GeForce4 Ti and MX Overclocking Guide - Page 3

GeForce4 MX Overclocking Procedure

The first thing that needs to be done is the removal of the stock heatsink. The standard HSF configuration for GeForce4 Ti and MX cards is of the push-pin variety. The first step is to remove the holding pin; we've found a pair of pliers works very well, just remember to apply force directly upwards only, as these pins are plastic. Alternatively this can be done by hand.

Once the two push-pins have been raised, the two retention clamps on the backside of the board can easily be pushed out. This is done by pressing toward the center of each clamp, then pressing it up to the top of the board, towards the GPU. Be careful at this last step, as depending on the GeForce4 MX model, the HSF unit may become dislodged and can easily swing loose.

Once the two retention clamps are freed, you then need to take off the heatsink itself. Once again, the heatsink could be affixed using a thermal pad or may be loose with only basic heatsink compound underneath, and will just slide off. If it is of the thermal pad variety, this is similar to frag tape and very sticky, which gives the heatsink a bit more stability while transferring heat. Do not be afraid to pull on the heatsink as it should take some effort to remove as it is attached with a sticky thermal pad.

Once you have the heatsink off you will notice that there is some yellow sticky stuff left on the heatsink and the GPU, which are the remnants the thermal pad. Before attaching the Crystal Orb to the GPU it is a good idea to scrape off any of the thermal pad's residue from the GPU. The best way to remove the residue is to use a sharp plastic implement (do not use metal!) with a bit of rubbing alcohol on it and carefully scrape the residue off of the GPU. A trusty fingernail works just as well, but may take you a bit longer for full removal.

Now that we've got the card nice and naked, it is a good time to affix the ramsinks without having to worry about the HSF getting in the way. Since there are no clips to attach the heatsinks to the ram like there is to attach the HSF, we need to use some type of thermal epoxy to glue them on. The most popular epoxies on the market are made by the same people who created the Arctic Silver line of thermal greases. For the sake of cost (and safety) we used the non-conductive Arctic Alumina epoxy which sells for about $8, as opposed to the Arctic Silver epoxy which goes for $15.

The Arctic Alumina epoxy comes in two syringe style tubes which must be mixed together 50/50 for the epoxy to work correctly. For this card it is critical that one works very carefully as a slip of hand when applying the epoxy can be the difference between a functioning board and a paperweight. After the mixing is complete, apply a very small amount of the epoxy to the area on top of the target ram chip.

Be extremely cautious not to get the epoxy anywhere near the leads coming to the chip, and remember to leave extra real estate when applying the epoxy. When the heatsink is pressed down onto the memory chip, the epoxy will spread out, and it is critical that the epoxy does not venture onto the circuit board itself. The epoxy takes about 5-10 minutes to harden, so keep the GeForce4 MX card totally flat, and be careful not to bump or move the card before you are sure that the epoxy has hardened.

Once all four memory heatsinks have been affixed, it's time to attach the Crystal Orb. Before we hit that final step, we want to put some Arctic Silver on the GPU to provide better heat transfer from the GPU to the heatsink. The original thermal pad is simply not equivalent to using some high-end thermal grease between the core and the heatsink. In this article we used Arctic Silver 3 on our chip, but Arctic Silver 1 and 2 will all work just as well.

The smoother and more fluid the contact between the GPU and the heatsink, the better the cooling performance will be. It's also a good idea to protect your fingers during this operation, and an easy way of doing this is to use a plastic glove (and play doctor), or improvise with a plastic sandwich bag or something similar. Start off with the GPU, and after placing a small amount of AS3 onto the plastic, rub it lightly and evenly onto the GeForce4 core. Keep it very thin, as you're creating a heat transfer layer, not making an Oreo cookie. Then do the same for the HSF, rubbing it deep into the metal, while using only a minute amount (the leftover AS3 from the GPU operation should suffice) to fill in the small cracks and crevices of the metal heatsink.

After attaching the Crystal Orb push-pins and confirming that the HSF is on there firmly, you should be ready to fire up the card. You can plug the cooling fan into one of your motherboard's fan headers for RPM monitoring, or to the power supply using a three pin to molex adaptor. Just be sure to attach it to a viable power lead, and to be very careful when installing or removing the video card.