XFX 7900gt VIVO voltmod

[DarkStar02]

I have THIS video card, which I have never overclocked before. I talked to XFX support and asked them if it was against their warranty to put a more efficient aftermarket cooler on the video card, and they said no, it would void the warranty. I ordered a watercooling system off DangerDen during the sale, purchasing a Acetal Top MAZE4-1GPU Peltier Version, TDX waterblock, D5 Pump, Stealth GTS 240 Black Ice, and a Danger Den Single 5 1/4" Bay Reservoir. My card currently idles in Windows XP x64 (I don't know if that would make a difference or not) at about 51 degrees C in a cool room with 2x 120mms and 1x 80mm.

When I get my watercooling on the card, I want to voltmod the card right away to reassure myself that the watercooling system was worth the money I spend on it. (To ward off any feelings of buyers remorse.) My question is, how will I know what vcore I should put it at? When I overclock my CPU, I increase the vcore when my system isn't running stable (I limit myself to 1.455 with stock heatsink on my Opteron 170, what should I be able to move it to now?). This is the only real point in bumping up the vcore in my mind right now. What will happen when I bump up the vcore on my video card? How high should I set it? How can I tell if I am over-volting the card?

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't seem to really understand how this whole thing works ATM.

[tdiddy]

Before you get the card voltmodded check out the load temps on it to make sure you have a starting point; its just like ocing a cpu. Then slowly increase the volts. And then try to up the speeds. You should be able to get pretty far with water. Your temps seem OK right now, but the 40's probably where you'll have it on water even at load.

As for the volts on your cpu, you should be able to push it to 1.6. Some may go further, but personally that's getting close to insta-die stage.

Again, just think of the gpu ocing as the cpu, step up the frequencies, then the volts. You can take it easily up to 1.55, as most of us have done, without too much harm. Well, I don't see any harm in it because if it does die that just gives me another reason to buy new stuff.