Issue with new GeCube X1950XT AGP

13bravo

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Jul 29, 2007
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Hi All,

I am hoping someone can help shed some light on an issue with my new GeCube X1950XT AGP card. I posted this in the graphic cards section of the forum but didn't get a response. I am hoping that maybe the ATI specific part of the forum might have someone who can help, possibly some has experience with the same card.

I hate to seem like a pest about it but I have three kids and two parents with Alzheimer's in my house which my wife and I take care of and I'm just nervous and would like to try and make sure there won't be any possible hazards...not to mention, I don't want to melt a cable and ruin it, the card, my HDD or the mobo.

OK, here is the issue, I just bought and installed a new GeCube X1950XT AGP card and it is huge! I already moved my sound card down two PCI slots and I guess I have about 3/4 to 1" of room between the edge of the dual fans on the 1950XT and the sound card. I hope that will be enough and not create any interference or heat issues. However, not only does the massive heatsink and fans make the card wide, it is also long as all heck! The end of the card is literally no more than a 1/4" from my HDD...probably more like an 1/8". Now, I am not so much worried about that (am I an egghead and I should be??) but the power cable and the SATA cable that go to that drive literally end up lying against the copper plate on the backside of the GeCube card. The actual connectors of the cables are physically up against the plate...not just the cables themselves.

Is that bad? How hot does that copper plate get? I don't know if that is supposed to function like a heatsink or just as protection for the underside of the card. Do you think it can possibly melt or do some type of damage to the cables? Worst case, is there a potential fire hazard or something? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This link will take you to some photos of the card...you can see how enormous it is. You can also see the copper plate on the back that I am referring to:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowI...256-bit+GDDR3+AGP+8X+HDCP+Video+Card+-+Retail


Thanks in advance!


13Bravo
USHA!
 

gpippas

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May 11, 2007
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The copper is more of a back plate than part of the main heatsink. However the fact that it is made of copper is to disipate the heat. I think it is unlikely that it would cause melting.
There are a couple of things to do.

First off can you move you HDD lower or higher in the cage.

Secondly leave the side of your case off. Download 3dmark. It doesnt matter which version. Run 3dmark because this will stress the graphics card and therefore increase the temp. Make sure you have dry hands when you do this or you could get a shock. Touch the copper plating while the card is being stressed. And touch anywhere that worries you. Then you can make a judgement on wether it might cause a problem. Obviously if you cant touch it for more than a few seconds their might be a problem. However it is possible that its just warm were by its not really a problem. If your unsure just run 3dmark again.

Third buy a larger case. But I would only do this as last option. If you were to the Antec P182 is a very good case. It has different cages for mobo, HDD, PSU everything. And you can route the wires behind the mobo plate so they are not touching anything.

As for the sound card its not a problem. They do not get hot at all. The fan and heatsink on the graphics card is designed to push air out of the rear of the case not into the case.
 

13bravo

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Jul 29, 2007
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Thanks so much! I will definitely try what you recommended below this weekend. I thought about moving the HDD's but my case is terribly designed and it will be a ridiculously difficult endeavour! However, if that is what I need to do I will. But before I do that I will go through the steps you outlined below. Man...I have never seen a graphics card this huge before (width and length)!

Thanks again, I really appreciate you taking the time to read my post and respond!


13Bravo
U.S.H.A.!
 

harvardguy

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Aug 28, 2007
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Be careful you guys with the heat of this card. I am about to buy one of these myself and I went to Newegg (where you got those pictures of the card) and I read all the reviews, right here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ryType=0&Pagesize=10&SelectedRating=-1&Page=4
The basic gist of the reviews is: yes the copper gets extremely hot and it can melt cable wires - so don't let anything touch it. The cooler works, if it maintains contact with the gpu, but the cooler is so heavy, it begins to drop down - you may have to prop it up somehow. Also check the cooler to card screws - in one case they were only finger tight and tightening them helped. One guy said don't ship UPS - his card was banged up. Several reviews got replacement cards and newegg was very good to work with that way - the replacements were mostly because of over-heating issues.

Basically read all the reviews and you'll get a lot of good information and tips. It sounds like they are already running the card at about peak performance given the present cooler, so unless you replace the cooler (a little tricky - you have to "unglue" it) you may not want to mess with overclocking - I don't plan to myself.

Any more ideas anybody?

Rich
orange county, california