Kepler BIOS Tweaker problem

[Methanoid]

I’ve overclocked my GT740 and its quite happy at 1250 core, 1500 memory via Nvinspector or Afterburner

I can get the memory to take at 1500/3000 in the BIOS tweaker but I cannot get the core to take. It shows in GPU-Z as 1250 but it only runs 1202 (I think) when in Heaven Benchmark. It’s cos even though I slide the GPU Boost slider to say 1254 (above the 1250 I want) it just refuses to save that and on re-load of the BIOS it shows 1202 again.

I believe I need the GPU Boost set above my desire 1250 to be able to run that 1250. Card has a 6 pin supplementary PCIE connector so given its low TDP I am confident its not lack of juice. And temps never get over 50C even with fan barely spinning so not temps.

Anyone take a look please? Both stock rom (FTW.rom) and modded Rom attached

 

[budget_Optiplex]

I have alot of experience with both Kepler and Maxwell BIOS tweakers (such as the BIOS overclocked/undervolted Quadro K2200 I'm currently using) as well as Radeon VBE7 editor. This BIOS seems strange as in either Kepler or Maxwell BIOS tweaker the TDP/3D/Boost entries are disabled, which I've never seen before. I have some ideas on how to work around this though as I can see what you are saying about the boost slider changes not being saved.

Do you have the specific EVGA part number of this card?

 

[Methanoid]

I have alot of experience with both Kepler and Maxwell BIOS tweakers (such as the BIOS overclocked/undervolted Quadro K2200 I'm currently using) as well as Radeon VBE7 editor. This BIOS seems strange as in either Kepler or Maxwell BIOS tweaker the TDP/3D/Boost entries are disabled, which I've never seen before. I have some ideas on how to work around this though as I can see what you are saying about the boost slider changes not being saved.

Do you have the specific EVGA part number of this card?

hi, we meet again (last time was W4100,W5100,W5000 Firepro OC via BIOS)

EVGA GeForce GT 740 FTW

Accelerate your entire PC experience with a new EVGA GeForce GT 740 graphics card. Enjoy all your videos and pictures at HD resolutions, with 10X faster video editing, 13X faster photo editing, and 9X faster web browsing compared to integrated graphics. Plus, experience 4X faster gaming...

www.evga.com

It's fine to tweak as you can see BUT it just won't move that GPU Boost table entry up... Same with GT 740 SC BIOS as well so its something GT 740 related. I've looked through a few entries in the TPU database

 

[budget_Optiplex]

There are a lot of other potential BIOSs I have in mind, is this card 1GB or 2GB of GDDR5?

 

[Methanoid]

There are a lot of other potential BIOSs I have in mind, is this card 1GB or 2GB of GDDR5?

2Gb (sorry link was for 1GB)

 

[budget_Optiplex]

Bummer, because the EVGA GT640 1GB GDDR5 BIOS seems to take your desired changes......

EVGA GT 640 VBIOS

1024 MB GDDR5, 954 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Need to see if there any other GK107 with 2GB GDDR5 memory in the database, otherwise it may be hex editor time.

 

[Methanoid]

And won't that break the checksum? I might take some Maxwell advice soon too as I just bought a EVGA GTX 960 SSC 4GB (what can I say, I like EVGA designs)

 

[budget_Optiplex]

Looking through the database, so far the dual DVI ports on the EVGA card aren't allowing me to find any potential BIOS to interchange.....I'll keep looking.

 

[Methanoid]

sinotex GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

 

[budget_Optiplex]

Bummer, same problem......

 

[Methanoid]

I have about 10 more candidates

Viewmax GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Forsa GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

turbo chip GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Dell GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 803 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Colorful GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

AISURIX GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 993 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Chinese GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 902 MHz GPU, 1000 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

SENTEY GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

sentey GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Vurrion GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 993 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Sinotex GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1059 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Dont worry about UEFI missing cos we can re-add... The EVGA BIOS reports one DVI-I and one DVI-D but I have just selected all with 2 DVI there and one HDMI. I can change the ID etc later to make it look more EVGA like!

 

[budget_Optiplex]

Looking at GTX 650 2GB GDDR5 BIOS files as well, as long as dual DVI.....tried a few so far with same issue....

 

[pavle]

I have looked at your attached BIOSes; please try editing FTW.rom again and in the "Common" tab set memory clock to 3000,

in "Boost Table" tab set "Max. Table Clock" to 1254.5 and in "Boost States" tab set in "P00 - Profile" both "GPC" and "XBAR" to 1254.5. Save and flash and it should work if the card is stable at those clocks.

There is risk involved of course.

 

[Methanoid]

Will do.. Now I have to be dirty and boot Windows again :-(

 

[budget_Optiplex]

I have to step out for a bit, but I know in the past I have BIOS modded some GTX 650 cards and got higher clocks so I'll have to dig out a backup drive and see if I have the info on how I did it, I recall running into this same problem years ago!

 

[Methanoid]

I have looked at your attached BIOSes; please try editing FTW.rom again and in the "Common" tab set memory clock to 3000,

in "Boost Table" tab set "Max. Table Clock" to 1254.5 and in "Boost States" tab set in "P00 - Profile" both "GPC" and "XBAR" to 1254.5. Save and flash and it should work if the card is stable at those clocks.

There is risk involved of course.

Risk of the Boost Table tab NOT taking any change.... Have you tried doing what you suggest yourself and saving the BIOS and then re-open.. Guess what? It still shows 1202 :-(

I have to step out for a bit, but I know in the past I have BIOS modded some GTX 650 cards and got higher clocks so I'll have to dig out a backup drive and see if I have the info on how I did it, I recall running into this same problem years ago!

I've tried ALL the dual DVI GTX650 BIOS that have GK107 and all have same problem. Its like its a bug with KBT?

 

[pavle]

:-( In the that case - just simplify the matter by using Afterburner.

Edit: in the unverified BIOS section I've found identical BIOS to yours:

EVGA GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1202 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

And similar (SC) BIOS:

EVGA GT 740 VBIOS

2048 MB GDDR5, 1085 MHz GPU, 1250 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

I have tried everything to change clock properly but the boost clock seems to be "baked" in both BIOSes (1202.0 and 1084.5).

 

[budget_Optiplex]

Looking at the old info I have, I ended up figuring this out back in 2014 by using a hex editor to change the boost table speed. Unfortunately I no longer have any of the overclocked GTX 650 BIOS files I made back then as those cards are long gone. When I have time in a few days I'll try and take a look at how I did this and try modding your 740 BIOS........for science and stuff

 

[Methanoid]

@pavle yeah, baked it is. Hence why I posted in first place. I've modded Kepler BIOS a dozen times or more but never had this.

@budget_Optiplex thanks. I'll await your advice again . I'd edit myself BUT I'm worried about the checksum.

I wonder if I edit the 1202 to 1250, change other 1202/2404 entries and save and then load into KBT and save out again to seebof it fixes the checksum for me?

 

[pavle]

@Methanoid I guess I was too sleepy yesterday - today I got into that BIOS meself, without the Kepler BIOS tweaker, changed the core to your desired 1250MHz, then opened it with Kepler BIOS tweaker and set the RAM to 3000 as you wish and here it is - with good checksum and all.

P.S.: Core cannot be at 1250MHz, either at 1241.5 or 1254.5 (crystal based clock).

 

[Methanoid]

@Methanoid I guess I was too sleepy yesterday - today I got into that BIOS meself, without the Kepler BIOS tweaker, changed the core to your desired 1250MHz, then opened it with Kepler BIOS tweaker and set the RAM to 3000 as you wish and here it is - with good checksum and all.

P.S.: Core cannot be at 1250MHz, either at 1241.5 or 1254.5 (crystal based clock).

So... congrats on making it stick.. seems KBT can't do it for the GT740 BIOSes.

Flashed and now the report

1) GPU-Z displays 1250/3000 as expected but any load it just goes straight to the 1254 boost... So whats the point of the Core clock then?
2) Not stable (properly stable) as I get hiccup running Heaven which goes away when +25mV is added with NVinspector... so maybe just bake that in? I thought sliding up the min voltage in the P00 voltage state would do it but maybe not.. or maybe it needs to go up MORE since the minimum is below what NVinspector shows it using (1125 or 1137 mV)
3) Given it never gets above 52C and is solid in using boost at 1254 maybe we should increase the boost? EDIT: No, cos even 1280.5 is just too much and I get hiccups

I appreciate the help BTW

EDIT: I baked in the voltage bump to the minimum P00 state and its totally stable Furmark, Heaven etc... 30% FPS boost over stock GT740 GDDR5 model and 20% over the GT740 SC model. I'm happy. Never gets above 52C

I have alot of experience with both Kepler and Maxwell BIOS tweakers (such as the BIOS overclocked/undervolted Quadro K2200 I'm currently using) as well as Radeon VBE7 editor. This BIOS seems strange as in either Kepler or Maxwell BIOS tweaker the TDP/3D/Boost entries are disabled, which I've never seen before. I have some ideas on how to work around this though as I can see what you are saying about the boost slider changes not being saved.

Do you have the specific EVGA part number of this card?

@budget_Optiplex Now, I'm ready for that Maxwell advice

My GTX960 SSC comes with 1279/3505 stock BIOS... Nvinspector without touching voltage but routinely increasing power budget by 10% is happy to OC to 1350/4200. It boosts to 1500+ (Nvinspector seems to think its at 1500 boost but Heaven thinks its at 1644). Your recommendations? I was thinking straight away to cross flash the FTW bios (same card) but I suspect we can go past those specs anyway. I confess I have only modded one Maxwell BIOS before so the many entries in the power table are somewhat confusing. I do wonder if we could increase that max power to 200W (70 odd from PCIE and 130 from the 8 pin) and get some fun going. I bow to your knowledge here !

 

[pavle]

I'm glad the GT740 works properly after you dialed in the voltage. I thought you might need a bit more, but didn't touch it. Did you edit the voltage in P00 with Kepler BIOS Editor?

I would just check the boost clock with running GPU-Z concurrently with other 3D programs and see exactly where it is. Other programs might report it wrongly.
I believe the most elegant way for the GTX960 would be to just increase power target; the 70/130 or rather 60/140 combination would be the most elegant way and let the card handle itself if:
-supply circuitry allows (mosfets), probably does as it is the eVGA card and SSC, double check anyway. What is the maximum power increase with stock BIOS that you can achieve in afterburner?
-temperature allows

 

[Methanoid]

I'm glad the GT740 works properly after you dialed in the voltage. I thought you might need a bit more, but didn't touch it. Did you edit the voltage in P00 with Kepler BIOS Editor?

I would just check the boost clock with running GPU-Z concurrently with other 3D programs and see exactly where it is. Other programs might report it wrongly.
I believe the most elegant way for the GTX960 would be to just increase power target; the 70/130 or rather 60/140 combination would be the most elegant way and let the card handle itself if:
-supply circuitry allows (mosfets), probably does as it is the eVGA card and SSC, double check anyway. What is the maximum power increase with stock BIOS that you can achieve in afterburner?
-temperature allows

According to sensors card never uses more than 120W despite having 66W from PCIE available and 162W available from 8pin... And sliding power target up 10% makes no noticeable difference.

The first 4 entries in power table I cannot find info about.. 5th entry is the PCIE slot 66W, 6th entry is the 8pin 162W and no idea what 7th entry of 160W is, so would rather not blindly change values and guess

 

[DR4G00N]

According to sensors card never uses more than 120W despite having 66W from PCIE available and 162W available from 8pin... And sliding power target up 10% makes no noticeable difference.

I mean it's a GTX 960, you're not going to see huge power draw from it no matter what you do... Well maybe if you voltmod it and run it @ 1.4V it might matter but otherwise it won't.