My newest mod, done around July 2006 did not require the removal of the video card heat sync but actually added more heat syncs to the retail heat sync. The card is the BFG 7800GS AGP card which I modded with slower fan speed and much higher clock speeds through a BIOS flash. Retail speeds are 375Mhz core and 1250Mhz memory; my over clocks are 470Mhz core and 1540Mhz speeds for everyday use. In addition fan speeds changed from 50% idle and 78% load to 20% idle and 40% load with a reduction of heat in a 30C from 78C retail setup to 63C under load after hours of use.
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Mod I did as of the begining of December 2003 to my ATI 9800XT using an Evercool all copper heat sync holes drilled and bolted on and using thermal epoxy to glue on heat syncs. Did not increase clock speeds much at all but the video card ran much cooler
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Here's the card before the heat sync and fan was added. The core is exposed and the shim was taken off using a fine sharp knife, some people use razor blades but you have to be very careful cause one mistake and your card will be dead and your warrenty is void as soon as that retail heat sync is removed:
Here's my Hercules Geforce2 MX mod I did in the year 2000 was my first every video card mod using a cooler master heat sync fan combo with the original heat sync cut up into ram syncs. The mod caused a fair increase in clock speed and a huge reduction in video card temps. Retail speeds were 175Mhz core and 183Mhz memory speeds, after mod I could overclock to 230Mhz core and around 235Mhz memory.
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