i got my 5500 AGP!

But eventually i'll replace the stock coolers for better ones, and using a better thermal paste as well.

So i wonder...how do you remove, as safely as possible, the coolers, and afterward, the adhesive?

Note: i checked the fan size on the stock cooler and they are 40mm, the one already there seem to be slightly thinner than the one i have here (Scythe Mini-Kaze SY124010L)

best and safest way to do this is put the card in the fridge for about half an hour, then it should be near 0 degrees celcius, take it out, get a creditcard or any other bakcard, place the edge under the heatsink against the pcb, place a flathead screwdriver between the cc and the cooler and twist, it should pop off quite easily.

as for remnants of the adhesive, by far most of it should stick to the cooler, but the rest can be removed with nailpolish remover if I'm not mistaken

nail polish remover, with a cotton swab? or can i use a paper towel?

it's strange to put a video card in a fridge...never done this before.

that will make the adhesive very brittle and easy to remove. only cards this is needed with is cards like 3DFX that use that crappy adhesive stuff that can't be normally removed.

The fridge method works, I've tested with a few cards, but it's not very safe, a few times the "logo" printed on the chip went off with the radiator :(

I used the freezer, once frozen the adhesive becomes brittle, i then just used my hands and twisted the sinks off..

RaverX wrote on 29.08.13 at 18:28:42:

The fridge method works, I've tested with a few cards, but it's not very safe, a few times the "logo" printed on the chip went off with the radiator :(

It doesn't depend by the method you use, but how much the bicomponent compound stick to the printed surface. Sometimes you end with a clean job, sometimes you don't, but it is still safe anyway ...

goriath wrote on 29.08.13 at 21:24:29:

Sometimes you end with a clean job, sometimes you don't, but it is still safe anyway ...

You do realise what you just said, right?

If sometimes it doesn't work how can you say that "it's safe anyway"? If the card still works but you take a part of the chip out I wouldn't say it's safe at all...

If you don't care how the chip will look because you'll just stick another cooler it might be ok for you, but I still wouldn't try this on a valuable or rare card.

RaverX wrote on 29.08.13 at 22:19:22:

goriath wrote on 29.08.13 at 21:24:29: Sometimes you end with a clean job, sometimes you don't, but it is still safe anyway ... You do realise what you just said, right? If sometimes it doesn't work how can you say that "it's safe anyway"? If the card still works but you take a part of the chip out I wouldn't say it's safe at all... If you don't care how the chip will look because you'll just stick another cooler it might be ok for you, but I still wouldn't try this on a valuable or rare card.

Believe it or not, a card will still work with the logo off of the chip. I think that's what he was referring to, not chips coming off.  :)

Yeah, most definetely if ya ask me.

Only time I saw a chip come off was with a 2 component heat transferring glue I used for actively cooling 2 voodoo2's with the heatsinks glued on.

I tested it's strength by glueing a heatsink to the northbridge of a defect mobo, when I pried it loose with a screwdriver, I ripped the chip clean off the mobo, I couldn't get the chip off the heatsink. lol

RaverX wrote on 29.08.13 at 22:19:22:

goriath wrote on 29.08.13 at 21:24:29: Sometimes you end with a clean job, sometimes you don't, but it is still safe anyway ... You do realise what you just said, right? If sometimes it doesn't work how can you say that "it's safe anyway"? If the card still works but you take a part of the chip out I wouldn't say it's safe at all... If you don't care how the chip will look because you'll just stick another cooler it might be ok for you, but I still wouldn't try this on a valuable or rare card.

Obviously with clean job I was referring to the perfect removal of the thermal compound without ruining the 3dfx logo, for what it's whort ... (I still don't understand the relation between the condition of the printed logo on the BGA and the card operation).

Actually it's impossible knock off the BGA from the PCB simply trying to remove the heasink ::)
If the VSA-100 came off it means it was almost unsoldered already.

what's funny is they did the holes for coolers held with pins, but they didn't used those in the end...it would have been so much easier with regular thermal paste to replace the coolers.

if i had someone nearby who would do a clean job for me, i would go see him. But i guess i'm on my own. I doubt someone on this forum is living in Montreal, lol!

RaptorZX3 wrote on 30.08.13 at 05:02:29:

what's funny is they did the holes for coolers held with pins, but they didn't used those in the end...it would have been so much easier with regular thermal paste to replace the coolers.

They simply reduced costs.
The cooler adopted on the VSA100 based board is a quite effective solution to reduce costs and keep the card working in acceptable range of temperature.

It won't be the best cooler in the world but it is quite effective considering its dimension.

1) Find a ziplock bag (re-sealable bag)
2) Place V5 card inside bag
3) Get out as much air as possible and seal bag
4) Leave in the Freezer overnight
5) Remove from freezer in the morning and QUICKLY get the card out of the bag
6) Put an old credit card / phone card under one corner of the heatsink and CAREFULLY lever off the heatsink using a screwdriver as a lever...
7) Heatsink should pop off of the chip letting you clean off the remaining thermal glue
8) Apply new paste / heatsinks and modify card
(make sure you leave the card for an hour to let moisture evaporate first)
9) Test modified card...

4) Leave in the Freezer overnight


Only a half hour is required if that, I popped these off in 5 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kGhIg58zOY

The only reason I said overnight is that some cards have REALLY tough adhesive...just makes sure... ;)