[RESOLVED] Combination of RX2600XT and P45 Platinum

[BillGeek]

I currently have the MSI P35 Neo3 motherboard and want to upgrade to the MSI P45 Platinum. However, I'm concerned that the graphics card will not fit in the little space provided between the "fins" on the Chipset and the PCIe slot.

Does anyone own a combination of the P45 Platinum and the RX2600XT? If so, did you have to make any adjustments anywhere, or did it fit correctly?

The graphics card in question is also an MSI product. Code: RX2600XT-T2D512EZ/D3

[Lord Orwell]

the back of the card will face the chipset, not the front. That appears to be a two-slot card and it will take up both of the pci-express slots on your motherboard. If you don't have any x4 devices, i would not worry about it.

[BillGeek]

I'm not sure if it's a two slot card. It only covers the one PCIe slot, (when viewed from the "front") and while the back does face the chipset, this is where the problem is:
As you can see from this image, there is a gigantic set of cooling fins on the back of the thing, and this is what I'm affraid of.

[Lord Orwell]

wow that looks nothing at all like this one:

I'm going to have to say that that card is specifically designed for a HTPC. Cooling fins go on the back of those cards in some cases due to the fact super-slim-formfactors have an "L" adapter (of which i have one) that folds the video card over so that it's laying flat. Normal double-wide cards won't fit but one like that one would.
Plus, that appears to be a fanless design.
All i can say is try it. If it doesn't fit, you can always replace that mess with an aftermarket vga cooler, although it might be cheaper to replace the block on the motherboard with a slimline fan.

[BillGeek]

Yeah, I noticed that there seems to be a couple of variations of this card. (I can't see the picture, but I noticed a couple of different ones)

The problem is that I can't remove the fins, as the plates are rivited to the graphic card's board. Also, from what I can see, the mobo can't be changed either, as it seems like the chipset is "encased" with the fins on it.

The board is quite expensive here in South Africa, so if I do decide to buy it, I'll just have to get a different accelerator. Maybe if I can get my hands on the MSI RX2600XT Diamond 512, I can still use the current accelerator as the "slave" for CrossFire, which, by the way, is what I want the new board for.

Thanks for your help.

[Lord Orwell]

that's actually the card the image is of, that you can't see. I am not convinced those are rivets. Try turning one of them with a pair of vice grips.

[BillGeek]

Hmm.... I shall have a look see when I get home. I'm going to get that board in any case. If it doesn't fit, that's just too bad.

[BillGeek]

Just a "side-note" update: I couldn't get the massive heatsink off the card. Also, when I got the board the graphics card didn't fit. I had no choice but to get a new Graphics card, so I opted for a Force3D ATI Radeon HD3870 (GDDR3 / 512)

So for future reference: The MSI RX2600XT-T2D512EZ/D3 does NOT FIT on the MSI P45 Platinum mobo.

[Lord Orwell]

Just a "side-note" update: I couldn't get the massive heatsink off the card. Also, when I got the board the graphics card didn't fit. I had no choice but to get a new Graphics card, so I opted for a Force3D ATI Radeon HD3870 (GDDR3 / 512)

So for future reference: The MSI RX2600XT-T2D512EZ/D3 does NOT FIT on the MSI P45 Platinum mobo.

did you consider a $10 "L" adapter for the pci express slot? I have one. Requires a little case modification, but cheaper.

[BillGeek]

I actually didn't think of that... Although, I have a gamer's case, so I wouldn't really want to modify it too much. Thanks for the suggestion though. I think I will look for one in any case. Perhaps then I can have my old card back and flog this one again.

[Lord Orwell]

do you still have this card? I need a card with the heat sink on the back due to the placement on the slots on my motherboard. I have all my pci slots full so i can only use a single-wide video card. My only other option is to replace one of my tuner cards with a pci-x4 card which is located on the other side of the video card.

[BillGeek]

Nope, I sold it as it was "useless" at the time. (Wish I didn't though...) I did notice a couple of cards with the same configuration, but not really getting warm enough to need the massive heatsink.

[Lord Orwell]

i need to find a 4800 or something similar. double-wides not accepted. I think there are some low-end 5xxx series cards just released that are single-wides.

[BillGeek]

Odd thing is... the double-wide cards are usually to the "front" of the card, whereas the 2600 I had was at the back. (Don't know if that made much sense... )

[Lord Orwell]

Odd thing is... the double-wide cards are usually to the "front" of the card, whereas the 2600 I had was at the back. (Don't know if that made much sense... )

that is what i want!