Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT?

"John McGaw" <nobody DeleteThis @nowh.ere> wrote in message
news:pcvhj.49739$vt2.41543@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>I just bought the subject card for my newly-built HTPC which must use
>low-profile cards. This card appears to be the best I could find when I
>discovered that the onboard graphics were just so-so.
>
> The card works just fine and the installation was certainly painless even
> given the minute size of the system but I'm left with a computer which
> went from almost dead silent to more-than-noticeable in a quiet room even
> with static 2D graphics displayed. The problem is that the video card
> either has no fan speed adjustment, or the base speed of the fan is too
> high, or ???. What I need to do is to quiet down the existing fan by
> finding improved software or replace the existing cooler with something
> that will at least be quiet when the graphics load is slight.
>
> Any hints? This is my first Nvidia graphics card ever and I really don't
> know what resources are available.

Although you can d/l and use Rivatuner as a way around it, I found that by
rewriting the BIOS and reflashing the card with it's own original BIOS using
NiBiTor and NVFlash was a better permanent fix, which doesn't require
loading a 3rd part app at bootup and keeping it running during the whole
time your system is up and running. Use the latest version of NVFlash...(ver
5.57 worked on my Galaxy OC 8800GT) pull and save the video BIOS to your
desktop and make a backup copy somewhere else and keep it as a failsafe
restore copy...this doesn't remove the video BIOS, just pulls it and copies
it. Run NiBiTor on the saved desktop copy of the BIOS...this program reads
the NVida BIOS data and allows you to change evrything....fan speeds, core,
memory, temp. cutoffs, and much more. Rewrite the parameters you want in
your saved desktop copy of the BIOS and save it. Name it 8600mod or
something other than the original name. Copy it and the saved backup
original BIOS along with NVFlash to a bootable floppy or USB key if your
system can boot from a USB device. Flash the videocard with the rewritten
BIOS and it's a permanent fix with custom settings. My Galaxy Overclock
8800GT would run at a 30% fixed fan speed in 2D/3D, and the 2000Mhz DDR3
clockings caused lockups in some games, while the core and shader clocks
could be pushed up a fair bit. I set my fan to 25% 2D and 75% 3D, and
rewrote the core/shader/memory to 675/1650/1900 from 600/1500/2000. Has been
flawless and faster ever since.
 >> Stay informed about: Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT? 

First of One wrote:
> Zalman VF900Cu would be a good choice, especially since Galaxy uses it as
> original equipment on the 8600GTS:
> http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/images/Galaxy-8600GTS/Galaxy-8600GTS.jpg
>

That would be great except with the low-profile video card in a
low-profile case I'd have to take the chainsaw to the heatsink to get it
down to the required 80mm(?) width. That might work fine with the fins
since the 8600GT isn't nearly as hot as an 8800 but the fan's balance
might suffer a bit in the process <g>. Looks like I'm going to have to
steel myself to the prospect of re-burning my BIOS in search of a slower
fan under low-load conditions. Thanks.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com
 >> Stay informed about: Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT? 

Augustus wrote:
> "John McGaw" <nobody DeleteThis @nowh.ere> wrote in message
> news:pcvhj.49739$vt2.41543@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
>> I just bought the subject card for my newly-built HTPC which must use
>> low-profile cards. This card appears to be the best I could find when I
>> discovered that the onboard graphics were just so-so.
>>
>> The card works just fine and the installation was certainly painless even
>> given the minute size of the system but I'm left with a computer which
>> went from almost dead silent to more-than-noticeable in a quiet room even
>> with static 2D graphics displayed. The problem is that the video card
>> either has no fan speed adjustment, or the base speed of the fan is too
>> high, or ???. What I need to do is to quiet down the existing fan by
>> finding improved software or replace the existing cooler with something
>> that will at least be quiet when the graphics load is slight.
>>
>> Any hints? This is my first Nvidia graphics card ever and I really don't
>> know what resources are available.
>
> Although you can d/l and use Rivatuner as a way around it, I found that by
> rewriting the BIOS and reflashing the card with it's own original BIOS using
> NiBiTor and NVFlash was a better permanent fix, which doesn't require
> loading a 3rd part app at bootup and keeping it running during the whole
> time your system is up and running. Use the latest version of NVFlash...(ver
> 5.57 worked on my Galaxy OC 8800GT) pull and save the video BIOS to your
> desktop and make a backup copy somewhere else and keep it as a failsafe
> restore copy...this doesn't remove the video BIOS, just pulls it and copies
> it. Run NiBiTor on the saved desktop copy of the BIOS...this program reads
> the NVida BIOS data and allows you to change evrything....fan speeds, core,
> memory, temp. cutoffs, and much more. Rewrite the parameters you want in
> your saved desktop copy of the BIOS and save it. Name it 8600mod or
> something other than the original name. Copy it and the saved backup
> original BIOS along with NVFlash to a bootable floppy or USB key if your
> system can boot from a USB device. Flash the videocard with the rewritten
> BIOS and it's a permanent fix with custom settings. My Galaxy Overclock
> 8800GT would run at a 30% fixed fan speed in 2D/3D, and the 2000Mhz DDR3
> clockings caused lockups in some games, while the core and shader clocks
> could be pushed up a fair bit. I set my fan to 25% 2D and 75% 3D, and
> rewrote the core/shader/memory to 675/1650/1900 from 600/1500/2000. Has been
> flawless and faster ever since.
>
>


Thanks for the tips. I think I'll try Rivatuner first and if I'm able to
find a setting that works well I'll steel myself for the task of redoing
my BIOS. While I've been tinkering with such things for literally
decades it still makes me nervous. My motto is "if it works, don't mess
with it" but in this case the excessive noise might be an indication
that it really isn't working. The card's speed isn't really a concern to
me since the most heavy-duty game I play or am every likely to play is
Uru Live and it isn't a "fast twitch" game by any stretch of the
imagination and they intentionally cap the framerate anyway.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com
 >> Stay informed about: Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT? 

> Thanks for the tips. I think I'll try Rivatuner first and if I'm able to
> find a setting that works well I'll steel myself for the task of redoing
> my BIOS. While I've been tinkering with such things for literally decades
> it still makes me nervous. My motto is "if it works, don't mess with it"
> but in this case the excessive noise might be an indication that it really
> isn't working. The card's speed isn't really a concern to me since the
> most heavy-duty game I play or am every likely to play is Uru Live and it
> isn't a "fast twitch" game by any stretch of the imagination and they
> intentionally cap the framerate anyway.
>
> --
> John McGaw
> [Knoxville, TN, USA]
> http://johnmcgaw.com

It made me nervous too, and I, like you have been tinkering and building
systems for close to 20 years. If you follow instructions, it's pretty
foolproof. See if you can find an old PCI video card of any kind in case the
worst case scenario happens. Then all you do is put the PCI card in the box,
boot and reflash the 8600GT with the stored original video BIOS. #1 mistake
people make is not backing up the BIOS first, or storing the only backup
copy to a 7 year old floppy with bad sectors they grabbed. ....I keep and
old S3 Virge and a Cirrus PCI card around for emergencies like this. Never
had to use them yet....this is my third Video card flash. Others were a 9800
Pro and an GForce4 Ti4200 several years back.
 >> Stay informed about: Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT? 

All the Galaxy 8600GT cards on Google Images are full-height:
http://images.google.com/images?q=galaxy+8600gt

If you indeed have a low-profile card, then your options in terms
aftermarket cooling are very limited.

--
"War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It can therefore be said that politics is war without
bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."


"John McGaw" <nobody.TakeThisOut@nowh.ere> wrote in message
news:IeLhj.50167$vt2.48941@bignews8.bellsouth.net...
> First of One wrote:
>> Zalman VF900Cu would be a good choice, especially since Galaxy uses it as
>> original equipment on the 8600GTS:
>> http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/images/Galaxy-8600GTS/Galaxy-8600GTS.jpg
>>
>
> That would be great except with the low-profile video card in a
> low-profile case I'd have to take the chainsaw to the heatsink to get it
> down to the required 80mm(?) width. That might work fine with the fins
> since the 8600GT isn't nearly as hot as an 8800 but the fan's balance
> might suffer a bit in the process <g>. Looks like I'm going to have to
> steel myself to the prospect of re-burning my BIOS in search of a slower
> fan under low-load conditions. Thanks.
>
> --
> John McGaw
> [Knoxville, TN, USA]
> http://johnmcgaw.com
 >> Stay informed about: Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT? 

First of One wrote:
> All the Galaxy 8600GT cards on Google Images are full-height:
> http://images.google.com/images?q=galaxy+8600gt
>
> If you indeed have a low-profile card, then your options in terms
> aftermarket cooling are very limited.
>

I guess Google Images is a bit incomplete. I already have the
low-profile Galaxy 8600GT card which I got from NCIX in Canada since no
US supplier seems to be aware of the market for such items. The card
comes with a full-height bracket installed but also has the low-profile
bracket in the box. Disconnect the VGA ribbon, remove the tall bracket,
install the short and you have an 80mm card.

http://img.ncix.com/images/26441_1.jpg

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com
 >> Stay informed about: Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT? 

I also have the 8600GT Low profile card and find it way to loud. The
problem is that the card only has a 2 pin connector on the fan, so it's
locked at 100% speed, there is no fan monitoring.

I have had no luck finding any after market cooler that will fit in the
80mm height. Perhaps I'll try a passive one like the accelero and bend
it.

'silentpcreview.com | View topic - Bending Accelero heatpipes to get it
to fit smaller case' (http://tinyurl.com/3h75gk)

I tried RivaTuner and nTune, but had no luck setting the fan speed
there either. the system is a Dell530s (slimline)

The BIOS flashing sounds a tad spooky for me, but if there was no other
option i could give it a shot.

I started looking at watercooling, but adding a $250 cooling system for
a $100 video card seemed foolish.

Did you find any solution for the noisy fan?
 >> Stay informed about: Aftermarket Cooling Possible for Galaxy 8600GT?