Upgraded my Alienware m17xR3 to a GTX 780M

Hi, I just installed a GTX 780m into my laptop and had major problems trying to secure the heatsink....after like 3 hours of trying to figure it out, I decided to try and just put the graphics card in without screwing the heatsink in. To my surprise I did not get any of that GPU beeping when I tried booting up.Is it ok if I leave it at that and go ahead with installing the drivers? Or is it crucial that I go get some thermal pads and try again?

 

Um, you didn't tighten down the heat sink? That's not a good idea. If it doesn't cool properly, you risk the chance of destroying your card.

 

I couldn't, for some reason the thermal pads I was given I think were too thick but the heatsinks looks really secured...I did not boot to windows for safety reasons (just to BIOS to check). The X bracket screws were aligned but I think because some of the pads were too thick they wouldn't go down.

I also feel like the back of the case is pressing down against it.

 

Accidentally posted wrongly lol...

 

Thermal pad placement Windows 8/7 GTX 780M installation

 

I was following that, I think the thermal pads given to me was too thick cause the screws are a fair distance away from the screw placements.

 

Did the card (Clevo) came with the x-bracket/screws cause the 5xx won't fit.

 

The x-bracket came pre-installed but it also came with screws...for some reason.

 

Test htsnk/die contact spreading a very thin layer of thermal compound.

 

I can turn it on thought....just afraid that it will burn out.

 

I don't quite understand you....but when I put thermal compound on the card it touches the heat sink, but the x bracket screws wont reach

 

Light blue pads...you removed the old ones.... ?

 

yea i did...they were more green though lol.

 

Take the heatsink off and verify the screws w/ x-bracket, check that the x-bracket is properly attached...unless you're using 3mm pads.

 

I was just using all the pads that came with the eurocom upgrade kit, the ones that I used to cover the ones on the farthest top seem to be very thick and not wide enough. The screws fit the x bracket, but I cant take off the ones connected to the heat sink cause there are these transparent plastic rings around each screw keeping them in place.

 

As I said earlier :hi2: those htsnk screws won't fit, remove the c-clips...instead use the screws provided by eurocom.

Edit: Be careful not to over-tighten the screws because that could break the die (c-clips protection).

 

I managed to get the front 2 to go in, the back 2 wont reach...=/

 

You need to remove/replace all the screws.

 

I did....the rear 2 are tilted so they won't reach.

 

Then the x-bracket is not properly attached, take pics...

 

had to use my webcam lol.....

 

Replace those farthest pads (right one seems 4mm) for this try using the old memory pads, cut/stick 2 pieces together - 2mm.

 

Oh yea I thought that was the problem lol...... I have to get them tomorrow cause I threw the old ones away XD and they didn't fit this card anyway.

 

They were probably doing something else....4mm pads

 

Just to be sure I don't mess up again cud u tell me how to put the pads this time XD? Like which thickness goes where.

 

Oh, nvm I placed new thermal compound on and ran a quick test, sounds working and card is detected. Ran borderlands 2 to check if the card had any problems and it managed to run, just worried about temperature problems now...

 

For the farthest pads cut two pieces (1mm) and stick them together / 2mm each, monitor temps with HWiNFO and/or GPU-Z