core.
Some Saphire does come with the Hynix ram. I think mine is Hynix because when I opened to check my card, I cant find anywhere where it says Samsung.
When I installed my Artic cooler, I just used a tissue to clean the gunk away. I also installed the fan first before putting the power connector. But I guess its up to yourself. Whichever your comfortable with.

Gyck

I've put an Arctic Cooler on my powercolor 9800 pro (from Hitide) and it's excellent. Way quieter than the original crappy fan/heatsink combo. I've not really stressed it too hard, I'm using the Omega 4.2 drivers but haven't run it up past 412/344.

ozmo

Originally posted by Gyck
I've put an Arctic Cooler on my powercolor 9800 pro (from Hitide) and it's excellent.

PC World Blanch Selling Artic Cooler for 14.99

And the diode thats missing... - do you have any more details - I have access to a surface mount lab and a friend there could populate the missing pieces if thats all it needs?

Sir Random

Originally posted by neokenzo
Just my 2 cents.

Firstly, ATItools read my card as R350. I havent checked it for myself because I dont have the paste to reseal the heatsink again. So I cant verify how accurate ATItool readings are. Maybe one of you could check whether ATITool is showing you the right core.
Some Saphire does come with the Hynix ram. I think mine is Hynix because when I opened to check my card, I cant find anywhere where it says Samsung.
When I installed my Artic cooler, I just used a tissue to clean the gunk away. I also installed the fan first before putting the power connector. But I guess its up to yourself. Whichever your comfortable with.

ATI Tool reads from the BIOS so it will say R350 for a 9800 Pro BIOS (mine did too).
There are lots of different XT BIOS's available, some for Hynix ram too.
On the ATI cards, it's impossible to fit the power connector after fitting the cooler (it's in the middle of the card, not at the edge like Sapphire)

ozmo, the PCB isn't designed to cater for the temp diode but thanks anyway.

Adeptus Titanicus

Hmmm... Might head to PC World tomorrow. Not a bad price and I'd avoid waiting for delivery. I'm hooked now. Have the CPU at 3.5GHz, 9800Pro at 414/365 and got the following

test: stock/now
2001: 17400/20058
2003: 5787/6380

I added an extra fan to the front, lower down and the temp of the GFX didn't go above 61. Looking forward to seeing how the Arctic does, and hopefully flashing the Pro.

Think it's time for sleep though....

neokenzo

While we are on the topic of overclocking graphics cards, what would be the acceptable temp for the card?

Adeptus Titanicus

I've been googling for that but can;t seem to find anything definitive. Mine idles at 50C. Was popping up to 66 under load until I repositioned some fans so it loads at 61 now.

Thought I'd get that Arctic in Blanch today, but don't think they were open (they didn't answer the phone if they were), so I'm really curious to see how much that helps out.

BabyEater

As far as I can remember my 9800 was at 36C water cooled and about 44C stock cooled with the side of the case open.

Adeptus Titanicus

Just wondering, is that loaded or idle?

BabyEater

That was an overclocked 9800non pro looping 3dMark that was the the highest reading I got during the loop.

Sir Random

I have a Lian-Li sensor on the back of my card and it's idling at ~43c and load ~52c, so I'd imagine it's +50~60c at the core. Temps were about 5c hotter with the stock cooler.

Most guys in this thread are in the mid 60s playing Far Cry:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17207819

Apparently, anything under 70c is normal.

ozmo

Originally posted by Sir Random
I have a Lian-Li sensor on the back of my card and it's idling at ~43c and load ~52c, so I'd imagine it's +50~60c at the core. Temps were about 5c hotter with the stock cooler.

Most guys in this thread are in the mid 60s playing Far Cry:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17207819

Apparently, anything under 70c is normal.

Can anyone mention a good Temperature monitor that I can install ( I have a free 3.5 bay and one pci slot and lots of usb free on my shuttle) to monitor the temperature of the 9800Pro.

*I would like one that reports back to WinXP the temperature (via serial or usb?) a display isnt necessary.

The only ones I can find show the temp on a little display - but the pc is so low down and hidden- i'd never see the display if it was out of the ordinary.

Ryo Hazuki

I got my 9800 non pro very cheap, and I softmodded to the Pro Version.

I stuck some copper ramsinks on it, and i overclocked it to 405/736(eff.divide by 2)


I have no problems with stability, its rock solid. Best 200 euro i ever spent.

Adeptus Titanicus

Originally posted by Ryo Hazuki
I have no problems with stability, its rock solid. Best 200 euro i ever spent.

It's nice when things go well ain't it?

neokenzo

Sir Random, did you sand paper the artic cooler's base before putting it on your card?

Sir Random

Originally posted by neokenzo
Sir Random, did you sand paper the artic cooler's base before putting it on your card?

No, but I should have.
As I posted earlier, the VGA Cooler base has grooves from the machining process, and really needs lapping. I was too tired at 4am to bother, so I just rubbed in some AS3 to smooth it over:

silverside

for anyone who wants a heatsink without taking up a pci slot, i have ordered the

titan vga cooler

http://www.thecoolingshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/486

i will let you know how i get on when it arrives

Adeptus Titanicus

Originally posted by Sir Random
The Arctic cooler doesn't include ram sinks. I'm gonna Dremel some old cpu ram sinks and make my own. They should add ~10Mhz to the ram o/c

Was wondering if is was worth ordering something like these. I don't have a dremel They're a little large though, but you do get eight.

El_MUERkO

My PC with the artic cooler, got my 9800 non pro OC'd to 411 stable and it was at 417 when I bitched out so I could of gone higher and remained stable.

ozmo

http://www20.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040414/index.html

Quote: "12.000 points in 3DMark 2003. A score of over 60.000 in AquaMark 3. Over 60fps in Halo at 1600x1200 and more than 50fps in FarCry with High FSAA and 4tap anisotropic filtering at 1024x768 - these are numbers that will bring tears of joy to PC enthusiasts everywhere

You'd have to go back quite a bit in the history of graphics cards to find a performance leap of similar magnitude. "

Adeptus Titanicus

See here for that...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=153608

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=153034

:rolleyes: No need to rub it in!