ATI 9700 Pro and Heat

Vio1 · Jul 11, 2003

Hi, I just got myself a 9700pro, and it seems really hot running at stock... is this normal? I had a geforce 3 before and it never got this hot. I was just wondering... My mobo temp reads around 35C and the CPU @38, but the vid is really hot... all the little cylinderical things are warm to hot as well as the heatsink and board itself.

If this is normal, would it be safe to o/c?

Top Hat Theater · Jul 11, 2003

Yes, it's normal, especially the core because of a poorly designed/placed/measured shim which causes poor contact b/w the 'sink and the core.

~THT

altec · Jul 12, 2003

THT: I was noticing how hot my 9700p was also, and was curious if it would help to cool the GPU off a little to apply some AS3 to it and slap the HSF back on? I really dont want to do it cause it will take a few min, but if it will help I may consider it.

mtnbikerjerry · Jul 12, 2003

Yes,

Removing the shim helps, as does applying Arctic Silver. I have a Powercolor ATI Radeon 9700, and before doing the work, I had at max 345mhz on the core and 600mhz DDR on the memory. But before all of this I did flash to Mufu's BIOS to allow my non pro version of my ATI 9700 to be overclockable much like the pro. (Yes my Power color comse with the Infineon 3.3ns memory)

After removing the HS, rubbing off the yellow supplied thermal good, lapping the ATI heatsink, and applying Artic Silver 3, I was able to obtain 365mhz with no artifacts on the core and 610 mhz DDR without artifacts. If I want my card to run cooler and get more MHZ, I would need to change out to another type of heatsink.

Removing that shim, and applying artic silver helps. To remove that yellow thermal paste/epoxy, becareful on this, make sure you read this http://www.overclockers.com/articles714/

Hope this helps.

tjh566 · Jul 12, 2003

I took off my heatsink and added the crystal orb, i left the shim on it because after looking at it from the side it looked pretty level with the gpu. I am able to get around 375 on to gpu now.

Oni · Jul 13, 2003

Just a caveat: If you remove the HS and remove the thermal pad, you MUST remove the shim! The shim does sit slightly higher than the HS, and the thermal pad fills the extra space. If you just remove the HS, remove the goo, put on your favourite TIM (I suggest non-conductive pastes, like Arctic Alumina or Ceramique), and slap the HS back on w/o removing the shim, the HS will make poor or no conctact w/ the core!

mtnbikerjerry · Jul 13, 2003

Oni,

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am not understanding what you are saying towards the end. I have already removed the shim on my card and I am using a little bit of Arctic Silver 3. Are you stating that the shim should have been left on even after you have removed the default factory thermal pad or goop?

Just by lapping the HS, and removing the goop and applying Arctic Silver 3, I was able to obtain higher a higher core clock speed. I have tried Alumina, and I did not get these kind of results.

-Also as a side note, I am able to reach 380mhz now, and in most of my games and 3dmark 2001 SE, I have no artifacts; however, when I run Doom III A I get all kinds of artifacts and I have to clock down to around 340mhz and 600 on the memory, otherwise the video card messes up. When I run UT 2003 in full detail for several hours, nothing happens. With DOOM III A, my card freaks out. I did not know how demanding Doom III was, since it has not been fully optomized to run on existing hardware.

Oni · Jul 13, 2003

mtnbikerjerry said:
Oni,

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am not understanding what you are saying towards the end. I have already removed the shim on my card and I am using a little bit of Arctic Silver 3. Are you stating that the shim should have been left on even after you have removed the default factory thermal pad or goop?

No, you should take it off. If you're going to use an alternative TIM, you must remove the shim, or you won't have adequate contact w/ the core.

Sorry, I should've been more specific. My bad

Vio1 · Jul 13, 2003

I removed the heatsink and fan that comes with my 9700 pro and (if I understand correctly... the shim is the metal boarder that surrounds the top edge of the processing ship) I found that its at the exact same height as the processor core... so whats the point of removing the shim... I tried putting some AS3 on my slk6+ and put it on the core.... it definetly touches the core as well as the shim. I dont see how the shim is a prob cause the old heatsink and fan was very wide and perfectly flat (therefore coming in contact with the core as well as the shim)... whats the point of removing the shim?

Fever · Jul 13, 2003

Best thing I ever did to my 9700..

http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=1778924#post1778924

Fever · Jul 13, 2003

ViolaDude said:
I removed the heatsink and fan that comes with my 9700 pro and (if I understand correctly... the shim is the metal boarder that surrounds the top edge of the processing ship) I found that its at the exact same height as the processor core... so whats the point of removing the shim... I tried putting some AS3 on my slk6+ and put it on the core.... it definetly touches the core as well as the shim. I dont see how the shim is a prob cause the old heatsink and fan was very wide and perfectly flat (therefore coming in contact with the core as well as the shim)... whats the point of removing the shim?

It does NOT touch the shim, unless ATi revised the shim, which they didn't. You should really redo it and remove the shim!!!

tjh566 · Jul 13, 2003

i dont know... when i was doing it it looked as teh exact same height at teh gpu... and i ut on a nice player of thermal goop...

q149 · Jul 13, 2003

Fever said:
It does NOT touch the shim, unless ATi revised the shim, which they didn't. You should really redo it and remove the shim!!!

I think you mean core. Anyway, on alot of 9700's the shim is higher than the core.. on alot of them the core is higher than the shim.. on alot of them the shim and core are about exactly the same level.

Vio1 · Jul 13, 2003

so if they are at the same level, is there any point to remove the shim?

Vio1 · Jul 13, 2003

Also, side question: What would you recommend I set the vid card at: 8x AGP, 4X,2X??? Also, are there any other settings that I should perhaps change or adjust that would improve game play?

Wolfeinstein · Jul 14, 2003

9700 pro i have giant2 on it without volt mod (which soon will be done) i am running 405/660 17783 on 3d se not too great but soon go water and volt mod.

q149 · Jul 14, 2003

8x. If they are the same level then it is probably pointless to remove it. Also if they are the same level you can actually put on a huge hsf on it just by supergluing it to the shim and not drilling holes.

ATI 9700 Pro and Heat

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