Can't flash 6970

[emomartin]

I had GPU max OC limit on 950 MHz so I wanted to flash my VBIOS to up that limit. I have the XFX 6970 with model no.: HD-697A-CN.
I didn't find any VBIOSes that would raise the bar and I didn't want to use a BIOS from another manufacturer.

So I used GPU-Z to save my current bios and then I took the signature from a ASUS card VBIOS that had a maximum of 2 GHz and modded into my original VBIOS and then flashed it onto my 6970. It went well and after I had flashed I uninstalled my drivers and after that I rebooted into safe mode and used driver sweeper and then rebooted again to install new drivers.

When I rebooted after installing the drivers my computer would just get a BSOD. But if I entered safe mode it would not, so I removed the drivers with driver sweeper in safe mode again and used CCleaner and then rebooted into normal Windows and then it worked. I then tried installing drivers (now the second time) but the same thing again, BSOD.

So now I have been trying to flash my VBIOS back to the original but now I'm only getting the "Could not erase ROM" error. I have tried Atiwinflash's GUI and in command prompt, and -unlockrom (and it reported that it had successfully been unlocked) and then tried to flash with "atiwinflash -f -p 0 6970.rom" but it didn't work.

So what is there left to try? I have used RBE and Atiwinflash. Reinstalling Windows wouldn't help I guess?

[radrok]

Have you set the switch on the writable BIOS? Many 6970 and 6950 have two bioses, one only read and one read and write.

[emomartin]

Originally Posted by radrok

Have you set the switch on the writable BIOS? Many 6970 and 6950 have two bioses, one only read and one read and write.

No, I have the newer version (the 1.2 I think) and it does not have the switch. :/

[animal007uk]

As far as i remember you cannot flash with modified clock settings due to how AMD drivers work so your only option is to use software.

[emomartin]

Originally Posted by animal007uk

As far as i remember you cannot flash with modified clock settings due to how AMD drivers work so your only option is to use software.

Damn... I just wanted to change signature so I could clock higher with MSI Afterburner but I also changed the stock GPU clock from 880 MHz to 920, just to try it out...

[animal007uk]

Originally Posted by emomartin

Damn... I just wanted to change signature so I could clock higher with MSI Afterburner but I also changed the stock GPU clock from 880 MHz to 920, just to try it out...

I don't use the MSI or EVGA programs or what ever else is out there but don't a few of them have a file you can edit to make the sliders go past the set limits?

I'm sure there is an option you can set in some infomation file so MSI afterburner will go past the set limits.

[emomartin]

Originally Posted by animal007uk

I don't use the MSI or EVGA programs or what ever else is out there but don't a few of them have a file you can edit to make the sliders go past the set limits?

I'm sure there is an option you can set in some infomation file so MSI afterburner will go past the set limits.

Well maybe, but right now I really just want to make the drivers work together with the card. :/

Edit: If I try to flash on another motherboard would that make any difference?

[animal007uk]

Originally Posted by emomartin

Well maybe, but right now I really just want to make the drivers work together with the card. :/

Edit: If I try to flash on another motherboard would that make any difference?

Changing the motherboard will not help as the mobo has no effect on drivers as such so if what i remember is right then you best option is to flash your card back to its default bios, hopefully someone else can explain the steps to unlock the afterburner so you can go over the limits.

Please note that what i am explaining comes from reading this forum and lots of threads made by other people but there is a chance things have changed since i read the info im trying to provide, I will take a look into some things when i get time and post back but i can't give a time when it will be so hopefully another member will help provide more infomation.

[emomartin]

Originally Posted by animal007uk

Changing the motherboard will not help as the mobo has no effect on drivers as such so if what i remember is right then you best option is to flash your card back to its default bios, hopefully someone else can explain the steps to unlock the afterburner so you can go over the limits.

Please note that what i am explaining comes from reading this forum and lots of threads made by other people but there is a chance things have changed since i read the info im trying to provide, I will take a look into some things when i get time and post back but i can't give a time when it will be so hopefully another member will help provide more infomation.

The problem is that I can't flash, it gives me "Could not erase ROM" in both Atiwinflash's GUI and in the command prompt. -unlockrom Says it unlocked the ROM and then i try to flash with the flags -f -p but it still says "Could not erase ROM". I have tried chaning port on the motherboard, I have used a 4870 card as primary (monitor connected to it) and then flashed but still the same message.

[animal007uk]

Originally Posted by emomartin

The problem is that I can't flash, it gives me "Could not erase ROM" in both Atiwinflash's GUI and in the command prompt. -unlockrom Says it unlocked the ROM and then i try to flash with the flags -f -p but it still says "Could not erase ROM". I have tried chaning port on the motherboard, I have used a 4870 card as primary (monitor connected to it) and then flashed but still the same message.

I personly don't have any experience when it comes to flashing (never tryed it) but you might have more luck trying to reflash your card from dos by making a boot disk with ATIwinFlash on it.

Sorry i can't be of more help.

[erocker]

Originally Posted by emomartin

Well maybe, but right now I really just want to make the drivers work together with the card. :/

Edit: If I try to flash on another motherboard would that make any difference?

It's not going to happen. Install afterburner, go into the afterburner.cfg file and enable "unofficialATiOverclocking" by changing the value from 0 to 1.

[emomartin]

Originally Posted by erocker

It's not going to happen. Install afterburner, go into the afterburner.cfg file and enable "unofficialATiOverclocking" by changing the value from 0 to 1.

I know that changing signature works and I have done it a few times before. But after that I also changed stock speeds (modded the VBIOS) the drivers aren't working and the flashing tools won't let me flash to my original VBIOS because the VBIOS seems to be locked "Could not erase ROM". So after I install drivers I start to get BSOD every time I try to boot and then I have to uninstall the drivers in safe mode with driver sweeper.

[erocker]

Have you tried force flashing?

c:/atiflash -f -p 0 bios.rom

[emomartin]

Originally Posted by erocker

Have you tried force flashing?

c:/atiflash -f -p 0 bios.rom

I haven't tried atiflash, since I don't have any USB devices here. But I have tried Atiwinflash both GUI and in command prompt (is atiwinflash in CMD the same as atiflash?) with those flags. I have also tried -unlockrom and it says it successfully unlocked the ROM but then it still doesn't work with -f -p 0 bios.rom. I have also tried with 4870 as primary adapter and the 6970 as the secondary adapter and I still get "Could not erase ROM".

Edit: "Could not erase ROM" is the message I get in the GUI and "ROM not erased" is the message I get in the command prompt.

[erocker]

Not sure. I don't flash my cards inside Windows and I've only used ATiFlash. Never had an issue.

[emomartin]

Originally Posted by erocker

Not sure. I don't flash my cards inside Windows and I've only used ATiFlash. Never had an issue.

Just found a USB memory and it worked flawlessly in ms-dos. Didn't even need to use "-unlockrom"