DNSDies wrote:

I should post pics of my PCI Voodoo3 3000.
the green PCB near the VRM is notably brown, and the conformal coating is brittle at the edges.

I recently replaced it with a higher-rated Texas Instruments VRM and added an additional heatsink to the other side of the card, so it's actually not so hot anymore.

Did add heatsink on the memory chips too?
You just use d the 3M thermal tape for the extra heatsink?

The memory chips on mine don't really need it, they don't get very hot compared to the VRM. Even the main chip stays fairly sane.

For the VRM heatsink, I just bought a second heatsink and used a longer screw to attach it to the solder side of the PCB, so it can wick heat off the PCB and the screw. It helps a lot with the temps.

Before my mods, touching the stock heat sink could just about burn you.

Do you have a multimeter? You can check Vcore and some other voltages with it, let me know if you want me to elaborate.
If you still have any doubts about the safety and stability of the machine then I'd switch to a less valuable card until it's sorted out. Voodoos are pretty precious.

DNSDies wrote:

The memory chips on mine don't really need it, they don't get very hot compared to the VRM. Even the main chip stays fairly sane.

For the VRM heatsink, I just bought a second heatsink and used a longer screw to attach it to the solder side of the PCB, so it can wick heat off the PCB and the screw. It helps a lot with the temps.

Before my mods, touching the stock heat sink could just about burn you.

Can you post your card?

In my case, it also got hot, but a friend 3d printed a design we found with PETG, and with a 40mm + 12v noctua fan it was wonderful, now it doesn't get hot and there is almost no sound.