Why would you flash your video card bios?

[kepler]

just curious...i've looked around everywhere for a reason why you'd flash your video card bios, and i can't seem to find anything anywhere

i have a sapphire 9600, what would be the benefits of flashing my bios?

 

[Thaiman]

Because:

1: Sometimes u can get a performance-boost
2: Sometimes u can hardmod and change the bios too, and turn it into a better model
3: Sometimes ...... bla bla bla

Tjeck theese link, this is a reason why

http://www.pcunleash.com/bbs/zboard...n&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=26

http://softmod.ocfaq.com/faq.php

 

[Thaiman]

Sorry,, try this link
http://www.techpowerup.com/softmod/faq.php

You can not turn a 9600 into anything, it will always be a 9600

 

[cmberry20]

Unless you glue some little wings on it, & then it becomes a miniature aeroplane!!

 

[Zedicus]

i flashed mine cuz i wanted it overclocked withought having to run a 'tool' all the time.

 

[wazzledoozle]

i flashed mine cuz i wanted it overclocked withought having to run a 'tool' all the time.

I just set the 3d/2d profiles and have it minimized on startup.

If it is always overclocked it will shorten the life of the chip.

You sometimes will flash a 9800SE to a 9800 pro to enable the other 4 pixel pipes. No benefit to flashing a 9600 as all of them have 4 pixel pipelines.

 

[Zedicus]

ive had pretty good luck overclocking stuff, do it right an keep it cool u wont shorten the life of it noticably. ive had an athlon +1500 running at 200 fsb 1600mhz for years, ive got a 9500 non pro running at pro speeds since it was new, overclocked in bios of course. and my mobile athlon... and my pc2100 ocz memory runnint at 3200 and 3-6-3 cas2 timings for years... if it aint overclocked...it aint good enuf!

 

[Nobru_rv]

If it is always overclocked it will shorten the life of the chip.

I dont think that u wont change your card for 2 years.
U can burn it but only if u overclock too much.
Ex.
If u OC 9550 core to 400mhz from 250mhz and put active cooling like 9600 pro,how much will you shorten its life? 9550 core(250) = 9600 pro core.(400) rv350
9700 core (270mhz) = 9700pro core (325mhz) r300
9800se core (325mhz) = 9800 pro core (380mhz) r350

However,cooling is different and u can burn your card.

Memory is something else,but ex.

9550 128 mb ram 2.8 samsung (default 350 mhz- bios 200 mhz) If u overclock to 350 u wont have any problem but
9500 128 mb ram 5.0 samsung (default 200 mhz- bios 200 mhz) If u overclock to ex 230 mhz,that will shorten its life because u went more than specified by its producer,even if u go 240 without artifacts.

Exeptions are some cards that have very bad PCB's and u cannot overclock for ex. sapphire 9800 pro with r360 core up to XT specs (412/365).I had one that had artifacts at 412 core even it is r360 chip. That is probably the worst card for OC that i had in my posession.
BR

 

[wazzledoozle]

I dont have much money, and i probably WILL have this card in 2006-2007 so it is important that it lasts.


You make a good point about how the 9800SE-9800pro and 9550-9600pro is not stressful, but when a manufacturer produces a core, generally any life shortening overclocking would take place when you push the core beyond what it is rated at on the series premier card. for example a 9600pro (rv350 core) runs at 400 mhz stock, this is the fastest stock RV350. My 9550 uses the same core, so i can run it at 400 with proper cooling without any problems. Once I push it beyond 400 i consider it overclocked, because the core is beyond its top manufacturer spec.

 

[kepler]

would it be fairly safe to run my 9600 at Core of 400 mhz (from 324), and memory of 240 (from 203) (480) mhz when i only play games?

i also will be using this card for quite a while and don't want to burn it out...if it's only used on average 1 hr a day for gaming purposes, would it affect it much?

i can't imagine it would, but haven't done much overclocking until now

 

[Nobru_rv]

would it be fairly safe to run my 9600 at Core of 400 mhz (from 324), and memory of 240 (from 203) (480) mhz when i only play games?

i also will be using this card for quite a while and don't want to burn it out...if it's only used on average 1 hr a day for gaming purposes, would it affect it much?

i can't imagine it would, but haven't done much overclocking until now

9600 = 400 is safe /mem depends on your memory. If u have 5ns than u must stick with 203 mhz. iF U HAVE 4 NS then u can OC it to 250 etc etc.

RV350 stock (9550,9600se,9600,9600pro)--- 400mhz
Rv360 stock (9600xt)---500mhz

But you must know that 9600 pro runs 400mhz with ACTIVE cooler not PASSIVE.

 

[kepler]

how can i tell if i have 5ns or 4ns?

and if i have 5ns, i shouldn't OC my memory?

 

[kepler]

i found on the ATI-tool, it gives the memory timings...i'm guessing that 4 CLK by the memory cas latency means 4 ns?