Temperamental severe artifacting

It seems like my X800XT PE works properly only maybe 10% of the time. Nearly every boot results in severe artifacting, right in the BIOS. It seems like when I hold it into the slot just right, it works perfectly. Otherwise, the screen is a mess. Highly doubt that the motherboard is at fault, as a spare 8500LE works perfectly every time. Between the time I had it working perfectly and now, I had a waterblock with a massive amount of insulation, forcing there to be a huge amount of pressure between the board and the card. It's also been voltmodded, then...un-voltmodded...if that's a word, but voltage isn't an issue. It seems like something on my card is extremely delicate, and maybe has been damaged slightly in some way, but somehow works some time, but I can't see any physical damage whatsoever. If anyones got any ideas on how I could make it work all of the time, please shoot em.

Looks like you may have damaged the core or the RAM. Artifacting at POST usually points to taht. Are you absolutely sure that it works right if you hold it in the slot? There are several things that could have gone wrong when you unsolder stuff. Any visible signs of heat damage to the SMT components? Check, with a magnifying glass if you have spilt solder or cut through PCB traces. Usually, the silkscreen on a PCB is pretty tough. I'd be surprised if you managed to get through it.

Yeah, when it works, it works perfectly. All the way into Windows without any artifacts. Checked the card over with a magnifying glass...no physical damage. GPU and vmem voltages are perfectly in check. I was just using a 15w iron, so I wouldn't find it likely for any traces to have been cut. Really appreciate the suggestions, keep em coming.

Did you try cleaning out the Power pins with alcohol or air? Maybe, something's lodged itself in the AGP Slot. Does it feel loose when affixed?

Could be a bad or worn trace where it terminates and goes into the slot. I would try that cleaning first.

If you can get it into the slot and hold it just right and get it to work after cleaning, some hot glue in strategic places might hold it still for you to keep the card working. Hot glue peels off easily should you have to remove it, but will hold pretty agressively too.

I know that sounds like a real way to rig something up, but it will get the card to function, and is easily removeable.

Good ideas guys. I picked up some cleaner from Radioshack, and cleared out the area around the pins, which used to have some dielectric grease around it. If there's no other way, hot glue might be the way to go.

Gutman, if you know the position it works in, good old Duct tape may be the way to go . You could use it to anchor your card in the working position.

This occasionally happens to people but can you check and make sure that your card isnt warping from having your custom coolers on it?

Yeah, it is slightly warped. I think pretty much every video card I've owned has been though. Mobos too. Never seems to be much of an issue. Funny you mention this though. Haven't been able to get the card to boot right once with my modded Alpha heatsink, only with the VGA silencer. I think its pretty much time for this card to be retired.

Also might double check around the cooler mounting holes and see if you maybe have something in the way that its shorting on. thats how I managed to basically kill off an x600 so might be worth a shot.