A8N SLI chipset cooling help needed

[markk76]

Hello, I own a A8N SLI mobo, and some time back the fan was making loads of noise so I replaced with a heatsink. However I just bought myself a 8800GTS 640MB videocard, and the card wont fit because of the high heatsink!

It wont be until january next year when i`ll upgrade my system with a new mobo and all, so I need some solution until then. What sort of cooling solution can you recommend instead of my tall heat sink? I was looking at:

Cooler Master Little CHipset cooler
http://www.coolermaster.com/support/product.php?act=detail&tbcate=&a mp;id=107


However I`m confused wether that is for the mobo chipset or a video card, and then again I have no idea wether it would fit on my A8n sli chipset. Anyone knows if that would work or maybe does anyone have any other advice?

I`m pretty desperate....I dont want to leave my new graphics card gathering dust until I can get myself a new mobo/cpu/memory

Thanks for ANY help!


Mark

 

[maximiza]

I would advise getting the Asus factory replacment chip set fan. I have had no problems since putting on the replacement fan on my a8n sli deluxe about a year and a half ago. My case has 8 fans though so too much noise or low noise was never a consideration.

 

[markk76]

Unfortunately I had tried to get the proper replacement fan when the original chipset fan started rattling but for some reason or another it never arrived or asus never bothered delivering so I really need some solution which I can buy off the net or some retail shop.

I`m also not sure if the replacement fan would be small enough to accomodate the video card, these 8800 are so huge

 

[maximiza]

http://estore.asus.com

 

[markk76]

Unfortunately they only ship to the US and Canada

 

[markk76]

Besides the coolermaster mentioned in my first post, I could also get this one:

http://www.akasa.co.uk/akasa_english/spec_page/system_coolers/spec_ak_21 0.htm

However, once again I`m not sure wether it would fit my motherboard and also if it will be low enough to accomodate the 8800 video card. This one is 2.4cm high and I wonder if the stock fan/official asus replacement fan is even smaller.

 

[Finlander]

Order the heatpipe for the ASUS A8N-SLI Premium Board and slap that on your regular A8N-SLI Motherboard, and disable the chipset fan in the BIOS. Been running my system like that for two years now - No fan to worry about, and it won't get in the way of the current generation of video cards, and it requires no modifications (although you have to take the cooler off the mosfets, but big deal). I think it is only $15.00 US, and when I ordered mine, they shipped it FedEx and it arrived the same week.

 

[maximiza]

markk76 you might want to put your location so people could give more local advise on what parts could be used. I know for certain the Asus replacemnts will not get in the way of any cards that are supposed to be used with your mother board.

 

[markk76]

My location is Malta (Europe), thanks for advice....I`d happily go for the asus replacement fan but cant seem to get hold of it from here, hence I`m trying to see if there is a way to sort out the issue with something which I can buy off the shelf or order from somewhere online in europe.

 

[markk76]

I was thinking wether it would be possible to run the mobo in SLI mode with the video card in teh secondary slot (leaving the primary empty). I`m at work so cant test it out right yet, does anyone have an idea if that might work?

I know I`d be running at 8x, but I guess it would still be an improvement over my 6600GT at 16x until I get my hands on a new mobo/cpu/memory upgrade in January.

 

[markk76]

A final update:

My 1 card SLI idea obviously didnt work. I ended up buying the akasa fan and heatsink since it was cheap and immediately available. The akasa is pretty low profile....but still not low profile enough to fit under my videocard, however I ended up solving the problem by unscrewing the fan from the akasa heatsink and basically did a little mod and mounted up the fan to the side of the heatsink.