2900XT Heatsink Failure- dead card

[yuseaname]

Hello. I have in my posession an HIS 2900xt 512MB. Since May of 2007 it has been my primary video card. However, the other day the card failed for an unknown reason. My system is relatively dust free and all system temps register within very tolerable parameters. Anyone with a 2900 gpu who knows how the heat sink is constructed knows that at the base of the heat sink where the heat pipes attach is a apor chamber where the liquid inside is heated by the core. On my card, this chamber which is flat has for some reason expanded and has bowed the copper and broken off the heatsink retention bracket. I know this because the spring loaded back is still attached to the base but the copper is rattling around. After testing I can also assure the card is dead as when the heatsink did this the heat from the ship melted off the gpu core shim. Has anyone with this or a similar card experienced this strange phenomena? I have done nothing to by any means void the warranty and as this card has been well maintained during its use in low humidity and ambient temperatures with good power. If possible I want to send it back to HIS even though it only had a 1yr warranty in hopes maybe I will get a replacement. Anyone who could enlighten me on this situation would recieve much appreciation.

 

[ckmckm]

so did i , but i had replaced new heatsink to my 2900xt, now it's back to normal now. i used thermalright HR-03 R600.