Dell XPS M1330 - nVidia GeForce 8400M GS - Copper Mod

correct

I guess what I'm saying is I ordered 100% acetone branded as polish remover and a cleaning agent. It worked wonderfully so I have no regrets. If it syas 100% acetone nail polish remover, I don't think you have a problem.

 

For best results use articlean 1 + 2

 

I think the difference is neglible when compared to acetone or rubbing alcohol.

would this mod be worth it for a person with the 8400m gs, but who doesn't ever play games?

 

Its worth it for anyone that doesn't want their M1330 GPU to die.

 

I NEVER play games, in fact had some trouble figuring out how to stress the GPU's and had never over or underclocked anything until I got to this thread (thanks to Traveller for bringing me into the future). My 1330 died just like everyone elses.

 

sinstoic,

Been away from this forum for sometime. Came back and saw this... Excellent post! Now I can point people to this guide. A lot clearer than all the patches of information we all added along the way in Hep's original thread

Great work. You've been Rep.


Cheers

P.S. - Ever notice it's the problems that brings people together? Well, its' nice seeing people from around the world gathering here to share their thoughts in solving a common problem. Wished we could say the same for Dell, dissapointed with them.

 

I'm curious - what temps is everyone getting on their CPU? I get 80C on my CPU after 10 minutes of load with ORTHOS... my GPU doesn't even get that high after running 3dmark06 (goes to like 75C)
I am a bit concerned that using the thicker copper has decreased the quality of my contact to the CPU. What's the stock temps? I forget.


Oh yeah and I didn't quite wait the 200 hours yet but I got bored today after work. I'm at 44 idle for CPU, 45 idle for GPU, and 80 load for CPU and 75 load for GPU. Still much better than dell's original solution, but I'm NOT PLEASED YET. In the process of undervolting now, but I really think that 1.5mm may be too thick!

Considering putting myself up on the [lab] bench and making myself another guinea pig, this time for bending the cooling assembly.


EDIT: Yeah my temps are higher than they should be I think, one core even heats up more than the other so I'm pretty sure the HSF is not resting flat... grr... any suggestions on fixing this? Already reseated the whole thing which helped minimally.

 

I've never run any tests like 3dmark but to give you an idea:

(After mod with arctic cooling mx-2 and 1.5mm copper)

IDLE
CPU: 40C
GPU: 42C

TF2 1 Hour, 6 cell battery
CPU: 55C
GPU: 62C

TF2 1 Hour, Bytecc Cooler
CPU: 55C
GPU: 58C

 

Hi Hep!,

I get around 80C under heavy CPU load benchmarks as well. Yes, one core is hotter than the other. It was the same before the mod. After the copper mod, the GPU is dumping heat better to the heatpipe... so I already expected the CPU to run a little hotter.

Cheers

 

I am convinced I can get it lower despite the heat being dumped into the CPU by the GPU. My HSF doesn't even look flat, and the fact that the cores heat up unevenly tells me that this is the case.

I PM'ed bigdaddy cadillac to see if he still has that free .05in copper, which I think would be the optimal size for my system. The 1.5mm is just a tad too thick and I don't want to deal with the pains of trying to sand this down evenly (yeah right like that's even possible here)

Hopefully he can help me out, I'm not about to spend another 12 bucks on a 1.5cmx1.5cm piece of copper.

 

You got PM.

I have a few pieces left of various sizes for anyone else. I could also include a few small squares of high grit wet dry sandpaper. I thought about lapping them myself and selling them to make my money back, but just giving them away seems more noble.

 

Just for FYI to anyone that's noted my temps. I forgot to say I undervolt my GPU using RMclock. Saves about 5-7 degrees i think.

 

I just undervolted (a lot) and I now get 66C/59C (CPU/GPU) ON FULL LOAD (ORTHOS for 10 minutes followed by 3dmark06!!!!)

I am hoping that once bigdaddycadillac sends me that copper, my HSF will lie more evenly over the CPU and I will drop even lower (hoping for like, 53/59 load)

 

Did you guys read this?!!

http://hpnotebooksettlement.com/

 

The settlement appears to say replacement with something other than the Nvidia NV36, so would they have the right to replace it with something worse, like integrated graphics?

 

Apparently nVidia is the culprit for supplying less than accurate thermal spec. requirements for their chips.

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/07/nvidia-meltdown-blame-game

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/09/nvidia-g84-g86-bad

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/02/nvidia-opens-whoop-ass-itself

 

Darn, if Dell does the same. That means there won't be an official solution from Dell either.... not good...

"Industry insiders tell us that Dell will be billing Nvidia for everything, from bad GPUs, mobos, replacement costs, help desk, lawyers, and every truck roll needed to fix something in the field. If Nvidia wriggles out of paying for something, they will pay for it in other ways. "

Quoted from here...
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/07/nvidia-meltdown-blame-game

 

Statement from nVidia...

"We have developed and have made available for download a software driver to cause the system fan to begin operation at the powering up of the system and reduce the thermal stress on these chips. We have also recommended to our customers that they consider changing the thermal management of the MCP and GPU products in their notebook system designs."

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/080702/nvda8-k.html

 

LOL! Nvidia is telling consumers to mod their computers? Or do they mean the OEM's? I heard that Inquirer isn't very reliable source though.

NV36 is 5700Go, right? any of those affected sku's an 84 or 86xx model card?

 

I think nVidia's customers are the OEMs. This last bit was from an SEC filing though, not from the Inquirer.

 

Wow my silver arrived today , looks good BUT, I asked for a 14mm x 14mm x 1.5, as far I can see is like 14mm x 14mm x 1.8mm will the extra .3mm affect this mod? should I give it back and ask for the 1.5mm size?.

If someone wants photos of the silver square just ask and Ill post them later .

 

You can try it. Some folks reported larger gap than 1.5 mm

 

Can it be sanded like copper? I've seen 0.9 to 2.0mm work for people. YMMV

 

My original aluminum was working better than my new copper, as the copper is a bit too thick and my gap is smaller than 1.5mm. It depends on the size of your gap. You don't want to go too big, you don't want to go too small. Someone needs to figure out a good way to measure the gap and post it, as I have no idea.

 

Could you explain me what is "sanding" or what do you mean with that cuz you know Im still learning english. But if I have a chance after I know what is that I could try if you like. Thanks in advance.

 

You take a rough paper covered in what is basically sand. It's usually used for finishing wood. You can make surfaces more smooth by sanding them. Smooth surface = better thermal transfer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanding

 

Oh yeahhhhh now I understand in spanish we say: "lijar" for sanding, is clear for me...

Btw the Silver is already sanded is really smooth.

 

I think the guide is extremely useful even for those who do not want to mod. Sinstoic, you should make the poll public so we can see who voted no to the usefulness of the guide. Come on people, if you do not like the guide at the least post a valid reason.

 

Couple questions because i just finished this...

1. Curing time required when the laptop shouldnt be used?

2. How come it seems like I am using so much less compound then previous? I was told 1/2 gran of rice.

3. What should be normal idling temp be now? Will it get lower after compound cures? What was it normally on systems before? I am running Everest Ultimate and it reports GPU at 64-67 and CPU at 50...surfing the net.

 

1) You can use it straight away if you used AS5. The 200 hour break-in time is to let the silver seep into the micro gaps and such. The explanation is in the AS website.

2) Depends on what type of rice you are talking about

 

I havent got all the extra goop seeping over the edge.

 

Temperatures will answer that question better

 

The 1/2 grain of rice is just an estimate to give people an idea. You do want to cover the whole GPU, equivalent to about a half grain of uncooked white rice spread out. I find it's usually a bit more. You don't want goop coming out the sides though, dell, and other manufacturers basically slop it on, putting waaaay too much, which ends up insulating the heat inside rather than transferring it.

The cure time for Arctic Silver 5 is 200 hours. You can use it during that time (I don't for the first 100), but your temps will drop off quite a bit once it cures.

 

Is that how thick it should be? I just put the equivalent of a half grain of rice on it and spread that out. I guess watching my temps would be the best indicator in any case right...

 

It should not be that thick. It should be a very thin spread over the entire GPU and CPU, and it should be spread EVENLY. Don't let the heatsink assembly squish the grease flat, that sometimes ends up with little bubbles or uneven amounts, which is bad for cooling.

 

For everyone looking for 16 gauge copper sheets, try art stores. I called this one ( http://www.artmediaonline.com) up in Beaverton, OR and they had the perfect sheet for 3 bucks! I just had to use a hack saw to cut the right size out, and sand it down. So if you're looking for the copper sheet try your local art supply store.

 

Anyone want to ship me their extra copper, I cant seem to find any locally.

 

1. None. You can use the Notebook right away but do turn it off for a few hours everyday if you want the Thermal Compound to cure faster.

2. Check out the FAQs in the first post of this thread.

 

Anyone know how to remove one of the spring loaded screws that holds down the heatpipe near the cpu? I think i messed up the notch with one of them ><

 

You need to use a number 0 (Zero) Phillips Screwdriver. Try one with a heavy handle to unscrew the factory tightened screw.

 

What do you mean by remove? Unscrew? Remove from the cooling assembly entirely? Etc?

 

He's messed up on of the screws.

 

Yesterday I received both orders from eBay, the copper sheet and the Artic Silver 5 with Articleaner 1&2 so I applied the Copper Mod to my m1330.

I read carefully the guide, so thanks to everyone that contributed because it has been very useful for me.

One thing that I noticed it's that the GPU had almost no thermal grease applied, but I cleaned it anyway with Articleaner 1&2.

In about 40 minutes in a dust-free environment the mod was complete and I tried watching a couple of 720p MKV movies I have in my HD to check temperatures.

Before applying the Copper mod, my GPU idled at around 65-66 ºC and yesterday, it idled at 58-59ºC. When playing the 720p MKV movie for around half an hour, the GPU was at a constant 61ºC and fan at slow mode. Last week, playing the same movies, the GPU heated until 72ºC so a good 10-11ºC less minutes after the mod.

I don't really play many games except for some PSX emulators or some Heretic/Hexen with my Steam account, but I'll do more test during the week. I think I can expect some degrees less when the Artic Silver cures.

Thanks again for the great advice to everyone involved in this great mod and guide

 

Yea exactly. Even when the screw is loose from the mobo there seems no real way of releasing it from the brace. Anyone have ideas?

 

You don't have to remove it from the brace. It's a captive screw that doesn't come out.

 

I would be too scared to do that to my m1330!

 

I see you also haven't received it yet. Once you see how hot it gets, you might be too scared to NOT do this

 

here are results from my copper mod, i did the northbridge as well as the gpu...
these numbers are after about 20 mins of just regular browsing...


before mod:




After mod:

 

How the heck did you get your CPU temps down like that?!

 

I actually didn't use Arctic Silver 5 or anything special for the thermal paste. I use some really cheap generic white goop that my dad uses when he repairs tv's in between the semiconductors in there. It was about $5 for something about the size of a coffee can. I now get about 38C idle for CPU and 55C idle for GPU and 40C for Northbridge. The GPU is accurate and not the known drivers that report 10C lower because I have tried using the ones that do that and got 45C GPU idle. But with different drivers it reports 55C. Thanks to everyone who though of this method and the many who tried it first. Very smart idea and poor design on Dell's part.