Very Low Profile Chipset HSF Required

[[OK²]Pihrana]

Hey All.

I have a small problem. Due to my original DFI Chipset whinning like a Biatch, i replaced it with an aftermarker Akasa Blue, which does the job fine and dandy. However, i had to re-located my 7900GT in the secondary PCI-E slot as the Akasa HSF unit is too high and prevents installation of the GFX card, which means im running the 7900GT on an 8x PCI-E slot.

It may or may not be the reason that i am having issues with SLOW down in BF2 for no apparent reason. OK things are getting slighly busy when it happens but my machine (according to most Hardware site, review machines) should eat it for lunch.

An OC'ed X2 4400 running both cores at 2.6Ghz, FSB @ 236Mhz so the RAM is at DDR472, with relativily tight timings and the BFG 7900GT OC itself is OC'ed even further at 520Mhz GPU Core and 760Mhz Memory. My BF2 settings are all set to high @ 1280x1024 whilst using 4xAA, with Nvidia Driver options set to Performance, and 2xAF.

Should i be getting such slowdown or is the 8x PCI-E holding me back? Either way i need a low profile Chipset HSF to truly find out !!! SO help please

[Clunk]

zalman passive heatsink, just snap off some fins with needle nose pliers to make it fit, cheap, dead easy to do and should give you good temps if you have a slight breeze over it

[[OK²]Pihrana]

Hmmmm.... Me didnt think about that. Well ive just recieved my new X1900XT 256Mb card which s even longer than the 7900GT OC i have in at the minute, but it may still be possible depending on the interface with the ATI's overly large and deep Cooler.

PLUS... Im rather p1ss3d !! I bought the X1900XT 256Mb as Value for money wise it r@p3s Nvidia's line. Until i read Overclockers latested "This week only" and see Nvidia have possibly TOP TRUMPED it with the 7900GTO, which is effectively the same as the 7900GTX but with lower Memory Clocks !! Im hoping i havent bought a Dud, by jumping in too soon, but time will tell. Once things for sure it pretty much makes the rest of the Nvidia Upper range redundant !! ill be tought to shift my 7900GT OC now

[chuckskull]

If you want to rule out the slot problem. Just remove the fan from the top of the akasa blue and make sure it has a mild breeze, temps shouls hover about 55c. Bit warm but fine a for a few rounds of testing.