Watercooling A 4870 2nd time around?

Ric2L · Dec 26, 2008

All right, got some extra cash for christmas, Thanx Mom. Now, seeing as how the last time I tried to put a card in my loop I bricked the card and caught Royal H#ll from some of you guys (which I understand and agree with100%). It was a $275.00 lesson.

I'm thinking (probably will) about ordering another 4870 1gb reference card to replace my bricked one, and if I do adding it to my loop. Right now the only reference card Newegg has is the HIS for $239.00 which is a pretty good buy.

So, does anyone have any suggestions, helpfull hints, as to the way to take off the factory cooler and replacing it with my XSPC Razor which is hanging in my rig cooling absoluting cooling nothing at the for the last two weeks.

I really wish I knew what went wrong the last time around, and REALLY don't want to make the same mistake again.

Heres the link to the post from my last experience.
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=588320

Any help will be appreciated.

Ric2L · Dec 26, 2008

I just pulled the trigger & ordered that HIS 4870 1gb from Newegg, hope it works out!!!

Spawn-Inc · Dec 26, 2008

email XSPC and see if they say anything about what could have happened. i'm not sure but i think i heard that the 512 and 1gb have different heights on the ram chips.

Conumdrum · Dec 26, 2008

Yea, best thing is to do a LOT of net research and redo the block on the card a billion times to see if there was a height problem, etc etc.

Mebbe XS forums? Lots of chatter a few months ago about some 4870 blocks.

And tell your mom thanks, heck tell em we'll give her a hug for being a great mom.

Be glad she's working, your a lucky kid.

Ric2L · Dec 27, 2008

Spawn-Inc said:
email XSPC and see if they say anything about what could have happened. i'm not sure but i think i heard that the 512 and 1gb have different heights on the ram chips.

sent XSPC an email, I let ya know there reply, might help someone else out also.

Conumdrum said:
Yea, best thing is to do a LOT of net research and redo the block on the card a billion times to see if there was a height problem, etc etc.

Mebbe XS forums? Lots of chatter a few months ago about some 4870 blocks.

And tell your mom thanks, heck tell em we'll give her a hug for being a great mom.

Be glad she's working, your a lucky kid.

Yea, I've been researching for a couple days now, haven't found anything other than that I may have applied too much TIM and shorted it out. The Ram chips are taller than the 512 version that could be a prob also, I asked XSPC about that in my email to them

Yea mom's pretty great, though shes retired & in her 70's, she's pretty well off financially, But I'll give her another hug for ya'll

Ric2L · Jan 5, 2009

I recieved my new card today, and am still leary about adding it to loop.
However, I just thought of something!! I don't think I put the clocks back to stock before pulling the card the first time. It was O/C'd to 790 on GPU & 960 on Memory, could this have been an issue? pulling & reinstalling without resetting to default speeds?

Pntgrd · Jan 5, 2009

Not really. The first problem was more than likely caused by some kind of a short circuit. That could be caused by some wayward thermal compound, mismount of the block, not using required insulating spacers (this one I have done myself).

Spawn-Inc · Jan 5, 2009

Ric2L said:
I recieved my new card today, and am still leary about adding it to loop.
However, I just thought of something!! I don't think I put the clocks back to stock before pulling the card the first time. It was O/C'd to 790 on GPU & 960 on Memory, could this have been an issue? pulling & reinstalling without resetting to default speeds?

i really doubt it. the worst i could see from that is that you would get really high temps and maybe burning out but that would mean the cooler wasn't installed with any contact at all. and if it even boot up that wasn't the cause. also oc'ing with video cards is done with software, not a bios so it should run stock until the program loads.

Rickpatbrown · Jan 6, 2009

It is so easy to knock a resistor loose on the card. Or static discharge can kill it without you knowing. Putting the grey plastic bag on the table does not make an anti static bench. Especially with the weather being so cold and dry, use and anti static wrist strap or at least make sure to ground yourself before touching your card. Static discharge from your carpet can be thousands of volts. You can fry something without seeing the tell tale spark.

darkcow · Jan 6, 2009

I suggest using artic ceramique for TIM, its non-conductive. I only use that stuff on ram/GPU's but for my CPU I pull out IC-Diamond.

Ric2L · Jan 6, 2009

Hmmm....?

I just got a reply from XSPC on the email I sent them about this issue, not good!!! Heres there reply:

[Hi, Rick

When we design the block, there was still no 1Gb HD4870 card. So, it is not compact with 1Gb HIS.

We will revise it on new production.

Best Regards
Dazhong]

So, I guess I now have 2 paper weights, and will have to go with another block??

Wondering if anyone has successfully put a Razor on a 1GB card?

WonderingSoul · Jan 6, 2009

I've handled video cards probably hundreds of times and not once bricked a card. As a matter of fact, I have an old 6600GT sitting on the kitchen table right now and I bet my lunch money it will fire right up when I install it tonight.

Although, I did brick a motherboard once when I knicked it with a screw driver once

I've had the same experience as Sam once when I put a 3870 in my brothers old rig. I put the card in and the whole system wouldn't post! Reseated the card, reset CMOS, everything.. Then just magically booted after several attempts

edit; one thing I thought of was, do you think the card will not boot without the fan installed? I know of other cards that will not function without the fan header plugged in

mgoode · Jan 6, 2009

I have a saphire 4870 1gb and one of these on the way:

http://www.crazypc.com/products/mcw60-4870-9366.html

I will let you know how it goes. I once bricked a ATI 9800 by tighting the waterblock to hard and cracked the core. Lesson learned

Ric2L · Jan 6, 2009

WonderingSoul said:
I've handled video cards probably hundreds of times and not once bricked a card. As a matter of fact, I have an old 6600GT sitting on the kitchen table right now and I bet my lunch money it will fire right up when I install it tonight.

Although, I did brick a motherboard once when I knicked it with a screw driver once

I've had the same experience as Sam once when I put a 3870 in my brothers old rig. I put the card in and the whole system wouldn't post! Reseated the card, reset CMOS, everything.. Then just magically booted after several attempts

edit; one thing I thought of was, do you think the card will not boot without the fan installed? I know of other cards that will not function without the fan header plugged in

No the Diamond card (bricked one) wont boot with or without the factory cooler installed, even tried it in my HP comp. just to see if it would boot, and no go. So, card is def. junk

mgoode said:
I have a saphire 4870 1gb and one of these on the way:

http://www.crazypc.com/products/mcw60-4870-9366.html

I will let you know how it goes. I once bricked a ATI 9800 by tighting the waterblock to hard and cracked the core. Lesson learned

That would be great.

I definatly will not be using the Razor (prob. will try to sell it cheap), was thinking Danger Den full cover.
I have a ticket in to them to make sure its compatible with 1Gb cards before I buy one.

Not sure which way to go? For now its staying the way it is (STOCK) :shrug:

Hipcrostino · Jan 6, 2009

The card starts to boot but then stops right? you can see text on the screen when it stops yeah?

If you can then theres a pretty good chance its not broken. Look on the card for any physical damage. Sounds like somthing could be shorting. Perhaps pics of the card and the cooler would help.

Either way, in my experiance referance cards are always better anyway. Just make sure to observe closely when applying to the cooler. Make sure you get contact where contact is required. I once put a air cooler on a card and before putting it back in the comp decided i would check contact. I could see daylight between the gpu and the cooler! Turned out to be touching a cap, so a slight alteration to the cooler and then it fitted. Im glad i never fired that car up like that. Since then im always very cautious.

Ric2L · Jan 6, 2009

Hipcrostino said:
The card starts to boot but then stops right? you can see text on the screen when it stops yeah?

No, the system hangs on VGABIOS, and will not boot (black screen) never get anything on screen. :bang head

Its getting really frustrating, I've been trying to figure this out for weeks, I would really like to find someone, or something that says "yes this full cover block (whatever brand) works with a 1st reference design 4870 1Gb card." :shrug:

I just got done talking with Danger Den, and they say the only issues they know of with there block is with Palit cards. So, when I ask if HIS is definatly compatible they just say "as far we know?" I really can't afford to be the guinnie pig that tells them that HIS is not compatible.

Going to check with EK and see if I can get a definitive answer from them.

Making me wish I went with a 512 version, but with my 24" monitor @ 1920x1200 res. I figured the 1Gb would be best.

saxile · Jan 6, 2009

stupid idea Ric, have you tried putting paste on the back of the block and fit it to the card to see where it makes contact and doesn't make contact?

Ric2L · Jan 6, 2009

saxile said:
stupid idea Ric, have you tried putting paste on the back of the block and fit it to the card to see where it makes contact and doesn't make contact?

Hmm.... I'll give it a try on the diamond card, havent pulled cover off HIS card yet, its in rig right now. Not sure it'll tell me anything though, since the razor is machined to different heights where the PCB and MEMORY makes contact vs. the VRM's

saxile · Jan 6, 2009

it'll let you know if it touches anything it shouldn't that could have shorted it out.

chadrh · Jan 6, 2009

Ric2L said:
No, the system hangs on VGABIOS, and will not boot (black screen) never get anything on screen.

Its getting really frustrating, I've been trying to figure this out for weeks, I would really like to find someone, or something that says "yes this full cover block (whatever brand) works with a 1st reference design 4870 1Gb card."

I just got done talking with Danger Den, and they say the only issues they know of with there block is with Palit cards. So, when I ask if HIS is definatly compatible they just say "as far we know?" I really can't afford to be the guinnie pig that tells them that HIS is not compatible.

Going to check with EK and see if I can get a definitive answer from them.

Making me wish I went with a 512 version, but with my 24" monitor @ 1920x1200 res. I figured the 1Gb would be best.

You know, this happened to me with a Diamond 4870x2 that I hadn't made any changes to at all. One day it just died and stopped at VGABIOS. I ended up doing an RMA w/ Diamond. The current card is working fine.

Watercooling A 4870 2nd time around?

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Team 32 Folding Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Similar threads