PowerColor X800 GTO - Problems

Probably yes. Maybe a defective card. These things happen with computers...

isn't there anything else we can get him to try before he RMA's it. RMA is a pain in the ****~! but if all fails u should rma

Well, it would be a good idea to do so. I mean, you'll be getting a brand new card. Since the cooler you were looking at doesn't fit, there is no current solution. And before you spend more money on the card, you might as well find out if it is the card itself making the problems.

Rma?

I have not come across the term RMA before. I cant send the card back to the shop I got it from, cos it isn't there any more, and I tried sending emails to PowerColor support and got no replies. Is RMA a process to follow? If so, how does that work?

WRT heat problems, I think it cant help that my case gets too hot inside. The best onboard cooling in the world isnt going to help the GPU if it is only dragging hot air over the chip; does anyone know a way of improving the cooling in the case? I have started leaving the side off the PC at the moment, to get rid of the hot air; the only air extraction is a standard 12cm fan on the back of the case, and the 8cm fan that comes with the Jeantech PSU...by adding a more powerful PSU, I have probably increased the heat in the case now...and that cant help. Without having to replace the case, is there some clever way of improving the cooling of the air inside?

Cheers,

Paul.

RMA and Cooling

Yeah, I guessed that would be the way. I downloaded ATItool a while back, but couldn't find anything useful to do with it And lucky I didnt order that Artic Cooler yet, thanks for the heads up, saved me some cash/effort there :grinthumb

So, now I have these things to consider:-

1. How does RMA work, and can I use it in the UK?
2. How do I improve the cooling within the case?
3. How do I improve the cooling on the PowerColor X800 GTO?

Any help here would be useful.

Thanks for all the help so far guys.:approve:

Paul.

1.- To RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) your card, you need to send it back to the place where you bought it, or request a RMA number directly from Powercolor. You need to contact them to know if you can request a RMA in the UK.

2.- If you want to improve your case's cooling, you need to have a fan in front of the case, as an intake fan, and another exhaust fan in the back of it. If your case accepts 120mm fans, that would be better (more airflow).

3.- I think there's no way to do it using the card's stock cooling. You'd need to get another aftermarket cooler. Zalman produces some good ones.

If you have another question, feel free to post it

Regards :wave:

X800 Aftermarket Coolers?

Could be tricky, the shop I bought it from has long gone, and PowerColor have not replied to any emails so far.

I like the idea, but my case has no space for an intake fan...best I have at the moment (and is very makeshift!) is leaving the side panel off, to get the heat out; can't say for sure, but since then the card seems more stable. :suspiciou

As you say, the Artic Coolers don't seem to fit...

Has anyone else managed to fit an aftermarket cooler to the PowerColor X800 GTO ?

The other thing you could do, which I have done a few times, is try to screw another bigger, faster spinning case fan onto the heatsink of the card. Just unplug the old fan and screw on a bigger one. It doesn't look good at all but I have one that keeps my old 9800PRO at 23C Just try to make the screws catch in between the heatsink fins, they will hold surprisingly well.

Yes, but if it turns out to be a defective card and not a heat problem, the company will not honor his rma.

Ah, yea didn't think about that. Do NOT do what I previously said

Try some Zalman heatsinks, like the VF700, or the VF900. They should fit your card properly, but you would need to have great case cooling.

Regards :wave:

Case Cooling

Hmm, looks like it is back to the earlier problem then...how to cool a case, with no front intake space...

I had thought about removing the PSU, leaving it free standing on top of the PC, and then replacing the gap with a new extractor fan...might help; what do you think? That would give me 2 x 12 cm extractor fans.

Paul.

Ehhh... Maybe you could just get a cheap case. Should have better cooling

You know they make slot coolers. BTW I just upgraded my catalyst drivers and used Drivercleaner. It removed many files and many many more registry entries after I used ATi's uninstall.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835209016 - slot cooler

Ugg, at first glance I thought you were talking about your pets (cats)! I just got home so I'm not in the "computer" mode yet :unch:

LOL cfitzarl :haha:

BTW, that slot cooler should really help. Maybe you can avoid buying a new case

Now I'm awake! I had a splitting eyeache when I wrote my last post. Anyway the price of a cheap case should be near the price of the cooler (maybe only a few dollars more).

Hello, there!
I have exactly the same problem as the one you described. I bought my Powercolor X800 GTO card last week (my system: Pentium 4 3Gh on an Intel MB, 1 GB RAM, PSU 500W - 18A on 12V line), and I have been having screen freezes in games like Titan Quest, but also even when using 2D apps like Word! I used PowerStrip to speed down the clock of the card, and it seems to have helped. This migth indicate an overheating problem, but touching the heat-dissipator of the card shows that it is not hot. Perhaps those cards have problems in the connection between their CPU and the metal part of the cooler? does anyone else have the same problem?

Funny...I have the SAME problem with the SAME card too!

I've tried improving airflow. I was planning on buying this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835186129

but you guys are telling me it doesn't fit? Next idea was a more powerful case fan. Otherwise, I don't know what to do. I don't feel like spending the money on a new psu.

The stock cooler on this card is loud as hell too. Louder than all other fans on my emachine.

Also, if I get the Zalman vf700 cooler, how do I go about connecting the power cord for it?

Hi

I have, since, solved my problem: sent back the card and got it replaced by a new one (same make, same model). The new one is working fine, i.e. the problem, though intermitent, was simply a faulty card...

cheers

Antonio