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Replacing Thermal Compound?


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I hope this is as easy to answer as it is to ask!

when buying a used/2nd hand GPU would you automatically replace the Thermal Compound as a matter of course? Particularly if the said card was several years old and appears to have the original HS & Fan?

I dont need advice regarding which compound to use as I have several top quality ones I can use, I also know how to renew it LOL effectively ............ so would YOU put fresh paste on?

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I hope this is as easy to answer as it is to ask!

when buying a used/2nd hand GPU would you automatically replace the Thermal Compound as a matter of course? Particularly if the said card was several years old and appears to have the original HS & Fan?

I dont need advice regarding which compound to use as I have several top quality ones I can use, I also know how to renew it LOL effectively ............ so would YOU put fresh paste on?

 

If I had the means to do so, then sure why not. It can never hurt, and since you have everything just laying around, go for it :).

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If the gpu hsf is easy to take apart then I would clean it out the reapply thermal junk. I like my 480s as they have a three piece hsf that can come apart in sections making it wicked easy to dust out. But I would test the card before you do that just to make sure the card is OK before you take it apart. I'm sure you would want to throw the seller under the bus if it is in fact defective.

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thanks for taking the time to reply people!

 

I like the "if it aint broke don't fix it" view, but with a slight proviso the GPU I am talking about specifically has no sensors or controls! its actually in my PC now and working but I have no way to check, it could be running at 100 C for all I know, well probably not but you get my drift ;)

 

OK the card is a Gecube Radeon X1950 Pro AGP! yes I did say AGP.......some of us still have systems using that! honest! and its not powered by rubber bands or a mouse on a wheel either you techno snobs!

I picked it up for very little money and its boxed complete and 1 careful owner! According to GPUReview.com its a significant step up from my previous card, GeForce 6800 GT which is why I bought it. I use my PC for general use, I do play a few games but nothing very high powered and ultra demanding (system-wise I mean......well me-wise to actually!)

 

For some reason Gecube have either not installed sensors and controls or have disabled the ones that Radeon fitted, either way I cant check temps or control the fan.

 

In order to get some kind of idea of how the card might perform under stress (ie. increased temps) should I run 3Dmark or a similar type of programme? Or if thats not the right programme for the job perhaps somebody can tell me what to use?

 

many many thanks everyone for reading and contributing if you are able ;)

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you could try cinebench, and i was given a x1300 just to get my new build working and i slapped some ocz freeze on the gpu. the stuff on it was the factory gunk pad version so it will only be a benefit i reckon - hardly takes 2 mins so to me not a waste of time

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