FS: MSI GeForceFX 5900XT full retail kit + vMods + ramsinks

[XanderF]

PRICE DROP - $184 SHIPPED

Okay, I'm selling one of these MSI GeForce FX 5900 XT graphics cards (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-127-119&depa=0). The model # is FX5900XT-VTD128.

This IS the full retail box I'll ship - original drivers, all original CDs, DVI->CRT adapter, power adapter, et al. As this is a video-in/video-out card, there is a TV adapter dongle included. With the appropriate software this card allows you to watch video input on your computer (but it does not have a TV tuner - so if you want to watch TV on it, you'll have to run the cable from a VCR or cable box - DirecTV receiver - *something* with a tuner on it - and that's the remote you'd use to change channels)

In addition, I have ALSO done a few mods to it. Pics of actual card being sold (click for larger):
http://xanderf.dyndns.org:8080/images/pc/s_xt_mod_done_top.jpg (http://xanderf.dyndns.org:8080/images/pc/l_xt_mod_done_top.jpg)

http://xanderf.dyndns.org:8080/images/pc/s_xt_mod_done_bottom.jpg (http://xanderf.dyndns.org:8080/images/pc/l_xt_mod_done_bottom.jpg)

I have performed the following mods:
Removed the crappy stock *ALUMINUM* HSF (yes, that copper-looking HSF on the original MSI card IS aluminum)
Removed the stock heat-spreader off the core for the HSF to make better contact
http://xanderf.dyndns.org:8080/images/pc/spreader.jpg
Added a new 1U server CPU HSF, applied with Arctic Silver 5 (hey, if it can cool a server CPU, it can cool a GeForceFX!)
Added Tweakmonster ramsinks, applied with Arctic Silver epoxy
Added a vMod to the core and memory. This is adjustable with the knobs on the little blue dials you see
Added a voltage reading point for the vMem (the molex closest to the bracket) and vCore (the other molex). This makes reading the voltage you are adjusting VERY SIMPLE - just pop your volt meter legs into each of the two contacts in a molex, and read the voltage! No poking around on the card, nothing - easy as pie!

For reference, I'm running the card exactly as shown in my main PC as I type this. The clock is 530/800 - 100% stable at this and nVidia's overclock tester always okays this clock. The resulting 3dMark03 score with this card - again, exactly as I'm selling it - is 6809 (http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=2300990). I will be leaving the vMods set to what they currently are when shipped - note that it IS a pretty simple matter to change them, just twist the knobs.

Asking $200 shipped for the card, exactly as shown, and the full retail kit associated with it. There ARE a few trades I'm interested in, if you'd like to use that for some (or all) of the cost:
An older black 15" LCD for cheap
TrackIR 2
Fairly large SATA drive (>120gb)
Antec True550 (or a PC Power & Cooling 510w, certainly!)
Razer mouse (that new Razer Viper is looking pretty cool...)
Bablyon 5 DVD boxed sets
Falcon 4, or any of a number of older games and sims - something of a collector. ESPECIALLY adventure games. With original boxes, pls

My eBay feedback is here (73-0-0) (http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=dderidex). I also have a heatware account with a UID 'XanderF' (http://www.heatware.com/eval.php?id=18437) - same email as above (14-0-0).

My email is 'xm_fulton@sbcglobal.net', and I can be reached on Yahoo Instant Messanger as 'xan_fulton'.

[XanderF]

Bump!

Additional info:

I will also be including the original retail HSF. In addition, I threw in the box the heatspread I pulled off. Souvenir. Or snazzy keychain (if you do want to do the keychain thing, I have a Dremel and can drill a hole in it for you before shipping).

[Waltar]

trade?

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=26556

[XanderF]

Sorry, already have my All-In-Wonder on order.

[XanderF]

Asked on another forum, so including here:

Well, I am not the master at tweaking for 3dMark....I'm SURE this card can do better, but....

3dMark2001SE: 18864 (http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=7714148).

It soundly beats my 9800 Pro score, anyway.

Reminder, too....this is the FULL RETAIL version of this card I'm selling. MSI has a pretty silly large bundle of stuff they include:
Morrowind (full version)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (full version)
Duke Nukem Manhatten Project (full version)
WinDVD Creator (full version)
TV 'Tuner' software (this card takes RCA input, not coax, so it can't actually serve as a TV tuner - you do need a VCR to change channels - but it CAN play RCA output, including cable from your VCR or DirecTV or antenna - on your computer monitor, fullscreen or windowed, and that's a pretty cool feature.)
Several trial versions of programs.

[XanderF]

Friday bump

[wI-OSMAN-]

maybe i'll have it for 240 bucks canadian you pay for shipping?

[XanderF]

Sunday bump

[saturnotaku]

Can the memory go any higher? 800 seems kinda weak for a card that's been volt-modded. Just curious is all. :)

[XanderF]

Doesn't seem like it.

I've only tried up to 3.2v, but that hasn't really helped it one bit from stock. Well, it helps it always test stable at 800, but it doesn't go above that.

The 5900XTs have VERY TIGHT memory timings, though. If someone could find a way to edit the memory timings on this card, I know it can go higher. (In fact, sort of a way to do that HAS been found - flashing 5950 BIOS on 5900XTs, with their more relaxed memory timings, seems to allow close to 1ghz clocks for some people's cards. Sadly, this card can't take a 5950 BIOS, so another way would need to be found.)

Anyway, in testing with it, it really seems like 800mhz mem is 'enough'. It's the core clocks that make the biggest differences in scores in all tests. And they make BIG differences for even a few mhz difference on the core.

[saturnotaku]

Sadly, this card can't take a 5950 BIOS, so another way would need to be found.)

Does that mean the card boots to a black screen w/the 5950 BIOS or that the card gets clocked too high? If the latter, you can use RivaTuner to downclock the card, especially since it has a lower speed in 2D mode anyway.

I'm quite intrigued by this card, that's why I'm asking.

Edit: Have you tried flashing with a 5900 non-ultra BIOS? That only ups the memory to 850 MHz.

[XanderF]

It boots up just fine, in fact, gets into Windows and everything.

Only thing is that when Windows loads, it only loads at 320x240 and 4bit color. If you go into device manager, there is an exclamation mark by the video card and it says something like "insufficient resources for this device" or something like that.

Nothing you can do to get it to load the nVidia drivers or change any setting.

So...dunno what the problem was. It just didn't work, so I flashed it back to the 5900XT, and it's golden!

[XanderF]

Still available bump

[saturnotaku]

YGPM :)

[XanderF]

Replied

[XanderF]

I'm going to go ahead and bump this - still hoping to sell this.