Next, apply thermal compound to the GPU die surface according to the manufacturer's instructions. Zalman included some thermal grease, but I will be using Arctic Silver 5. I have used most company's thermal grease, including Zalman's, and always have had much better results from AS5.

Now, consult the instructions for which nipple installation holes you will be using on the VF-1000, depending on which card you have. The nVidia geForce 8600 series uses hole #3, which is the second one out from the base. Screw a nipple into the four nipple installation holes intended for your video card type. Insert a black rubber “O” ring onto the long stud of each nipple.



Install the nipple-attached cooler on the video card's four mounting holes. The heatpipes go on the PCI-E slot side of the card.

NOTE: the VGA's chipset MUST be positioned on the center of the heatsink's base! Check to see if the heatsink and die are making good contact. The cooler can rock back and forth and you can feel if it is seated well. While I'm doing this, I realize that something doesn't feel right...