XFX 7970 waterblock non-reference

[jebediah]

Hi again guys.
Well it's not far away untill i go water cooling, some parts is on the way.

But i can't find any blocks for my XFX 7970 DD Black ed. cards.

I have two DVI connectors, so what i could find on the web was that i have the new revision?

Does any 7970 nonreference block fit my cards or is it only blocks especially made for XFX that will fit?

I cand find any blocks, so I guess i have To make a custom block with seperat vrm cooling.

 

[Pierre3400]

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/ Great place to learn about what your PCB looks like.

Normally only MSI Lightning cards, and Asus DCu cards get the non ref blocks. All other non ref cards get stuck with having to use universal blocks.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Pierres right. You should use the EK search engine. I did it for you and found no full waterblock if its the "NEW REVISIONJ" version of the 3 Black Editions. It looks like you'll have to use a universal waterblock and use heatsinks for the VRMs with some decent air flow going through them.

 

[jebediah]

Yes i've used the search engine before and could not find any. But after some googling i found this one http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2...Block_15022.html?tl=c309s1590b180&id=R5gUjamT

It says Non-Reference Design, but it might be for another XFX 7970 card?

 

[Pierre3400]

You need to give 100% confirmation on which model og the 7970 you have, since there are a few out there.

 

[jebediah]

Yeah i know. I'm at work atm, but i post it later.

Do i have to remove the cooler to see the serial?

 

[Pierre3400]

Yeah i know. I'm at work atm, but i post it later.

Do i have to remove the cooler to see the serial?

It should be on the back of the PCB on a sticker.

 

[jebediah]

Sorry for being ******. My cards do not have two DVI connectors..

The sticker says FX-797A-TD FX797A-TDBC V1.1

It's hard to wich one i have since there's 3 xfx 7970 cards withe the same product code.

 

[Pierre3400]

Sorry for being ******. My cards do not have two DVI connectors..

The sticker says FX-797A-TD FX797A-TDBC V1.1

It's hard to wich one i have since there's 3 xfx 7970 cards withe the same product code.

On EK's website i can only see 2 versions with the TDBC model name.

One is a Ref model, the other is a non Ref. The Ref version only has one DVI.

But better way to find out. Does your card have AMD printed on the PCB by the PCIE socket.

 

[gsrcrxsi]

if your card only has 1 DVI port, then it is most likely reference.

 

[jebediah]

On EK's website i can only see 2 versions with the TDBC model name.

One is a Ref model, the other is a non Ref. The Ref version only has one DVI.

But better way to find out. Does your card have AMD printed on the PCB by the PCIE socket.

if your card only has 1 DVI port, then it is most likely reference.

Thanks for the help guys.
I just plugged one of the card back again, so i guess i might take it out again just to be sure.
But what i could see was three golden square print next to the product code sticker, and it Said something like AMD Canada or something like that.

EDIT: 1min. Will take it out again and take some photos

Here's the product sticker, the serial is blurred



Here's the AMD text i was talking about, just right to the product sticker.


The back on the PCB by the PCIE socket.


And the front on the PCB by the PCIE socket

 

[GTXJackBauer]

A nice picture of the front please and the side where the back connections are made.

You have the dual fan version of Black Edition I assuming here. So the first 7970 from the list is scratched off. It now leaves 2 Black Edition "TDBC" cards. That matches your serial. Ok so looking at the picture, the non-revised 7970 dual fan looks to have a single DVI while the "NEW REVISION" looks to have 2 DVI's and has no options for a full water block. Looks like the "NEW REVISION" is out of luck which leads me to believe is your GPU. But still post the front and backside connectors so we can finally close that part of the case.

 

[Pierre3400]

Basically we need to see the capacitors placement to see which it is.

 

[jebediah]

But still post the front and backside connectors so we can finally close that part of the case.

Excuse my stupidness, but what do you mean by fron and backside connectors?

I removed the cooler just two weeks ago, and it took me almost 2 hours with the new thermal paste and pads. I would rather avoid that if i could

One more thing i forgot. My cards doesn't have the bios switch.

Basically we need to see the capacitors placement to see which it is.

Oh darnit

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Excuse my stupidness, but what do you mean by fron and backside connectors?

I removed the cooler just two weeks ago, and it took me almost 2 hours with the new thermal paste and pads. I would rather avoid that if i could

One more thing i forgot. My cards doesn't have the bios switch.



Oh darnit

A picture of the front means where the fans are. Give us a nice pic non-zoomed in of it and the back area we call because it sits and faces back of the case is where the DVI and connectors are for your monitors. I can see back can be confused where the back plates go to. I should have been more specific.

 

[jebediah]

Thanks for the clarification






Damn this is hard. I did some googling in the number "109-C38637-00" printed on my cards by the PCIE socket. And i found this at EKWB
-More precise method involves reading the AMD PCB reference number, printed near the PCI-express connector. When you or the salesperson can clearly see the AMD logo and PCB number "109-C38637-00" this is the indication you are looking at the EK-FC7970 compatible card. EK has added additional warning on Cooling Configurator website to ensure these problems do not repeat.



My memory is not the best one since i removed the cooler in the middle of the night with a beer or two. But i can recall these black things "mosfet or power supply stuff?" Especially the text R19

NOTICE....NOT MY CARD, JUST A PIC FROM A NON-REFERENCE CARD!



Do i have hybrids?

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Your card seems not to be the "NEW REVISION". I only see one DVI connector when you told us you had two. Than yours seems to be compatible. I would call EK to make sure or email them. It would suck to grab a waterblock and not have it fit.

 

[jebediah]

Your card seems not to be the "NEW REVISION". I only see one DVI connector when you told us you had two. Than yours seems to be compatible. I would call EK to make sure or email them. It would suck to grab a waterblock and not have it fit.

Sorry for being ******. My cards do not have two DVI connectors..

Sorry for the wrong info in the beginning, but i changed it later on.
I've E-mailed XFX if they know something more about this. If they can look it up with the serial number.

I gonna place a order with some WC parts in a week or so from a local store, so if the blocks doesn't fit, i'll just return them and go for universal instead.

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[jebediah]

May i ask whats the different between the reference and non-reference? Only the layout of the PCB, or is also the height?

Is it easy to notice that the block doesn't fit properly?

 

[Pierre3400]

May i ask whats the different between the reference and non-reference? Only the layout of the PCB, or is also the height?

Is it easy to notice that the block doesn't fit properly?

Notice? If thats all you care about you are in for trouble.

If the block doesnt sit right, then you want have contact between the GPU and the cooler, that will then kill you 7970 within seconds if it has no cooling.

Looking at the pictures, the fans has been off before, take it off, show us, replace the thermal paste, and put it back on.