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Asus 7970 DCU II Top Voltage finally unlocked

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Hi guys :) I think nobody found that yet, but with matrix bios it's ok.

Now I can overclock it to 1200Mhz - and voltage control is opened. But works with just Gpu Tweak.

If my GPU was quality, I think I can go over. My limit is 1210Mhz for 3Dmark11

Before



Now




and highest score




And 3Dmark scores - Firestrike Graphic - 8845

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/433688

This bios is ok

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/130255/Asus.HD7970.3072.120813_5.html


Afterburner, Trixx and others can't adjust still. But it'll be at 1.256V (before 1175) Gpu Tweak is ok. As you see, it's Matrix Platinum now :) And works great, no problem with it. MY GPU isn't good enough. May be I could go over - 2400 - 2600 ...


But before check your GPU, is it working @1100Mhz. Because after flashing, it'll be at 1100Mhz automatically.
 
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this is cool ^_^
 
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This is the 3rd day with matrix bios, no problem with it :) Temps are the same. As you see with 1210Mhz - 1350V - Max temp is 54C. But it chagnes for every GPU... just test and learn what is yours.

Don't try reference card's bios. It has different outputs (Mini DP, DVI etc.) But Matrix and DCU II Top are the same.

4 Display port + 2 DVI

 
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cadaveca

My name is Dave
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This is the 3rd day with matrix bios, no problem with it :) Temps are the same. As you see with 1210Mhz - 1350V - Max temp is 54C. But it chagnes for every GPU... just test and learn what is yours.

Don't try reference card's bios. It has different outputs (Mini DP, DVI etc.) But Matrix and DCU II Top are the same.

4 Display port + 2 DVI

http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/14-121-671-TS?$S300$

if 1100 MHz on GPU or 1650 MHz on ram doesn't work with your card, you can try the non platinum BIOS, which is 1050/1500, too.

Unfortunately, didn't fix anything with my card. Still stuck at 1.090V, 2D and 3D. My card needs controller firmware update like the matrix cards got. Mine is RMA return, maybe previous user flashed LN2 BIOS to this card, ASUS didn't check it, just verified it's stable at stock, which mine is.


Should this BIOS not work, and your are on stuck voltage like mine, sung windows 8, you can flash BIOS, then flash back to stock BIOS, reboot(not restart), and voltage control and voltage dropping on idle will work again, but if you shut down, you'll be back to stuck voltage. I'm pretty sure that means voltage controller is stuck with LN2 BIOS firmware..

And yes, I tried the Matrix BIOSes, and yes, I can confirm like you have that they work fine, provided you don't have the issue I do.:mad:
 
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Sorry for my bad English: You're saying acutally it's at 1256V, you see 1.3-1.4V but actually doesn't work, right? ( before it was 1.175V I couldn't go over 1100mhz)

I did notice that when I check GPU-Z before. It always show 1.256V

GPU Tweak shows 1.350, but actually it's at 1.256. If I understand true, this helps why I can't go over 1200mhz.

Also checked Trixx moded one, shows limited at 1.256V. May be it's about Gpu Tweak version. I'll try different versions.
--

I didn't undrestand about reboot - restart!? What is difference? What is reboot, what is restart!?
 
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cadaveca

My name is Dave
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Sorry for my bad English: You're saying acutally it's at 1256V, you see 1.3-1.4V but actually doesn't work, right?

I did notice that when I check GPU-Z before. It always show 1.256V

GPU Tweak shows 1.350, but actually it's at 1.256. If I understand true, this helps why I can't go over 1200mhz.


--

I didn't undrestand about reboot - restart!? What is difference? What is reboot, what is restart!?

Yeah, you need to be careful of readings to see what is real and what is not, perhaps what changed is VID only, not actual, and I think this happens often.

reboot = full shut down, power cut to system. You re-BOOT the system for the first time.

restart = soft shutdown, no power cut, just restart OS.
 
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Thanks for infos.

But this method still overclocked my card 1100 to 1200 :) I'll check different versions of GPU Tweak. They all have problems. I'm using the latest one, I'll check matrix support page and downlad latest one for it.
 

cadaveca

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Thanks for infos.

But this method still overclocked my card 1100 to 1200 :) I'll check different versions of GPU Tweak. They all have problems. I'm using the latest one, I'll check matrix support page and downlad latest one for it.

These cards are locked by factory for voltage, from what I found, 1.125 V for TOP, 1.185 V for non-TOP. 1.15 V is stock for top, 1.175 V for non-TOP, you can add .01V with the ROG mod points and motherboard controls.


Matrix cards are NOT locked, at least, mine is not. I have one of each.

you will find reviews with unlocked cards are using PCB version 1.01, but most retail cards are actually v1.02, and have different VRM controller design, seems like they really locked it on purpose.
 
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Miine was 1.175V and with Gpu Tweak you can see 1182V (0.007V) . And I couldn't go over 1100. This gave me 0.081V and +100mhz... Better than previous, but still locked you right :)
 

cadaveca

My name is Dave
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Miine was 1.175V and with Gpu Tweak you can see 1182V (0.007V) . And I couldn't go over 1100. This gave me 0.081V and +100mhz... Better than previous, but still locked you right :)

Yeah, I can get the same 1.25V using motherboard controls and the BIOS too, but drop is worse, and yeah, I can get 1200 as well, but it's not truly truly stable. Still, as is I get 1050 no problem, and I'm more than happy with that. Woulda been nice if the loadline controls from Matrix BIOS worked as well :p
 
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I'm stable at 1180Mhz.

You mean hotwire control? Still voltage locked?

I think this is the worst card by ASUS. I'll sell as soon as possible. Don't buy it :)


and tested differet Gpu Tweak versions, nothing changed
 
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cadaveca

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I'm stable at 1180Mhz.

You mean hotwire control? Still voltage locked?

I think this is the worst card by ASUS. I'll sell as soon as possible. Don't buy it :)

Yeah, hotwire control.

I did all sorts of soldering to this card. You can get higher, for sure, with hardmods, but Hotwire is subject to the same limitations on my card.



LuLz, maybe I'll RMA....



not really.



I think it depends on PCB version though, maybe, dunno, Matrix works fine, so that's good for me.


Notice I modded differently that HotWire points to get full voltage control. I don't really recommend you do this, but that's what I did. I tried many things, since I saw many guides online, but they all have different PCB, so I poked around with my multimeter and ended up like this.

mods.jpg
 
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sell your 7970??? I may be buying an asus 7970 one day and this is good to know that a matrix bios flash works on it......and why say don't buy it? my direct cuII 7950 is stable @ 1200/1550 and runs fantastic!
 
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I'm saying it because, it has great cooling system, overclock capacity but voltage locked... I could increase voltage with Matrix bios, but why? That guy make something interesting with cables, why? Why do we need to modify. Just buy and overclock it. Like MSI did. Also know Gigabyte locked too.

And I said 1180 stable for me: it's true. I did test Crysis 3 with high settings @2560 x 1440 no problem (played 15-20 min). 50-65 Fps.

It's really really great card, but limited... Why do you sell a card with limited voltage and called it TOP...


And check this: I said MSI is better, but for review, I'm just 30mhz slower than it :) I took my words back... :)

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/HD_7970_Lightning/31.html
 
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I know there is no bios editor for 7000 series. But any chance to unlcok voltage with gpu tweak!? As you know we make some changes with .cfg files for Afterburner. Unofficial OC. Gpu tweak files can be modifiy!?
 
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I read somewhere that these locked voltages etc are due to software capabilities... cards need updated oc software to unlock the parameters of the card (hence your matrix bios only works with gpu tweak because it has the software capabilities for it). im not sure if theyre actually locked physically, someone else may know more and may say im misinformed, but that's what ive read.

also every gpu is different, and its the silicon lottery for overclocking. I think if I upped voltage on mem I could get near 1210/1800 but im too afraid to push voltages, especially on air.

and you mentioned why do all the above (''I could increase voltage with Matrix bios, but why? That guy make something interesting with cables, why? Why do we need to modify'')

because that's the fun and enjoyment of tweaking, to me buying something in my budget restrictions and pushing it further is why I buy such and do such. just like overclocking. otherwise we would all save and buy the best, wouldn't need oc software and not be enthusiasts into tweaking.

just my 2 cents......and I like the fact you went 1350 with vcore! good clocks
 
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Yes I'm saying that; if this hardware locked, How could I increase voltage :)

exactly, you changed a piece of software and was able to push the hardware.... someone on another forum had the matrix and was asking why he couldn't overclock with other software and someone quite smart said its software design, anyway long story short, software needs to be updated to be able to unlock the parameters of the new card design coming out.

seeing your overclocks I may go 1275v core and 1650v mem and try see if I can get close to 1210/1800, otherwise ill be ridiculed.

and if you ever think of selling that 7970 ;) lol
 

cadaveca

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How could I increase voltage

You flashed BIOS to get more voltage. But software control of the voltage controller is locked. You can change VID supplied, no problem, but it will not change anything. Firmware for voltage controller needs update first.



Look at ASUS page for Matrix card. you will see in download section is a FW flash



"Optional FW enables consistent voltage to improve performance under turbo fan mode"



Actually, this firmware made no change to how the card runs. What it does do, however, if fix a "broken" voltage controller which only gives consistent voltage after flashing LN2 BIOS. I know this, because I have the files for THAT, too.


So, you know, I flash LN2 BIOS, see the difference there, flash back to stock BOIS, and now with stock BIOS, voltage is stuck. NO way to fix, until I find these files. So I apply these files, and card is working. We need similar for the Matrix cards.
 
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Thanks for infos again, I saw that firmware. I did extraxt and saw a file; mcu.bin what is this? Is this a bios too?
 
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I can flash this and the non-plat BIOSes fine but when I restart, GPU-z looks like this,


and CCC looks like this,


cadaveca, is this the win8 problem you were talking about? Switching the stock BIOS back and restarting fixes the problem, but that gets rid of the Matrix BIOS so yeah...
 
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After restart, restart again? It ll update driver for new card - it will be new card for the system.
 

cadaveca

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cadaveca, is this the win8 problem you were talking about? Switching the stock BIOS back and restarting fixes the problem, but that gets rid of the Matrix BIOS so yeah...
No, not the same problem, I think you have v 1.01 PCB. This PCB can also run AMD GHz BIOS. v1.02 cannot, but can run Matrix BIOS.

Thanks for infos again, I saw that firmware. I did extraxt and saw a file; mcu.bin what is this? Is this a bios too?


Yes, kind of, and we need similar program to fix our DirectCUII cards. But no such thing exists in public domain, unfortunately.

I also found this version:

one.jpg



But is same stuff, just not compiled.
 
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No, not the same problem, I think you have v 1.01 PCB. This PCB can also run AMD GHz BIOS. v1.02 cannot, but can run Matrix BIOS.
Yep, turns out I have the v1.01 PCB. I assume V1.00 is the one with unlocked voltage and overheating VRMs?
 
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