Cutting Gfx card case.

Dinner

I just got a Gainward 6800GT. Pic here.

Please excuse the complete lack of proper terminology here.

Now my problem is with the piece of metal on the bottom right hand corner of that picture. When I try put the card into the AGP slot, that piece gets in the way of a round thingy sticking up (about 1.5-2cm high). Could I safely cut that piece of metal away to make room. If I could what tools would I use (as basic as possible).

Thanks

astec123

Do you mean the pin holder right of the connection pins?

Dinner

astec123 wrote:

Do you mean the pin holder right of the connection pins?

No its just a piece of metal attached to the board of the card. From what I see it doesnt look very important.

WizZard

If you are talking about that orang/red (cooler)frame on the graphics card then yes, it is safe to cut a bit of it. But don't expect support/warranty on your graphics card afterwards. It sounds like it's a capacitor in the way on the motherboard.
A dremel would be best to cut it, but you'd better take the cooler cover off the graphics card first!

I would advise instead of cutting that you replace the stock cooler with an Arctic Cooler NV5, which should fit above the capacitor.

WizZard

Arabel wrote:

From what I see it doesnt look very important.

Famous last words!

Dinner

I'll see if I could borrow a dremel and hope that it doesnt need replacing sometime after that.


I'll look into the Arctic coolr thing aswell. Thanks.

astec123

Copper frame can be removed no bother as has been said its the warranty that gets hurt. I would suggest you consider alternatives as warranty would be voided and also some of these kinds of cards need the frame intact for optimal airflow.

Dinner

astec123 wrote:

Copper frame can be removed no bother as has been said its the warranty that gets hurt. I would suggest you consider alternatives as warranty would be voided and also some of these kinds of cards need the frame intact for optimal airflow.

So I should return it and exchange it for another model?

Also, are Club 3D cards any good.

juliuspret

I have a Club3D card.

Honestly they can be described as "Cheap & Cheerfull".
Nothing special or original from the basic setup created by nVidia as they stick rigidly to the nVidia prototype.

The only problem I have had with mine is that the fan bearing was not properly oiled and it began to rattle after about 2 months.
I quickly fixed the problem with some light lubrication oil, but Joe Soap wont have the knowledge to disasemble the card and fix it without coming into a lot of headaches!!!

Dinner

juliuspret wrote:

I have a Club3D card.

Honestly they can be described as "Cheap & Cheerfull".
Nothing special or original from the basic setup created by nVidia as they stick rigidly to the nVidia prototype.

The only problem I have had with mine is that the fan bearing was not properly oiled and it began to rattle after about 2 months.
I quickly fixed the problem with some light lubrication oil, but Joe Soap wont have the knowledge to disasemble the card and fix it without coming into a lot of headaches!!!

I'd probably end up being Joe Soap but I'd probably give it a go if it would need it.

angelofdeath

http://www.thors-hardware.net/new_page/tests/vga/gainward_6800gt/GWPP2400UGS08.JPG

theres a pic of the cooling assembly disasembled, by cutting away the piece at the bottom left of that pic, you're going to lose a mount point for it on the card, a better bet would be to cut a notch into it as shown below, obviously take the frame off the card before doing it

Dinner

Thanks for those pics. I'll see if I can get the tools and the courage.

Thanks.

Dinner

Ficus wrote:

i have the same card and couldnt fit in place on my motherboard cause a huge capasitor in the way. what i did was unscrew the scre in the corner and then just GENTLY bend the metal upward. Do it slowly and the paint will not chip and then that means that if the card does go welly up, then just bend the metal back in place and put the screw back in and bobs your uncle.

Hmm, that sounds alot easier than cutting. I'll have a look.

Thanks

EDIT: you dont happen to have any pics of it by any chance? How far did you have to bend it out of the way.