VOGONS


First post, by soviet conscript

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I dunno, maybe this is a stupid question but whats the best and safest method for removing the "stealth" heatsink/fan from a voodoo II card?

I ask because I recently won a pair of voodoo II cards with those cool triangle heatsink fans off eBay. unfortunately the cards were advertized as 12mb and when they arrived both were actually 8mb cards. I really don't want the 8mb versions but the fans are so aw some. I'm trying to work out a partial refund with the seller and if that works out and I don't just end up sending the cards back I'll definably be removing the fans to place on a pair of 12mb cards. seeing as there's no visible screws or anything do you just gently pry these things off with a screwdriver or is there a more recommended method?

Reply 2 of 10, by soviet conscript

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http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/voodoo2/coolers/

hmm, apparently they used some adhesive pad that came with them? I assume these get ruined if I remove them, are there replacement options?

Reply 3 of 10, by RacoonRider

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A) Thermal glue
B) Universal glue in small dots on the edges and thermal paste on the center of the sufrace.

Reply 4 of 10, by soviet conscript

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RacoonRider wrote:

A) Thermal glue
B) Universal glue in small dots on the edges and thermal paste on the center of the sufrace.

ah, I never knew there was a thermal paste/glue solution...but then I never bothered to look. thanks that should work.

now I'm just left with the issue of safely getting the heatsinks off the card. any techniques or tricks to it or is it just pry away and hope for the best?

Reply 5 of 10, by meljor

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Leave them on! These are original and very hard to find. Just keep the cards and buy another pair of 12mb versions if you want them.

I only have 12MB versions but the performance difference isn`t that big i heard so you could also keep these and just be happy you found them....

asus tx97-e, 233mmx, voodoo1, s3 virge ,sb16
asus p5a, k6-3+ @ 550mhz, voodoo2 12mb sli, gf2 gts, awe32
asus p3b-f, p3-700, voodoo3 3500TV agp, awe64
asus tusl2-c, p3-S 1,4ghz, voodoo5 5500, live!
asus a7n8x DL, barton cpu, 6800ultra, Voodoo3 pci, audigy1

Reply 6 of 10, by soviet conscript

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meljor wrote:

Leave them on! These are original and very hard to find. Just keep the cards and buy another pair of 12mb versions if you want them.

I only have 12MB versions but the performance difference isn`t that big i heard so you could also keep these and just be happy you found them....

the fans are rare but I don't think there is a different version of the fans for 8 and 12mb cards. so transferring them to a 12mb card isn't creating any kind of weird frankenstain setup or destroying anything of historical value.

I'm just not going to use the 8mb cards. I am going to use a pair of 12mb cards so the fans arn't really going to do anything but collect dust if they stay on the 8mb cards. I just want to know if there's a way to detach them from the 8mb cards safely.

Reply 7 of 10, by nforce4max

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Just use a hair dyer on a low setting and gradually warm up the cooler along with the card which should weaken the glue but remember such pads can only be reapplied once or twice before the glue is weak.

On a far away planet reading your posts in the year 10,191.

Reply 8 of 10, by Kahenraz

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Put them in a computer, turn it on, and tax the card. Hopefully it will loosen the paste and you can twist it off.. unless it's epoxy.

If it's epoxy or you just can't get it off, you'll want to use a razor-thin piece of sheet metal to slide between the sink and the die. Then scissor it around until you make it to the other side.

To clean the goop off, apply a citrus cleaner like Goo Gone with cotton swabs and scape off the adhesive with a soft acrylic spudge stick so as to not damage the surface. If you used the citrus cleaner, be sure to go over it again with rubbing alcohol to remove it.

Reply 9 of 10, by mockingbird

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You need to apply heat to it. A hairdryer may not be enough. What you need to do is with a heatgun turned on at the low setting, hold it around a foot away while making slow round motions in a several inch radius for a few minutes. Try to twist off the heatsink every so often. If it's stuck on solid, move the heatgun closer and repeat.

If you get impatient and apply too much force, you'll either rip the packaging and expose the die, or rip off the chip and some PCB tracks along with it, rendering the card dead.

Reply 10 of 10, by soviet conscript

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thanks for the tips guys. I'll attempt this in the next few days and see how it turns out. what sucks is that I think there are actually 3 thermal pads holding the heatsink to the card one each of the 3 large chips.