My brother in law got a non-function 8800GTX out of a dumpster, gave it to me to see if it still works. It was dead as a dodo. It was amazing there was no physical damage because it was put in a GT 240 box, and was uncomfortably poking out. Remembered this thread over at [H], gave it a shot, and it works!!!!!
I've just been playing Crysis Warhead in SLI for the last half hour or so, no artifact, no performance problems, it works! Cranked up the quality settings too!!
I did it slightly different, I ofcourse took off the cooler, put it on aluminium foil balls, cookie sheet on the tray and here we go.
9min 200c
30sec 230c
last 30 seconds on Max (think it's about 250c)
1 minute on 50c cooldown
2 minute fan only
Take out, blow on card to cool down.
Put near window to cool down even further.
Then 4 min in fridge because the PCB was still a little warm.
Put it in, plugged in PCIe power connectors. Fired Crysis up, wham! It works!
Thanks so much to the OP at the HardOCP thread.
Now.....as for that V5 6000 of mine....
j/k, there is something else the problem with that one.
**original thread**
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1421792