XFX 6870 BIOS help/questions

GObonzo · Sep 25, 2011

Have a XFX 6870 HD-687A-ZDFC and have been trying to find an easy way to increase the voltage to try n get 1000MHz/1250MHz stable. MSIAfterburner shows voltage is unlocked but changes do not effect actual settings.

This morning I gave up finding an easy solution and decided to try BIOS flashing.
First tried using RBE and ATIflash in Windows and changin the voltage up to 1.2 and setting the speeds at 975MHz/1225MHz but after restart just got blue screens with atikmdag.sys errors.
Tried again thru USB boot to load an XFX 6870BE BIOS hoping it would give me voltage control. Flash worked and Windows restarted. I heard Windows load so BSOD had gone away BUT, I have no video. I get "No Signal" on my display from start on into Windows.

I reset my motherboard's BIOS so I could use the onboard video and I got the same "No Signal". I removed the 6870 and then onboard video works fine.
I've tried both PCIe slots, I've tried using an old VGA monitor, tried replugging everything, tried different PSU 6pin cables.
Still "No Signal" as long as 6870 is seated in PCIe slot even if BIOS shows primary graphics is onboard.

I'm guessing/hoping the problem is just something with the Black Edition BIOS conflicting. How can I set the card's BIOS back to original if I can't get a display with the card seated?

ASRock 890GX Pro3
Phenom 955
Patriot Sector 5 DDR3 1600 2x 2GB
XFX Dual-Fan 6870
Windows7 x64 SP1

Tatty_Two · Sep 25, 2011

How did you change the voltage in RBE, visually there appears to be 2 ways but only one works, I have had the same issues as you in the past..... I think it's the GPU register that should be used, not the clock tuning wizard.

GObonzo · Sep 25, 2011

tried thru Clock Settings tab "Clock-/voltage settings" and got the BSOD after reboot. but first had tried thru "GPU registers" but nothing changed, after restart I still couldn't change the voltage, still was @ 1175 no matter what I set it to in MSIAfterburner. if you got a way that worked please let me know.

just fixed "No Signal" problem by booting thru USB drive and ran DOS atiflash again. just typed everything blind on the blank screen and hoped it worked. luckily after restart "No Signal" went away and we booted fine again with video.

So guess this proves the XFX 6870 Black Edition BIOS doesn't work with this card. Now back to the drawing board. Has got to be a way to up the voltage on this thing...

Tatty_Two · Sep 26, 2011

Upload the Bios here (you will have to zip it) and let me have a tinker.

GObonzo · Sep 27, 2011

upload

my original xfx 6870 bios & xfx 6870 black edition, both included.

Tatty_Two · Sep 27, 2011

GObonzo said:
my original xfx 6870 bios & xfx 6870 black edition, both included.

Thanks, I am at work at the moment but I will have a play tonight, would you be happy with the standard Bios with voltages and clocks raised? If so what do you want them set to?

GObonzo · Sep 27, 2011

hoping to get the voltage unlocked so I can trial & error my way up to it's full potential. i've been really wanting to get it maxed to the 1000MHz/1250MHz but who knows if it would be stable at any voltage. i'm at 950/1200 now with stock voltage (1175v) so you think another 50MHz each should be easy?
as long as it'll still tune down to the 300MHz/300MHz .95v when idle then go for whatever you would shoot for yourself in my case.
thanks though, pretty cool of you

Tatty_Two · Sep 27, 2011

I could see from looking at the BE edition Bios that you had messed it up lol, I have tinkered the voltage on the stock Bios to 1.2V, it should hold and no other clocks should be affected, I have not played with any of the clockspeeds as of yet.

please give it a try and report back.

GObonzo · Sep 27, 2011

didnt touch the Black Edition BIOS. just flashed it the way it came from techPowerUp database.
i'll try hookin it up and let you know, thsnks again

GObonzo · Sep 27, 2011

same as usual. FurMark and GPUobserver both still show 1.17 and artifacts and program shutdown after 30sec or so with it at 1000/1250.
looks like you just did the same thing i had tried at first, just changing the 4th multiple in GPU Register to 1.2.
i dont know what they're worried about lockin the BIOS like this. just want everybody overclocking to spend more for a Black Edition card?

Tatty_Two · Sep 27, 2011

GObonzo said:
same as usual. FurMark and GPUobserver both still show 1.17 and artifacts and program shutdown after 30sec or so with it at 1000/1250.
looks like you just did the same thing i had tried at first, just changing the 4th multiple in GPU Register to 1.2.
i dont know what they're worried about lockin the BIOS like this. just want everybody overclocking to spend more for a Black Edition card?

You obviously have already tried running the "unlock" command first? As in.........

In the Windows command prompt (or DOS): Run........ atiwinflash -unlockrom 0 followed by atiwinflash -f -p 0 bios.bin where bios.bin is the path and filename of the modded BIOS.

Edit, if you have, change the 3rd Register to 1.2V also, just checked my 6970 modded Bios and I had to do that also, I still get 2D and low 3D clocks so don't worry on that score.

GObonzo · Sep 27, 2011

yeah, had to unlock when i tried to flash to BE edition.
cool, i'll try the 3rd register too.

BrooksyX · Sep 27, 2011

ooh awesome. I have been problems upping the voltage on my 6870 as well with RBE. This might help.

Tatty_Two · Sep 28, 2011

We will get there! Obviously things are slightly different between your 6870 and my 6950 and 6970 but I don't give up easy! Interested to see if the 3rd register value works though.

BrooksyX · Sep 28, 2011

Tatty_One said:
We will get there! Obviously things are slightly different between your 6870 and my 6950 and 6970 but I don't give up easy! Interested to see if the 3rd register value works though.

yeah we will!

I wont have time to try it though till later this week as I am way to busy with school, my on campus job, and trying to land a job for when I graduate in the spring.

GObonzo · Sep 28, 2011

nah, got 3rd & 4th @ 1.2 still stuck at 1.17.

Tatty_Two · Sep 28, 2011

Damn, have you tried the Afterburner solution for voltage?

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150867

GObonzo · Sep 28, 2011

no go

Tatty_Two · Sep 28, 2011

OK let me do a little research and have another play with Bios, I will get back to you...... I assume you do have the tweakable volterra controller because if you don't you will never get the voltage up.

BrooksyX · Sep 29, 2011

Just had no issue flashing my 6870 to 1.26 volts on the core. Seems pretty stable at 1000mhz core 1250 memory (with amd overdrive). Played metro 2033 for about 5 mins no issues.

But now the only problem is if I try to flash those clocks via RBE I get BSOD when windows loads.

Tatty_Two · Sep 29, 2011

I think there is a lock on the clocks in the Bios, it's good that you can raise the voltage in Bios, I am assuming you have a reference card.... I fear the Op's may be non reference and that fundementally is what is stopping him.

GObonzo · Sep 29, 2011

BrooksyX said:
Just had no issue flashing my 6870 to 1.26 volts on the core. Seems pretty stable at 1000mhz core 1250 memory (with amd overdrive). Played metro 2033 for about 5 mins no issues.

But now the only problem is if I try to flash those clocks via RBE I get BSOD when windows loads.

did you change voltage on the "Clock-/voltage settings" page or in the "GPU Registers"? how do your "Clock info 00-09" read?

BrooksyX · Sep 29, 2011

Tatty_One said:
I think there is a lock on the clocks in the Bios, it's good that you can raise the voltage in Bios, I am assuming you have a reference card.... I fear the Op's may be non reference and that fundementally is what is stopping him.

yeah mine is a refrence card (this one): XFX HD-687A-ZNFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit DDR5 P...

Is there a way to remove the bios lock? If i remove the drivers windows boots fine but once i install the drivers and reboot windows it will bsod again.

Tatty_Two · Sep 29, 2011

BrooksyX said:
yeah mine is a refrence card (this one): XFX HD-687A-ZNFC Radeon HD 6870 1GB 256-bit DDR5 P...

Is there a way to remove the bios lock? If i remove the drivers windows boots fine but once i install the drivers and reboot windows it will bsod again.

I don't thinks so from what I have read, why don't you just use AFB for clocks?

BrooksyX · Sep 29, 2011

Tatty_One said:
I don't thinks so from what I have read, why don't you just use AFB for clocks?

Thats a bummer. Oh well ill just stick with CCC for now then. At least I was able to up the volts.

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System Name	DarkBase
Processor	i7-8700K @ 5GHz
Motherboard	ASUS ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming
Cooling	EVGA CLC 280 (2x be quiet! Silent Wings 3 140mm) / 3x Cryorig QF120 Silent / 2x Cryorig QF140 Silent
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z 3200 (2x 8GB)
Video Card(s)	EVGA 1080 Ti FTW3
Storage	m.2: 512GB / SSD: 2.25TB / HD: 10TB
Display(s)	AOC AGON AG271QG 27" 1440p 165Hz
Case	be quiet! Dark Base 700
Audio Device(s)	Corsair Void Surround 7.1
Power Supply	be quiet! Dark Power Pro 11 750w
Mouse	Logitech G600 \ Corsair Vengeance M95
Keyboard	Corsair K70 LUX RGB
Software	Windows 10 Pro x64

Processor	Rocket Lake Core i5 11600K @ 5 Ghz with PL tweaks
Motherboard	MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK
Cooling	Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120SE + 4 Phanteks 140mm case fans
Memory	32GB (4 x 8GB SR) Patriot Viper Steel 4133Mhz DDR4 @ 3600Mhz CL14@1.45v Gear 1
Video Card(s)	Asus Dual RTX 4070 OC
Storage	WD Blue SN550 1TB M.2 NVME//Crucial MX500 500GB SSD (OS)
Display(s)	AOC Q2781PQ 27 inch Ultra Slim 2560 x 1440 IPS
Case	Phanteks Enthoo Pro M Windowed - Gunmetal
Audio Device(s)	Onboard Realtek ALC1200/SPDIF to Sony AVR @ 5.1
Power Supply	Seasonic CORE GM650w Gold Semi modular
Mouse	Coolermaster Storm Octane wired
Keyboard	Element Gaming Carbon Mk2 Tournament Mech
Software	Win 10 Home x64

System Name	DarkBase
Processor	i7-8700K @ 5GHz
Motherboard	ASUS ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming
Cooling	EVGA CLC 280 (2x be quiet! Silent Wings 3 140mm) / 3x Cryorig QF120 Silent / 2x Cryorig QF140 Silent
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z 3200 (2x 8GB)
Video Card(s)	EVGA 1080 Ti FTW3
Storage	m.2: 512GB / SSD: 2.25TB / HD: 10TB
Display(s)	AOC AGON AG271QG 27" 1440p 165Hz
Case	be quiet! Dark Base 700
Audio Device(s)	Corsair Void Surround 7.1
Power Supply	be quiet! Dark Power Pro 11 750w
Mouse	Logitech G600 \ Corsair Vengeance M95
Keyboard	Corsair K70 LUX RGB
Software	Windows 10 Pro x64

XFX 6870 BIOS help/questions

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