9800pro BIOS flashing

Post by **Joose** » October 13th, 2005, 12:44

Just been reading about flashing the BIOS on a 9800pro to turn it into a 9800xt.

Is it worth trying, does anyone know?

Post by **TezzRexx** » October 13th, 2005, 12:55

Risky business.

mrbobbins · Post by **mrbobbins** » October 13th, 2005, 13:30

TezzRexx wrote:Risky business.

Probably this

Have you tried just overclocking it for performance gain?

Hehulk · Post by **Hehulk** » October 13th, 2005, 13:41

first thing you want to do is make sure that the card you've got hasn't got any faulty pipelines. if you fine their all there and fine, then you should be safe to re-flash it.To find out, get a program caled Rivatuner 2.0. Appart from allowing you to check pipelines and such on your care, it's also a nifty overclocking tool.

The trick most companies use is that they only build one base model, then use software to configure it into different versions. thisis why re-flashing works.

Also, by reflashing it and turning it into a morepowerful card, you stand a good chance of releasing extra resource, there-by allowing you to push the card even further.

Of course, overclocking will void your warant, so be sure you want to try.

Woo Elephant Yeah · Post by **Woo Elephant Yeah** » October 13th, 2005, 15:09

Go for it, and when your card dies, don't come screaming in my face girlfriend... or something!

All I'd say is I can "apparently" unlock pipes in my 6800 turning it into a GT, but it won't work properly, and if I tried flashing it before the overclock, I'm almost definite it would have fucked it over!

As mentioned by someone else, overclock it by opening pipelines, if this works, then go for a flash *whips it out*

Post by **deject** » October 13th, 2005, 15:31

Flashing the BIOS with one that wasn't specifically designed for your card by the manufacturer is very risky. Doing so can easily kill your card. I'd feel safer trying to overclock the card to XT levels than messing with the BIOS...

Nickface · Post by **Nickface** » October 13th, 2005, 16:14

Personally, I think you should just hit it with a hammer.

Post by **TezzRexx** » October 13th, 2005, 16:30

Nickface wrote:Personally, I think you should just hit it with a hammer.

Risky/sexual business

Post by **Joose** » October 13th, 2005, 16:39

Bah! turns out that the version of the 9800pro I have uses the r350 core, not the r360 core. So I cant do it anyway. Ah well, I would have probably fried the thing even if I had tried.

cashy · Post by **cashy** » October 13th, 2005, 16:47

im tempted to try with mine... but ive had enough bad luck with my pc of late to do it. if my card died it would take me with it

Post by **Joose** » October 13th, 2005, 17:08

From what ive read its fairly easy/safe, as long as you check that your card can take it first.

First step is to use the tool of your choice to see if it will overclock to the right core/mem speeds. Its only 414/360 (ish), though, so it should manage that.

Then (and this is the bit my card fell down on) check whether yours is a r350 or r360 flavour card. The old ones were r350, ones made after the 9800xt came out are all r360. If its an r360, your good to go. if its an r350, your fucked.

Also, make sure the xt bios you are using is for the card from the same manufacturers, with the same memory (both amount and make), or that could bugger you too. And make sure you back up your old bios.

If you do all that, it is (apparently) quite safe. If it goes tits up, you just reflash with your old bios.

Post by **FatherJack** » October 13th, 2005, 18:43

I'd only go for it if I had a spare card near it's spec, theoretically it should be okay if you back it up first, but I don't know enough about the safeguards present in the existing firmware designed to prevent damage to the card.

At the least I would expect it to shorten the life of the device. Also make sure to have someone on hand with a camera in case it goes wrong to take pictures of you with your hair on fire, etc.

Post by **Joose** » October 13th, 2005, 21:16

FatherJack wrote: At the least I would expect it to shorten the life of the device.

Same can be said about any overclocking though. But be honest, when was the last time you kept a graphics card till it was worn out?

Post by **FatherJack** » October 13th, 2005, 21:43

Joose wrote:Same can be said about any overclocking though. But be honest, when was the last time you kept a graphics card till it was worn out?

The last time I had an ATi card in my machine, but truthfully I did "help" it on its way

Edit: ppl usually "inherit" my old gfx cards, so I try not to fuck them too badly