M17x R2 full internal cooling mod - huge improvement!

[thenzfarmer]

Possibly, If your temps are staying below 80 that is fine. A Notebook cooler would be good for you I Use the NZXT Cryo LX with a 12V 1500ma adapter and they blow hard.

Thanks, ordered a NC2000 since that is all I can find that's decent for the M17x on the french amazon.
Would be a great idea I am sure. Funny thing is, the CPU runs hotter at the moment while installing updates than it does during gaming or Furmark.
I'll let you know if I notice a major difference when I get the cooler

[infernia]

interesting notice it seem like newer m17x-r2 with 5870 (less then 3 weeks old in canada) got an update on thier cooling setup we had a hard time geting his gpu temps over 70 including benches and crysis

If anyone gets an M17X R2 in the near future and has plans to crack it open, please post pics for comparison. Would love to know if the gpu's heatsink has been modified.
I have a question about the 5870's heatsink. Is this an AMD issue where they just slapped on existing 4870 heatsinks and 'made' them work. Or is this a Dell issue where they slapped on the 4870 heatsinks and made them work. Or choice number three is this a both companies have fault here.
It just seems that they rushed production to get out the new gpu's without any forethought as to how they would perform in real world situations. I mean seriously, how hard is it to make sure the memory thermal pads were of the proper thickness so as to assure the die was getting proper seating to the heatsink? How about quality in this instance. Is it that much of a manufacturing cost to change out the quality of the thermal paste on the gpu die and the quality of the thermal pads on the gpu memory, then make sure the clips properly hold in the cards. (I know the clips hold in the current/as shipped config)
They are touting this is the gamer's enthusiast laptop. Games push gpu's to 100% frequently and for long periods. Knowing their top-end gaming laptops will be used in such a manner would lead to such a common sense and relatively inexpensive approach. **End Rant**
If this has been asked and answered... I apologize in advance. Just the mention that they changed out the newer gpu's kind of made me 'itchy'. I don't see a reason I could come up with to get them switched out and I want my warranty intact. Though this mod is amazing and somewhat simple, I think the need for it could have been avoided with a little quality control

[Mechanized Menace]

Thanks, ordered a NC2000 since that is all I can find that's decent for the M17x on the french amazon.
Would be a great idea I am sure. Funny thing is, the CPU runs hotter at the moment while installing updates than it does during gaming or Furmark.
I'll let you know if I notice a major difference when I get the cooler

K just make sure you flip it around as the NC2000 has the fans on the front not the rear. so it wont match up to fans on the m17x unless you flip it around.

[thenzfarmer]

Lol ok I'll keep an eye on that.
Wouldn't want to render a £50 purchases useless

[thenzfarmer]

Bravo Ashtefere, did your mod (not without apprehension) and the temperatures have dropped significantly.
Thank you.

Edit: However, I notice quite a difference in temps after a few hours of use, is that to be expected? (http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/5240/gpus.jpg) or (http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/4002/gpus2.jpg).

Edit 2: Did the whole thing again, took some pics of the fans for infernia and I have good idle temps on both cards, will post pics as soon as they are resized.

Edit 3: Here is a link to an Imageshack gallery where I uploaded 9 pics of the procedure to check the efficacy of the cooling Mod on the cards. Pastes used wer AS5 and MX-3, no leakage observed.
http://img534.imageshack.us/slidesho...uinstalled.jpg

Also, here is a pic of my idle temps and furmark (1600*900, stability, no Xtreme burning, 8x MSAA and Post Processing) temps
http://img413.imageshack.us/slidesho...d=furmarkj.jpg
Thanks,

Mike

[kidio007]

Hi I was wondering if I can do this guide for my m17x with 280m sli. And when I start doing this mod, do i have to remove anything else than the heatsink? Do I have to remove the graphics cards, or just remove the heatsink then clean it and the gpu and CPU when they are already in the laptop then put on the thermal paste and put the heatsink back on? Thanks. (Noob from Norway.)

[thenzfarmer]

Hi Kidio,

Not sure about the similarities and differences between both builds.
I am quite certain the duct tape mod would work as it just guides the air between what separates the fan from the copper fins on the card.
As for replacing the pads by paste, I don't see much of a difference as both cards have a quite similar build (http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2702/gtx2805870.jpg).
What I wonder however is the ability of the cooler to bend over the GPU die to force pressure without damaging it (screw mod).
Other from that I don't imagine anything threatening in this enterprise.

There is a great step by step guide by mfractal that shows how to open the sytem ([PHOTOGUIDE] Cleaning/Replacing Thermal Compunds (GPU+CPU) on M17x-R2).

Take your time and it should all go well if you decided to go ahead. Also, make sure you use the right pastes, they have different properties for different uses.

Hope this helps, maybe wait for Ashtefere and others' opinions for a confidence boost

Cheers.

[Ashtefere]

nzfarmer, those temps look good - not the best that have been achieved here by any means but much better than stock.

I did discover that even with the retention mod, the power circuitry does actually lift the heatsink a little on one side, so we STILL arent gettting full contact.

I suggest, if you are brave, to take a look at the thin overhanging metal that overhangs the power circuitry on the card.
Underneath this, there is a few power components that are pressing against the heatsink and preventing good contact - if you were to:

1: Put some thick thermal paste on the tallest power components
2: Gently press the heatsink (properly aligned!) where it should sit
3: remove the heatsink
4: Examing the pattern of the thermal paste on the underside of the heatsink

You would see that the power circuitry does leave quiet an impression.

I would suggest them to:

1: Draw with permanent marker around each thermal paste impression
2: Clean off the thermal paste
3: Drill out the the area and file it clean (dont touch heatpipes!)
4: Replace the heatsink

I did something similar, but I just snapped the overhang off (first one was accidental, so I did the other to even it up - i would have preferred the drill route).

My temps dropped a little again, and now all of the ramsinks full contact the ram without needing thick paste - additionally, I am able to screw down all the screws properly.

Again, doing so requires you to be very brave and/or stupid, but that will get you the best possible result.

-Ash

[thenzfarmer]

Ash, I very much like that last sentence.
I am no benchmarker and having my GPU idling at 39 with a max of 75 whatever the game I throw at it, I wouldn't enjoy the benefits of a full on system mod like the one you are suggesting.
However, I did notice that gap you are mentionning as I tried to balance the heatsink over the GPU by tightening some screws more than others and it never sat it flush over the card.
I will bear that suggestion in mind next time I open the system and see if feel confident with pulling this off - properly

Thanks for your advice.

Mike.

[Lozz]

Hi I was wondering if I can do this guide for my m17x with 280m sli. And when I start doing this mod, do i have to remove anything else than the heatsink? Do I have to remove the graphics cards, or just remove the heatsink then clean it and the gpu and CPU when they are already in the laptop then put on the thermal paste and put the heatsink back on? Thanks. (Noob from Norway.)

it works on the R1, since both revisions use the same heatsink.