Does my X800GTO have 16 pipelines STOCK?? Also OC'ing problems...

[Soopahmahn]

Hey all,
Brand new to the forums, but I joined because it looks like people around here really know what's up. I just got a Sapphire X800GTO AGP (R430 core) to replace my P.O.S. Gainward FX5900 - incredible boost. Anyway, I have two issues:

1) I checked the fuses in ATITool 0.24 and it shows the correct fuses for unlocking to 16 pipes compatibility, as outlined in the image in this thread:

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=5367

Namely: CONFIG_DIE_FUSES = 0xFFFFFFFF; CONFIG_SUBSTRATE_FUSES = 0xFFFFFF9F

However, ATITool shows "Active Pipelines" = 16. I read about this on NewEgg when I bought it - some people said their cards came STOCK w/16 pipelines activated. Is that the case, or is ATITool full of it?


2) My OC's stink. I haven't tried any aftermarket cooling solutions, and I definitely don't want to spend much on one if I do since I consider this a temporary card until I can buy a whole new computer with a DX10 card and new processing core. Anyway, I'm getting about 420/525 using ATITool's "Find Max" buttons. I tried manually overriding fan speed to 100% and set a room fan blowing into my case with the side open to improve cooling, but I can get about 430/530 tops, and that's with a reported GPU temp of 75-80C (sounds unhealthy!) I also tried increasing the voltage to the AGP bus from 1.5->1.6V which let me get to like 440/550 but then I was pretty much hitting 85-90C and I aborted and changed those settings back to stock. I've tried Catalyst 6.6 and 6.4 drivers, and ATITool and Trixx for OC'ing with same results. Any ideas?

Ryan


:System:

Gigabyte 8IEXP mobo (533mHz FSB, AGP 4x)
2x512mb pc3500 DDR
P4 Northwood 2.4GHz (stock speeds at the moment, also 533mHz FSB)
Enermax 430W PSU
Sapphire X800GTO 256MB AGP (420/525)
Dual 120GB WD Caviar
Dual opticals
Floppy (hah, why...)

 

[Soopahmahn]

I'm sorry, it would appear that I've posted this thread twice on accident. I thought the first posting didn't take place. Please diregard the other similarly titled thread!

 

[stevorob]

R430 cores do not have a high overclocking potential. 450/550 is about as high as you can get.

As for your card coming 16 pipes stock... alot of people have reported this and it seems as if Sapphire is just unlocking them since people are doing it anyways... at least that's what I have heard from other people.

 

[Soopahmahn]

That's pretty sweet - nothing like a, what, 25-30% boost for nothing? I'll probably just leave the card running at stock speeds since 420/530 amounts to something like a 5% overclock. This card runs hot as balls without OC'ing anyway.

 

[Gunmetal]

I got exact same card as you...

Sapphire X800GTO (blue) that came with 16p. Ran hot as hell until I added a Zalman cooler. Now idles at 37 and 51 under load.

I can't get any higher than 441/530 before artifacts. 3DMark03 is 9800...vast improvement over my Geforce Ti4400.

Sorta sucks, but this is my last upgrade until I build a new computer anyway.

 

[Soopahmahn]

Which Zalman cooler is it?

How much $/how easy to install?

Will it fit a more modern card like an x1900 or something if i upgrade in the future?

 

[Gunmetal]

Which Zalman cooler is it?

How much $/how easy to install?

Will it fit a more modern card like an x1900 or something if i upgrade in the future?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118117

pretty easy to install...just read the directions carefully and take your time

fits almost every video card out currently and has a pretty universal design, so should you upgrade in the future, you could probably use it on the new card

 

[zekrahminator]

Personally, I'd reccomend the ATISilencer5, It's cheaper and a bit easier to fit.

 

[duceduc]

I got exact same card as you...

Sapphire X800GTO (blue) that came with 16p. Ran hot as hell until I added a Zalman cooler. Now idles at 37 and 51 under load.

I can't get any higher than 441/530 before artifacts. 3DMark03 is 9800...vast improvement over my Geforce Ti4400.

Sorta sucks, but this is my last upgrade until I build a new computer anyway.

I've got the same card and cooler as you; however, my idle is at 51. How can I check it under load with the ati tool software?

 

[stevorob]

Open up 3d view (fuzzy dice) in ATI Tool... it works your card harder than any game

 

[mmx]

I've got the same card and cooler as you; however, my idle is at 51. How can I check it under load with the ati tool software?

A little high for idle, try to install a case fan.

 

[Gunmetal]

Personally, I'd reccomend the ATISilencer5, It's cheaper and a bit easier to fit.

I actually did purchase that initially...but the bastard didn't fit

Reason why, was because the card I received had no ramsinks so there were no mounting holes for the ramsinks. I'm not sure why, but that's how the cards with the blue pcb's are i think.

I had purchased an X800GTO that I had to RMA because it came DOA and the ATISilencer fit fine on it....but that one had the red pcb and was 12pipes out of the box.