Replacement for 8800GT

After much research and discussion in various forums I've come to the
(sad) conclusion that the frequent crashes I'm getting are almost
certainly signs of a failing or buggy graphics card. Anyway, I'm going to
shell out and buy a replacement for my 8800GT.

Wimp that I am, my initial preference is an exact copy!

I thought that would be a relatively simple task of entering 'nVidia 8800
GT' into Google search box and choosing a from a company that looked OK.
But I'm bewildered by the apparent variations and descriptions. A
non-techie, I'd appreciate some help please, as I'd hate to end up with a
card that was incompatible.

And now I'm thinking maybe I should go for a newer product with at least
equal performance if not better. But it must be a direct fit and easy to
install, as I'm no techie! Note that I'm not into gaming. Main app is
video editing. I'm fussy about quietness too.

The March 2008 spec for my PC order from MESH says "512 MB nVIDIA GeoForce
8800GT - Dual DVI, HDTV, TV Out".

The PC is MESH GTS Xtreme, Quad Core Q9450 2.66 GHz, 4 GB DDR2 667 MHz.

The motherboard is described by MESH as "PCI-Express Mainboard - SLI
nForce 650i SLI(C55) - Intel Core 2".

Sisoft Sandra reports the motherboard differently, as "Manufacturer :
ASUSTeK Computer INC, MPS Version : 1.40, Model : P5N-D, Version : 1.XX,
Serial Number : 123456789000, System BIOS : 03/05/2008-C55-MCP51-P5N-D-00"

I'd greatly appreciate it if someone could advise me please. Ideally a few
links to suitable products!

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

?After much research and discussion in various forums I've come to the
(sad) conclusion that the frequent crashes I'm getting are almost
certainly signs of a failing or buggy graphics card.

Disassemble and clean the fan and heatsink, and put on new thermal
compound.

rms

Ref: <> de Terry Pinnell
>
>And now I'm thinking maybe I should go for a newer product with at least
>equal performance if not better. But it must be a direct fit and easy to
>install, as I'm no techie! Note that I'm not into gaming. Main app is
>video editing. I'm fussy about quietness too.

If you don't mind leaving Nvidia and succumb to the Dark Side (ATI) you can
investigate this model:
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...000101&pid=305

I have replaced my 8800gt with it.

Practically identical power consumption than the 8800gt so you don't need to
check your power supply compatibility.

Much lower noise level and temperature

Working like a charm.
--
Gilles

"rms" <> wrote:

>?After much research and discussion in various forums I've come to the
>(sad) conclusion that the frequent crashes I'm getting are almost
>certainly signs of a failing or buggy graphics card.
>
> Disassemble and clean the fan and heatsink, and put on new thermal
>compound.
>
>rms

Thanks rms. I'm a tad nervous about attempting as much as that. I have air
dusted it. I will next remove it from its slot and dust it again and
replace it, as that alone might help. And anyway I need to know how to do
that ready for the replacement if necessary.

It's interesting that you mention the fan, because several times in the
last 6 months or so it's become noisy. A high pitched, almost 'whistling'
sound. Plainly sounded like it needed lubrication. But after removing the
label I could find no way to access the spindle or bearing.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4019461/Fan-Noise-1.jpg
Eventually, after a bit of poking and prodding, it quitened down again.
That's happened another couple of times since. I assume unrelated to my
crashes.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Gilles <> wrote:

>Ref: <> de Terry Pinnell
>>
>>And now I'm thinking maybe I should go for a newer product with at least
>>equal performance if not better. But it must be a direct fit and easy to
>>install, as I'm no techie! Note that I'm not into gaming. Main app is
>>video editing. I'm fussy about quietness too.
>
>If you don't mind leaving Nvidia and succumb to the Dark Side (ATI) you can
>investigate this model:
>http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...000101&pid=305
>
>I have replaced my 8800gt with it.
>
>Practically identical power consumption than the 8800gt so you don't need to
>check your power supply compatibility.
>
>Much lower noise level and temperature
>
>Working like a charm.

Thanks Giles. Looks good. So far can't find its price or a Buy link!

Also just had email from my son recommending these two possibilities:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=GX-216-SP
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1854

Just wish I didn't have to replace it at all ;-(

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Ref: <> de Terry Pinnell
>"rms" <> wrote:
>> Disassemble and clean the fan and heatsink, and put on new thermal
>>compound.
>>
>>rms
>
>Thanks rms. I'm a tad nervous about attempting as much as that. I have air
>dusted it.

You may simply start with a vacuum cleaner combined with compressed air cleaner:
http://www.freecomputerguides.com/co...tcleaning.html
--
Gilles

On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 23:11:55 +0100, Gilles <>
wrote:

>Ref: <> de Terry Pinnell
>>
>>And now I'm thinking maybe I should go for a newer product with at least
>>equal performance if not better. But it must be a direct fit and easy to
>>install, as I'm no techie! Note that I'm not into gaming. Main app is
>>video editing. I'm fussy about quietness too.
>
>If you don't mind leaving Nvidia and succumb to the Dark Side (ATI) you can
>investigate this model:
>http://www.sapphiretech.com/presenta...000101&pid=305
>
>I have replaced my 8800gt with it.
>
>Practically identical power consumption than the 8800gt so you don't need to
>check your power supply compatibility.
>
>Much lower noise level and temperature
>
>Working like a charm.

Bad choice. It would have been a good choice a few months ago, but now
Nvidia has released the GTX 460 SE.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130591

Faster, quieter and lower power draw then the 5770, plus superior Nvidia
drivers. And both cards compete in the same market so they are virtually
the same price.

Ref: <> de Foke
>
>Bad choice. It would have been a good choice a few months ago, but now
>Nvidia has released the GTX 460 SE.

I bought it few month ago (nearly one year) :-)
--
Gilles

?It's interesting that you mention the fan, because several times in the
last 6 months or so it's become noisy. A high pitched, almost 'whistling'
sound. Plainly sounded like it needed lubrication.

This can be from builtup dust unbalancing the fan, but in the past I
have carefully sprayed lubricant inside an early fan (I think on a voodoo3
or something). The spraylube to look for is called Inox; it's
non-conductive, safe for plastics, etc etc.

You're probably beyond this now, but if it was clear the problem was
overheating, aftermarket videocard coolers are quite cheap.

rms

Somewhere on teh intarwebs Terry Pinnell wrote:
> "rms" <> wrote:
>
>> ?After much research and discussion in various forums I've come to
>> the (sad) conclusion that the frequent crashes I'm getting are almost
>> certainly signs of a failing or buggy graphics card.
>>
>> Disassemble and clean the fan and heatsink, and put on new thermal
>> compound.
>>
>> rms
>
> Thanks rms. I'm a tad nervous about attempting as much as that. I
> have air dusted it. I will next remove it from its slot and dust it
> again and replace it, as that alone might help. And anyway I need to
> know how to do that ready for the replacement if necessary.
>
> It's interesting that you mention the fan, because several times in
> the last 6 months or so it's become noisy. A high pitched, almost
> 'whistling' sound. Plainly sounded like it needed lubrication. But
> after removing the label I could find no way to access the spindle or
> bearing. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4019461/Fan-Noise-1.jpg

Huh? So, you've got a fan on your northbridge. WTF has that got to do with
the graphics card?

> Eventually, after a bit of poking and prodding, it quitened down
> again. That's happened another couple of times since. I assume
> unrelated to my crashes.

Hit it with a hammer.
--
Shaun.

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a
monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also
into you." Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche