Gigabyte 6950 Windforce 3x Unlock

[anex128]

Hello.
I have a question, i downloaded your program called RBE v1.28. I want to unlock shaders so i downloaded my bios from card and went to additional features tab and the 6950>6970 option IS NOT greyed out so i assume that my card can be modded ? I am asking bcoz some ppl say that its not a reference design and i am afraid that i might crush my card by flashing with this modded bios. Have anyone modded this card already ?

Greetings.

 

[Anarchy0110]

Due to what I know, flashing from 6950 to 6970 may only work on reference design, not on custom PCB video cards. Not sure though, it could work

 

[RejZoR]

GPU packaging is the same on all cards. The reason why they were saying that custom versions of HD6950 aren't moddable back in the past was because:

- they were mostly 1GB versions and reference HD6970 are all 2GB
- there was no tool that would mod the actual BIOS of those custom PCB designs (ppl just used an existing HD6970 BIOS without modding it)

 

[anex128]

GPU packaging is the same on all cards. The reason why they were saying that custom versions of HD6950 aren't moddable back in the past was because:

- they were mostly 1GB versions and reference HD6970 are all 2GB
- there was no tool that would mod the actual BIOS of those custom PCB designs (ppl just used an existing HD6970 BIOS without modding it)

From what you said i assume that my card is 100% moddable and i dont have to be afraid ? Just asking to be 100% sure and dont do anything stupid.

(i understood that the gpu is the same and it should have the same number of shaders as 6970 but i just bought it yesterday and im uber scared)

 

[RejZoR]

Well, if you don't have a backup BIOS switch it is always smart to make an backup automated bootable flash CD. Or at least write down the exact steps with delays on what to press and type in case something does go wrong (sometimes it's just artefacting so badly you can't see anything you're typing). So if anything goes wrong, you just pop in this bootable automated CD, system does everything on it's own without you and reboots. On next boot everything should be back to factory default.

Though that BIOS switch does make things a lot easier.

 

[anex128]

Well, if you don't have a backup BIOS switch it is always smart to make an backup automated bootable flash CD. Or at least write down the exact steps with delays on what to press and type in case something does go wrong (sometimes it's just artefacting so badly you can't see anything you're typing). So if anything goes wrong, you just pop in this bootable automated CD, system does everything on it's own without you and reboots. On next boot everything should be back to factory default.

Though that BIOS switch does make things a lot easier.

i dont have the switch...thats why i was a lil afraid BUT i have a old pci card, i heard that in case of failure i can boot up with this old pci card and flach the pciexpress one.
If thats true then i will flash my card right away.

Im w8ing for confirmation.

 

[anex128]

OK i flashed the card with modified bios BUT gpuz is still reporting 1408 shaders, whats wrong ???

 

[LDNL]

i dont have the switch...thats why i was a lil afraid BUT i have a old pci card, i heard that in case of failure i can boot up with this old pci card and flach the pciexpress one.
If thats true then i will flash my card right away.

Im w8ing for confirmation.

If you don't know what youre doing then just be happy that youve got a working card.

OK i flashed the card with modified bios BUT gpuz is still reporting 1408 shaders, whats wrong ???

Strike one.

 

[anex128]

If you don't know what youre doing then just be happy that youve got a working card.



Strike one.

Im sorry but could you explain what u mean by strike one ?? I did not come here seeking sarcasm but a little bit of your help, only some specific information.

EDIT:
I came back to my original bios but can anyone explain why my shaders count did not change ? I am sure i modded my bios how i should, i succesfully loaded this bios onto my card and did reboot after whole process(flashing utility reported a complete flash). My theory is that my gpu is not unlockable(maby they dont make those 1538s gpus but only the 1408 ones).

I am w8ing for some feedback.

 

[LordJummy]

No one can read your computer's mind. You should provide more detailed information on what process you used, etc. You really need to elaborate.

 

[anex128]

No one can read your computer's mind. You should provide more detailed information on what process you used, etc. You really need to elaborate.

OK, lets revise.
I started this program colled RBE v1.28, i used the acquire bios button to download original bios from my card. Then i went to the additional features tab and i've hit the 6970 shaders mark. THEN i went back to acquire flash window and i pressed the "Flash BIOS" button. My bios flashed and i got the restart window, waited a minute after that and restarted.
I checked if maybe RBE did not flash properly but when i used raw ati winflash it said that this bios is already loaded on my card. When i was flashing back to original it flashed properly so i am sure the modded bios was flashed by RBE. I even loaded the modded flash to check if RBE saved the changes to the file and when i checked it was still set to 6970 shaders and when i loaded original one it was set to 6950 shaders.

Thats all i did. Thanks for help.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

um since no one is smart enough to mention it the guy needs to reinstall his drivers, herp derp

 

[RejZoR]

I doubt that drivers make much difference. It's not like force installing drivers as HD6950 on a HD6970 would cripple it. It's still HD6970 core so performance will be the same. I think his problem is the hardware really... Besides, Windows detects new hardware on every boot anyway so that would notify him about it by itself.

 

[anex128]

um since no one is smart enough to mention it the guy needs to reinstall his drivers, herp derp

I dont think its the problem, gpuz should still detect new shader count on reboot

I doubt that drivers make much difference. It's not like force installing drivers as HD6950 on a HD6970 would cripple it. It's still HD6970 core so performance will be the same. I think his problem is the hardware really... Besides, Windows detects new hardware on every boot anyway so that would notify him about it by itself.

So u say my gpu is not a reference one but a custom job ? Damn...i bought a crippled card such a shame...

 

[RejZoR]

It's not exactly crippled. GPU is still the same, you just have 1GB of VRAM instead of 2GB as found on reference designs. Unless you're running very high resolutions with FSAA or very texture heavy games, i don't think there is much performance difference really.

 

[anex128]

It's not exactly crippled. GPU is still the same, you just have 1GB of VRAM instead of 2GB as found on reference designs. Unless you're running very high resolutions with FSAA or very texture heavy games, i don't think there is much performance difference really.

I was not talking about my vram, i was talking about shader count in my GPU, after i modified bios GPUZ is still showing 1408 instead 1536, that is my problem. Any solution ?

 

[RejZoR]

Well you did pay for HD6950 so you got what you paid for. Modding it to HD6970 is a hit or miss. Either works or it doesn't. No one can guarantee you that it will work. You can try as you have nothing to lose really but there is no assurance that it will unlock. It would be crippled if you paid for HD6970 and you only got the shader count of HD6950...

 

[fourty03]

I doubt that drivers make much difference. It's not like force installing drivers as HD6950 on a HD6970 would cripple it. It's still HD6970 core so performance will be the same. I think his problem is the hardware really... Besides, Windows detects new hardware on every boot anyway so that would notify him about it by itself.

Even though drivers may not be his problems, I had to do a driver reinstall to allow gpu-z to update shader and bios change..

I remember coming on here to only find out after flashing two 6950's, I still had 1408 shaders and stock clocks... and it was told to try reinstalling drivers.

After reinstalling the drivers, GPU-Z reflected the changes.

I would be surprised if the OP's card (since it's the 1gb variant) has the extra shaders present..

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

and the user above is why you should listen to what i have to say, because those that think they know everything without trying it tend to look like fools

AMDs driver dosent just autodetect a gpu and go oh hey i see what you did there. it needs a reinstall to reflect the changes.

 

[anex128]

and the user above is why you should listen to what i have to say, because those that think they know everything without trying it tend to look like fools

AMDs driver dosent just autodetect a gpu and go oh hey i see what you did there. it needs a reinstall to reflect the changes.

I will try it when i get home, i just have 1 more question, lets say that i succeed and i will get the 1536 shared count...somewhere i've read that after unlocking i need to raise my TDP in drivers to about 10% bcoz addiitional shaders need some additional power to work properly, is that true ?

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

i cant confirm or deny it being true but its possible

I know with a simple overclock to 950 core on my 6970s i need 10% power to keep them from downclocking in Bad Company 2 and Metro 2033 where as all other games i have work fine at 0% power. It really depends on the title.

 

[RejZoR]

Well i can tell you that it makes no difference and that Catalyst drivers do detect changes as it will start complaining that drivers are not installed if the GPU doesn't match the drivers installed for it.

 

[LordJummy]

That card is not going to unlock properly. It's a 1GB version? As far as I know that card is not unlockable. None of the 1GB models are. You should be posting in the 6950 unlock thread anyways.

Actually after thinking, you might be able to modify the original BIOS to unlock shaders and voltage etc, but a 6970 bios isn't going to work. There is no 1GB 6970.

 

[erocker]

None of the 1GB models are

Not true at all. I'm using two 1gb cards, both unlocked. The easiest thing to do is to save the bios from the card, put it in RBE, tick the box to unlock the shaders, save the new bios and flash it.

 

[anex128]

That card is not going to unlock properly. It's a 1GB version? As far as I know that card is not unlockable. None of the 1GB models are. You should be posting in the 6950 unlock thread anyways.

Actually after thinking, you might be able to modify the original BIOS to unlock shaders and voltage etc, but a 6970 bios isn't going to work. There is no 1GB 6970.

I have never tried to flash my card with a 6970 bios, that would be stupid.