Most coolers attach to the four pins around the GPU, but these are spaced differently according to the GPU.

To make matters more confusing, some graphics cards, most notably the Radeon HD 2900 cards and the original GeForce 8800 GTX, Ultra and 320MB and 640MB GTS cards, have more than the standard eight memory chips, as well as other parts that need cooling. Gently lift Semi-Hermetic Compressor & Condensing Units the cooler off the graphics card, to reveal some gunk, also known as TIM (thermal interface material), on the chips. But, it's worth upgrading your GPU cooler; just be careful. You can now plug in the fan. Spread an even coating of TIM over the GPU if needed.

Cleanliness is next to godliness

Your next job is to remove any traces of said TIM and thermal pads from the memory and GPU, and also the VRMs if applicable. Keep your old cooler parts safe, as you can then reattach it if you ever want to sell off your old card.

. This job is best achieved with a lint free cloth (to avoid leaving stray fibers on the chips) and some TIM cleaner. Make sure that all the TIM and TIM cleaner has been removed, and you're then ready to install the cooler.

When you've spent half of the month's food budget on a graphics card, you'd be forgiven for becoming a shaking wreck at the prospect of dismantling it.

That sinking feeling

Stick on RAM heatsinks, and other chips if applicable. Following the manual, clamp the cooler to your graphics card's mounts, being careful not to harm any components. You may also need to remove a couple Refrigeration Equipment of screws from the backplate if you have a dual-slot cooler. Find out which mounting holes you have from your cooler's manual, or measure the gaps. Also, if it's too tall, it may not fit in your case, and if it's too deep you may have to remove your sound card. First, check is whether the mounts on your graphics card are compatible with the mounts on the cooler. Clean the chips gently, being very careful not to harm any nearby components on the PCB.

The Small Screw Phenomenon

Turn over the graphics card so the front is facing down, and remove all the screws on the back that hold the cooler in place. For coolers that cool the GPU and RAM with the same block, stick thermal pads to the RAM. Turn the card over again so the front is facing up, unplug the cooler's power cable.

If you're buying a fanless cooler, make sure that your case has sufficient airflow to stop it cooking your graphics card