RTX A2000 copper heatsink

Unscrew the two T8 screws that hold the PCIe bracket. Don't pull off the bracket just yet, as it's still fixed to the PCB.

Unscrew all the T6 screws on the back of the card. Remove the PCIe bracket, then lift the shroud and carefully detach the fan header. When the header is detached, you can take off the shroud.

The heat sink is attached by two T6 screws through the retention bracket. The bracket acts as a spring for the screws, so squeeze the bracket and heat sink together while unscrewing the screws, so the bracket doesn’t spring back.

When both screws are unscrewed, take off the retention bracket and the heat sink. The heat sink may be glued to the die due to the thermal paste. In that case, carefully tilt it to the left and right until it comes off.

Replace the original thermal pads with the ones included. The large one covers the group of 4 chips, and the small one covers the 2 others.

Wipe the original thermal paste off the die using a lint free cloth. Clean the die using a bit of Isopropyl or other cleaning alcohol. Apply a  dot of thermal paste in the center of the die, about the size of a grain of rice.

Lay the heatsink upside down next to the card, as shown in the image. Then pivot the cooler into place on the card.

Turn around the card along with the cooler. Put the retention bracket into place and screw the shoulder screws through the bracket and PCB into the cooler. Squeeze the bracket and cooler together like you did when removing the heat sink.

If you have chosen the fan adapter as a product option, now is the time to mount the fans to the adapter. You can do so with the fan screws that are included with the fans you purchased. You insert the screws through the holes in the bottom of the adapter.

With the fans in place, you can now mount the adapter to the card with the included M2 screws. Don't forget to include the PCIe bracket on the front of the card.

If you did not choose the fan adapter as a product option, you only need to mount the PCIe bracket. This is done using the included M2.5 screws and hex nuts.

It's best not to use the graphics card fan header to run the fans, because it enforces a minimum fan speed of 3000 RPM, which is very loud for most 60mm fans. Instead, you better use a PWM header on your motherboard. 

In order to have the fan adapt its speed to the temperature of the graphics card, you will have to set a custom curve. While a fan curve may be up to personal preference, I advise a linear or exponential curve that increases the fan speed from 30% to 100% between 40°C and 80°C.

Custom fan curves can be configured using software like Fan Control. There are many guides available online about creating a fan curve using your graphics card temperature sensor as input.