Guide to nVidia BIOS flashing

[hat]

This is a BETA release and someone correct me if I am wrong.
Before you even contemplate doing this, know that you need a PCI Video Card, preferably ATi, and a backup of the original BIOS, in case something goes wrong.
If you don't have a PCI video card, and you happen to be a ninja, you can try blindflashing if something goes wrong.

You will need:
Floppy Disc Drive
one Floppy Disc
Nibitor
NvFlash
AtiTool
A PCI Video Card, preferably ATi.

Now that we have these things, you insert your Floppy Disc in the Floppy Drive. We go to My Computer, right-click on the A:/ drive, and select Format... now you have it create a MS-DOS startup disc. (This is a method for Windows XP, if you are using some other Operating System you need to find another way)

Now that we have the MS-DOS startup disc, we copy nvflash.exe and cwsdpmi.exe to the disc. We insert the MS-DOS startup disc into the Floppy Drive with these items and boot from it. Now that we are on our way to actually flashing the Video Card, we first make a copy of the origional BIOS. We type "nvflash.exe -b backup.rom" and press enter, giving you a backup of your original Video Card BIOS.

Now we reboot back into Windows. We copy the backup.rom from the MS-DOS startup disc to the Hard Drive and open it up with NiBitor. Now let's say you want to overclcok from 400/1100 to 500/1250 but the Video Card is unstable, for example. If you have a good aftermarket cooler on your Video Card and are comfortable with your temperatures, you can increase the core voltage in NiBitor from say 1.5v to 1.6v for example. Now that we increased our voltages, we save the new BIOS as something like newbios or whatever name you want. Check to make sure you have your unedited backup on the MS-DOS startup disc, and check to make sure you have your newbios file saved with all your desired values edited.

Now we put the MS-DOS startup disc back in and go into DOS again, hopefully for the last time. We type "nvflash -4 -5 -6 newbios.bin". If you get any errors or strange results the WORST thing you can do is restart the computer. We type "nvflash -4 -5 -6 backup.bin" to restore the origional BIOS. Now we edit our newbios.bin to more reasonable settings with NiBitor since your Video Card didn't like it. Reboot back into Windows.

Now that we successfully flashed our Video Card to make it run faster, or if your flash went wrong and you had to restore the backup, Open up AtiTool and do a Scan for Artifacts and see what you pick up (or your favorite game that you notice artifacts in.) If it seems to be running well, check your temperatures to make sure it isn't going to overheat on you if your Video Card liked the new BIOS. If you restored the backup, follow this procedure anyway to make sure your Video Card is still in good working order.

Now, you (hopefully) still have a working video card either way, and may you be happy if it worked out for you, whether you had to re-flash to the backup or not.

 

[Frogger]

These tools might save you one step
Dolf pointed them out awhile back , read .TXT

 

[hat]

It is a good tool, but since nobody is replying after about 4 hours or so I am going to assume it is all correct. Sticky please?

 

[Athlon2K15]

u have to make sure you copy cwsdpmi.exe to the floppy also,or u might have problems

 

[hat]

Done, included more details.

 

[hat]

bump, sticky please? It seems to be a good guide, nobody reported any errors, except for Athlonx2, which has been included.

 

[Fox34]

Great guide, I used it to mod my cards bios, and try to SLI with a GTS, big mess...other thread:shadedshu. But nothings missing and everything worked for me, thanks hat.

EDIT: you did miss something, when I was doing it I had to type nvflash -4 -5 -6 insted of nvflash -p -u -f. There was not even an option for -p - u -f, I saw those commands from other sites although, you should include the other commands(ones I used) in the guide

 

[hat]

no I just researched and put into my own extreamly easy to understand words
hey, click on the shiny "thanks" button on the guide! makes it look so much better

 

[Fox34]

no I just researched and put into my own extreamly easy to understand words

? No like the command -p -u -f didn't do anything, It had to be -4 -5 -6

 

[hat]

? No like the command -p -u -f didn't do anything, It had to be -4 -5 -6

added.

 

[Fox34]

Alright sweet

 

[Deleted member 3]

Why would you prefer an ATI PCI card?

 

[hat]

Because the place I was reading about this said that ATi video cards work better if you're flashing an nVidia BIOS. Although, it's not like it really matters. ATi' s cheapest PCI video card is cheaper anyway

 

[HellasVagabond]

I think i direct link to Mavkes website Guide would be better since after all it is his program we are all using......

 

[dolf]

Using ATI card (or other) flashing nVidia card avoids mistake of flashing the "wrong adapter" and this is it. For example Matrox is best because it isn't ATI or nVidia and mistakes are almost impossible.

 

[Deleted member 3]

Using ATI card (or other) flashing nVidia card avoids mistake of flashing the "wrong adapter" and this is it. For example Matrox is best because it isn't ATI or nVidia and mistakes are almost impossible.

What's wrong with S3, Trident, PowerVR, 3DFX etc? I'd say any non NV card would be good with this argument.

 

[dolf]

What's wrong with S3, Trident, PowerVR, 3DFX etc? I'd say any non NV card would be good with this argument.

Nothing wrong. Thats why I said "for example".

 

[Fox34]

I screwed up a bunch of times makin my SLI stuff. I blind flashed like 3 times, takes work but it still works if you know your post screens well enough.

 

[dario_napole]

i supouse this is also for flashing ati card....
Great guide

 

[HellasVagabond]

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[hat]

i supouse this is also for flashing ati card....
Great guide

IF it was for flashing ATi video cards it would say ATi in the title.

 

[Fox34]

lol yea not for ATI I dont believe. You should include troubles that can be encountered from flashing, as My sli setup did not take any of the 3 million BIOS'S I kept trying, but its not the OC as they are OC'd just with ATI tool insted of the BIOS.

 

[hat]

Apparantly Rivatuner lets you OC...

 

[Fox34]

I used Coolbits because of my sli then ATI tool. Ive heard of rivatuner although. Never used it.

 

[dario_napole]

I was talking about the method that you used to flash the card. ( I know that to flash an ATI card u cant use the same programs.)