Leadtek GF4 4400i (A250TD) - OC help req'd!

[RV4]

I am a newbie as far as overclocking goes but have recently finished my first overclocked upgrade. I am happy with most of it except for the Leadtek GF4 4400i card's overclocking.

I purchased this card because of the enormous HSF (and I got it for a great price!). I noticed that the HS on the back does not contact the RAM chips with the thermal compound being stretched out like chewing gum!!

Anyway, the memory scores are excellent - 685 rock solid :-D - more than I had hoped for despite the poor HS attachment.

But the core is only rock solid at 290 - I had hoped for about 310

I think my cooling is OK - I have modded my own Globalwin 802 and it essentially looks like a Coolercase Storm (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatal...aca_2d008_2doc) except the 120mm fans are YS Tech 105CFM ones downrated to 7V and the case ones are YS Tech 45CFM ones at 7V. You will see the bottom 120mm blows over the GF4. PCI 1,2,3 are empty.

I need some advice from you experienced o'clockers out there - especially if you own this card:

1) Could the cooling be creating turbulence (hence poor cooling) in the area of the GF4?
2) If so what (quiet) solution could I use?
3) Should I dismantle the GF4 and reattach using AS3 and some nuts and bolts in place of the pushpins (which don't hold the HSF on tight)?
4) Should I invest in a Thermaltake GF4 cooler (my least preferred option)?
5) Anything else?

PS the 29.42 dets gave me 1.6% over the 28.32 in 3DM2001

[The Spyder]

Well........ i have the same card at 325/650 (trying for 685) and i am very happy with it- the cooling is more then accurate and i striped mine down and put ac3 on it and it was the same temp- the pins on mine work great- whats your system specs- and your cooling is fine!- What program are you using to O/C DO NOT USE THE WINFSAT ONE- use coolbits reg from www.aoafiles.com the other dosent let you ADCTUALY OC your card-
SPyder

[Kaitain]

I noticed that the HS on the back does not contact the RAM chips with the thermal compound being stretched out like chewing gum!!

The ramsinks do a better job of shielding stray RF noise than cooling. Ram never dissipates enough heat to warrant much in the way of cooling anyway, even overclocked.

You might have heat issues with the GPU itself - check the contact between the GPU and its heatsink. Definitely consider a (slightly) firmer contact between core and hs, just not enough to crack it.

1) Could the cooling be creating turbulence (hence poor cooling) in the area of the GF4?

Turbulence is a good thing. What you might possibly have done is create a low-pressure spot near the GPU fan intake, causing it to underperform. There are mechanical ways around that, not least ducting one of the external fans direct onto the GPU.

There are tweaks to the system BIOS etc that improve AGP performance - plenty of faqs about for this. They might get you another couple of MHz.

It could also just be a less capable chip. 4400's and 4600's use the same core: due to demand for 4400's, some chips capable of the greater speed will be underclocked and sold as 4400's. Some chips, however, just won't be capable of 4600-level speeds and will just be sold as (usually OEM) 4400's. If after sorting all your cooling, BIOS settings and drivers out you still don't get the o/c you're after, then you've simply maxed the card.

[RV4]

Hi Spyder,

Thanks for reply

System:
Epox 8K3A+
AMD XP1900 @ 1753Mhz (10.5 X 167) - any more FSB needs volts and gets HOT :devil:
256MB Samsung PC2700 (runs stable at 167FSB, Turbo, and +.1V)
Akusa Silver Mountain 2Q HSF
SB Audigy Player
Seagate Barracuda IV 80GB on ATA100/RAID
Maxtor 10GB older drive on other ATA/RAID
Basic CD, CD/RW and FDD
...and the Leadtek

I have uninstalled Winfox - a bit flashing lights'n'sound for me anyway - and gone to coolbits since reading your post. A much neater and more elegant solution - thanks. Can still clock the memory to 685 but core now only stable at 285!! Drops 3DM2001 from 10780 to ~10500. It is also the hottest day we have had in England for a VERY long time. I doubt it is coincidence - I guess it is definitely heat related (??)

I would like to put in AS3 like you did - is it easy to get the HSF on/off? (I'd also love a 325 core like you )

Kaitain,

Didn't realise that the ramsinks are not that important! I will definitely be reattaching the HSF with AS3 and something tighter than the pushpins.

Your idea about the low pressure could be spot on - the centre (dead area) of the case side fan fan is over the area in front of the Leadtek's fans! I can see that all of the estimated 60CFM could be missing the vital spot!!

I will play with both over the next 2 days and report back.

I am happy with all the BIOS tweaks already and will cross my fingers that I don't have an inferior core - after all, we all want more than we pay for, eh?

[RV4]

OK, I removed the HSF and gunk, applied AS3, re-bolted (yup - bolts to get it tighter - gulp!!) and it shot all the way to................295! Re-directing the airflow made very little difference. That really is it - a setting like 300 freezes before the red truck makes it thru the robot's legs

I think that I really do just have a @&*$ core! Lucky my memory is so good eh?

My only thought is to abandon the Leadtek HSF (it is actually not a good contact on all ramchips anyway - a quick mod was required) and try a new Thermaltake GF4 cooler - thing is will it really work??

Anyway with a 1900+ at 1753 (167 X 10.5), Epox 8K3A+ on 23.12, 256MB Samsung PC2700 at CAS2, 1T, the GF4 at 295/685 and 29.42 dets, I can get a rock solid stable 3DM2001DSE of 11,100. I think my system should be capable of a little more but am still struggling to find it!

Thanks for your advice.

[The Spyder]

Do you have the latest VIA drivers? your card could be one of the few that dont O/C that well- try backing your ram down and rasing the core-
Spyder

[RV4]

v4.38a2 - downloaded a week or so ago from Via site. I am away for the weekend but will try your suggestion on my return & report back..

Have a good weekend

RV4

[RV4]

Spyder,

Now on the Via 4.40's with no real change. The 2619 BIOS gave me an extra 250 3DMarks above the 2312 tho!

I tried 300/600 but it blue-screened within about 2 minutes. Back to 295/685 again for stability.

So it seems the core will not go any higher! I am rapidly thinking it is not a heating issue but only a GF4 cooler would prove one way or the other. Can't find any in stock in the UK yet but probably soon..

Ciao!

[The Spyder]

Your core might be concave and the HS is not contacting well enough- TRY carefully lapping the core with some 400/600 paper, and mae it flat as can ber- so the same to the sink- i JUST got another one of these- its running in my bro's friends system at 300/650 :-P
SPyder

[Pinky]

Originally posted by The Spyder
Your core might be concave and the HS is not contacting well enough- TRY carefully lapping the core with some 400/600 paper

I cringe whenever I see that suggested. NOT because it's wrong, but because I'd return the card and hope to get a better one before doing something that could potentially kill it and void the warranty at the same time. I'm not big on modding new vid cards because they're damn fast to begin with... maybe in a year I'll toy around to squeeze some life from it...

[RV4]

Well, as I've already pulled it to pieces, inserted AS3 and reassembled with bolts not pushpins, I guess I am a little short on warranty anyway!!

Think I'll try a GF4 cooler when I can get one and maybe a LITTLE lapping.

Maybe a few weeks but I'll report back.......

[RV4]

Well, a few weeks took a few months but I recently ordered a Thermaltake GF4 cooler kit.

Core still maxes at 295. 300 crashes within 10 seconds of 3DM2001.

Conclusion:

1) My core just ain't the best!

2) Leadtek's cooling on their GF4 Ti range is already excellent and nobody should mess with it!!

RV4

[rattus4a]

i've got the same card and am running stable at 315 core/640 mem.using 40.72 dets and riva tuner & 3dm2001 runs stable.

[RV4]

Just life I guess; my core will onlly do 295 but the memory will do 685 all day long!

[JGBtypeR]

I've got the same card! And the same results Core won't go over 297, mem will run 695 totally fine. So I just think we got unlucky on the core, but lucky with memory

[RV4]

I think so....glad I'm no longer alone tho

That said, I am looking into watercooling. I cannot justify the cost from an overclocking viewpoint (I could just buy faster bits!) but I am fed up of the drone of 8 fans! Most fans are quiet versions and the case ones are 7V so it's not half as bad as some peoples but I (& my wife!) want it a lot quieter!

I suspect it will not make a great deal of difference to the graphics card but I will report back in the fullness of time...

[RV4]

Well, I could not be bothered with water cooling but I did try the Thermaltake GF4 copper cooler and ramsinks.

Result: No further overclockability! Much more noise!

Eventually the termaltake started making horrendous noises on start up. So I chucked it in the bin and replaced the original Ledtek huge ally heatsinks and twin ( & quiet) fans. Obviously used AS3.

Still same clock speeds but quieter. I actually use 290/685 as the 295 was only 95% stable.

Conclusion: If you have one of these Ledtek cards and use aircooling then leave the cooling as it was when you opened the box!