[KillerBug]

Most likely it is the thermal compound under the RSX cover; with the age of the system it is almost certain.

[screwhead]

Originally Posted by KillerBug Most likely it is the thermal compound under the RSX cover; with the age of the system it is almost certain.

well bug if it's not a problem such as ylod coming from what i read it seems to not bee getting hot so would ur controller help if he is just not wanting to hear the loud fan that way he could set it how he wanted just a thought. by the way ur controller works great thanks for it

[Vampiror Nightstalker]

Hi thanks for the replys.

I have replaced the paste under the gpu but the fans are still kicking upto full speed.

Anything else I can try? I am not 100% happy about doing the cpu with what I have read about it being easy to damage.

Should I invest in one of the speed controllers?

Thanks

[v8s10]

Originally Posted by Vampiror Nightstalker Does this cause a problem even if the system isn't running hot? Is it because the contact underneath the spreader is poor? I would have expected the system to be hot.

That's generally an indicator of poor contact to the heat spreader(s). The chip(s) ARE getting hot, but with poor/no heat transfer to the heat spreaders, the fan ramps up to full speed blowing only cold air. No heat transfer = no cooling, no matter how fast the fan spins.

Originally Posted by Vampiror Nightstalker Hi thanks for the replys. I have replaced the paste under the gpu but the fans are still kicking upto full speed. Anything else I can try? I am not 100% happy about doing the cpu with what I have read about it being easy to damage. Should I invest in one of the speed controllers? Thanks

Doing the gpu should have made SOME difference. Are you 100% sure you have good contact with the gpu? Did you clean off the thermal adhesive from the 4 corners of the heat spreader and the 4 corner chips? If so I would say the cpu needs doing as well. Find someone to the cpu for you if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself.

A fan speed controller is a good idea, but won't help until the problem repaired first.

[KillerBug]

My fan controller is generally intended for raising the fan speed in order to prevent a YLOD. In certain cases it can be used to lower the fan speed when the temperatures are not high but the fan still runs fast. However, most of the time if the fan is running fast and the system has never been reflowed or reballed then it is because of high temperatures.

I wouldn't advise you to attempt removing the CELL cover on any model except the 20GB or 60GB...the compound in there is almost certainly bad, but the first time someone attempts to remove one of these covers is almost always fatal to the system.

I assume that when you changed the compound under the RSX cover, you made sure that you had good contact before sealing it up? Thermal compound is only designed for a tiny gap, like the thickness of tissue paper. Speaking of which, apply the thermal compound to the heatspreader tops super-thin (use an old credit card or something to spread it). Then clean the heatsink bases, assemble the system, and take it apart again. Ideally you would have two perfect squares on the heatsink bases...realistically you only need about 2/3, maybe even 1/2 contact...but if you have less than that, you will need to lap the heatsinks and/or heatspreaders.

[pereb27]

Originally Posted by KillerBug My fan controller is generally intended for raising the fan speed in order to prevent a YLOD. In certain cases it can be used to lower the fan speed when the temperatures are not high but the fan still runs fast. However, most of the time if the fan is running fast and the system has never been reflowed or reballed then it is because of high temperatures. I wouldn't advise you to attempt removing the CELL cover on any model except the 20GB or 60GB...the compound in there is almost certainly bad, but the first time someone attempts to remove one of these covers is almost always fatal to the system. I assume that when you changed the compound under the RSX cover, you made sure that you had good contact before sealing it up? Thermal compound is only designed for a tiny gap, like the thickness of tissue paper. Speaking of which, apply the thermal compound to the heatspreader tops super-thin (use an old credit card or something to spread it). Then clean the heatsink bases, assemble the system, and take it apart again. Ideally you would have two perfect squares on the heatsink bases...realistically you only need about 2/3, maybe even 1/2 contact...but if you have less than that, you will need to lap the heatsinks and/or heatspreaders.

Correct, removed the CPU heatspreader on 2 60gb boards without issue, and then I tried on a 40gb and... bye bye PS3. (Maybe the broken traces from killing the CPU while removing the IHS can be repaired though?)

As for the GPU, there usually isn't much of a problem (heard of ONE case where someone got a memory chip that came off with the heatspreader with stock glue but that's it... heating a bit the GPU with a hair dryer (NOT a heatgun) when removing the IHS helps a bit.

[KillerBug]

Originally Posted by pereb27 Correct, removed the CPU heatspreader on 2 60gb boards without issue, and then I tried on a 40gb and... bye bye PS3. (Maybe the broken traces from killing the CPU while removing the IHS can be repaired though?) As for the GPU, there usually isn't much of a problem (heard of ONE case where someone got a memory chip that came off with the heatspreader with stock glue but that's it... heating a bit the GPU with a hair dryer (NOT a heatgun) when removing the IHS helps a bit.

I use a hot air soldering station for removing the RSX covers...lets you target the heat just where you want it, plus it is ESD free. I use a thin knife with a thin piece of cardboard below it to protect the chip traces...even, consistent pressure while the chip is slowly heated...then suddenly it just pops right off.

Removing the CELL cover is a whole other story. There are videos on youtube showing it being done with blades, but this only work on the old models...the newer ones you will cut the traces if you try this. The only method I have found that actually works on newer models is to (very carefully) grind down the outer 3/8" of the chip cover so it is thinner...then you can peel it up while using a blade to cut the glue as you go. Of course you need a new chip cover after this...but all you really need is a copper shim so sourcing this is the easiest part of the whole job.

[Vampiror Nightstalker]

Hi thanks for the replys.

The fan is kicking in with in 5mins now after doing the gpu. I'll have another look at later.

When I took it apart the paste on top of the chips and the heat sinks was even ie no gaps.

I followed the The complete guide to Reflowing about the speading of the thermal compound on top of the chips and then used it for the removel of the heatspreader.

I checked the heatspreader to make sure it wasn't warped and it seemed flat to me. I did double check the spreader on top of the chip dry and with compound and it was making good contact. no wobble.

Thanks

[KillerBug]

Originally Posted by Vampiror Nightstalker I checked the heatspreader to make sure it wasn't warped and it seemed flat to me. I did double check the spreader on top of the chip dry and with compound and it was making good contact. no wobble.

But was it making contact with the core (center)?

[Vampiror Nightstalker]

Yeah it seemed to be when i took it off with the paste on it.

I'll try it with just paste on the center to make sure.