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This is the Creative Labs Annilator Pro (DDR Geforce). It replaced the ATI Rage Fury Maxx that had an unfortunate demise. |
Its a nice card, very overclockable, but the stock heatsink/fan seems just too puny. Also I have read too many stories in creative.products.3d.blaster.annilator newsgroup about these little fans seizing up. And, of course, I want to wind it up and don't really trust the little thing to sufficiently cool the gpu. So, after some searching I bought a new heatsink/fan for the gpu and some little heatsinks for the DDR memory from Millisec.com.
Unfortunately, the stock hsf was epoxied on and had to be pried off with a butterknife. But it came off easily enough. Here is the VIce II cooler next the the factory one. You can see the GeForce in the background. Note the thick coating of glue. Had to soften that up with carburator cleaner and shave off with a razor blade (a far bigger task than getting the hsf off in the first place). Next, the gpu itself required lapping (sand to make flat) so the cooler would make good contact with the chip. That wasn't too bad a job. I used some Lansky sharpening stones (240 and 600 grit) to smooth it down.
At last I got to put the new coolers on. They are held on with Berquist thermal pads.
Finally, put it back in the case and fired it up. Wow, yet another new sound in here - starting to sound like a wind tunnel! :)
Seems to occupy a little more space than previously :) | |
