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Powercolor HD6950 1gb - Is it unlockable or am I wasting time on this one?

m4gician

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Hey guys,

Sorry for cross-posting. new here and just trying to revive an older gaming rig I have. I posted on this thread, but didn't get a response so I imagine it might be easier here? https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...nal-shaders-on-radeon-hd-6950.137136/page-131

Powercolor HD 6950 1GB card. I've used GPU-Z to save the stock bios and RBE_128 to LOAD the stock bios, change the mem max clock range and select the 6970 unlock in the additional features.

I used winflash or atiflash (the latest version 2.8.4) to then flash that newly saved bios onto the card. When I read it with GPU-Z again it's still showing me the same shader count as before. However viewing the bios with RBE it shows that I indeed have the option selected for the 6970 as well as the max mem clock setting.

Question:
- Is this card even unlockable at this point?
- In taking apart the card's heat sink and fan, I didn't find or see a dual bios switch on it anywhere, does this card have one?
- Is it possible to unlock the shaders by flashing another/different bios onto this card?

Somewhat related
- the RBE software doesn't seem to want to work with any of the Winflash utilities, and it seems it's a Windows 10 issue? I tried the latest version of both and having an issue use RBE for everything so I'm using the two software seperately, has that been fixed or is that an issue at all?

Thanks in advanced guys, looking to try to squeak out that extra performance. I've tried Overclocking it to those settings but I'm getting some instability (probably power supply related).
 
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Only the 2GB cards were unlockable.
 

CloggedVenuole

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I just purchased a used HD6950 XFX Reference card a couple nights ago for $20. The guy who owned it had it since new and informed me that he unlocked the shaders. When I got it home and ran GPU-z there was only the dreaded 1406 number showing. I texted him about it after and he said, "I swear I got them unlocked at some point." Anyway they hadn't been unlocked. So I've managed to do it myself after a few hiccups. I used the BIOS_HD_6950 to update the shaders only and now the GPU-Z app reads 1536 shaders at an easy 800MHz gpu and 1250MHz mem clock. The card idles at 38C. I've gamed with it already running Assetto Corsa using an i5-3570. To tell you the truth I haven't noticed any difference yet running this game, but I'm sure if I OC'd I'd see it. Either way, its an awesome old card. When I flashed it, Number one bios switch runs the 1536 shader upgrade, and number two bios switch has the 1406. I didnt mean to do it this way but it boots up in whatever switch I have it in. Not sure if thats right or not but if anything, it is convenient.
 

eidairaman1

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I just purchased a used HD6950 XFX Reference card a couple nights ago for $20. The guy who owned it had it since new and informed me that he unlocked the shaders. When I got it home and ran GPU-z there was only the dreaded 1406 number showing. I texted him about it after and he said, "I swear I got them unlocked at some point." Anyway they hadn't been unlocked. So I've managed to do it myself after a few hiccups. I used the BIOS_HD_6950 to update the shaders only and now the GPU-Z app reads 1536 shaders at an easy 800MHz gpu and 1250MHz mem clock. The card idles at 38C. I've gamed with it already running Assetto Corsa using an i5-3570. To tell you the truth I haven't noticed any difference yet running this game, but I'm sure if I OC'd I'd see it. Either way, its an awesome old card. When I flashed it, Number one bios switch runs the 1536 shader upgrade, and number two bios switch has the 1406. I didnt mean to do it this way but it boots up in whatever switch I have it in. Not sure if thats right or not but if anything, it is convenient.

White Sticker info off back of card please
 
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I just purchased a used HD6950 XFX Reference card a couple nights ago for $20. The guy who owned it had it since new and informed me that he unlocked the shaders. When I got it home and ran GPU-z there was only the dreaded 1406 number showing. I texted him about it after and he said, "I swear I got them unlocked at some point." Anyway they hadn't been unlocked. So I've managed to do it myself after a few hiccups. I used the BIOS_HD_6950 to update the shaders only and now the GPU-Z app reads 1536 shaders at an easy 800MHz gpu and 1250MHz mem clock. The card idles at 38C. I've gamed with it already running Assetto Corsa using an i5-3570. To tell you the truth I haven't noticed any difference yet running this game, but I'm sure if I OC'd I'd see it. Either way, its an awesome old card. When I flashed it, Number one bios switch runs the 1536 shader upgrade, and number two bios switch has the 1406. I didnt mean to do it this way but it boots up in whatever switch I have it in. Not sure if thats right or not but if anything, it is convenient.
You'd bust a vrm just in order for you to notice any difference.
 

eidairaman1

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You'd bust a vrm just in order for you to notice any difference.
Let me see If i can help him.

I helped a user make a 290 into a 290X.
 
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Let me see If i can help him.

I helped a user make a 290 into a 290X.
Yeah, on stock bios they are still equally deficient of TDP. Some kind of OD+UV is necessary, however mine didn't allow for voltage tuning.
 
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He's already done. It's a HD 6970 now.

That's a crock of shit. There's a huge difference between a 6950 and a 6970.
View attachment 115016
Not if you are full throttle bilinear filtering - something I'm doing myself now that I have deprived me of 6870 and 6950. I'm harsh on equipment. :)
FP16 - bilinear is the same, too. The difference only starts to show when you start applying AF, but that isn't for performance, anyway.
 
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CloggedVenuole

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Just curious, are there any other ATI/AMD legacy cards with bios' that can be flashed to upgrade the performance?
 
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Just curious, are there any other ATI/AMD legacy cards with bios' that can be flashed to upgrade the performance?
Any AMD card with a powertune setting has built in performance tiering. That is 6950 to 7870 to 290x - you name it - if it has an unstable TDP, there is variation.
 

CloggedVenuole

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Any AMD card with a powertune setting has built in performance tiering. That is 6950 to 7870 to 290x - you name it - if it has an unstable TDP, there is variation.

I have a couple matching old HD 4870's that I crossfire. Wonder if they could be brought up to a 4890 spec?
 
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I have a couple matching old HD 4870's that I crossfire. Wonder if they could be brought up to a 4890 spec?
Nope, 4890 has a bigger vrm choke and a capacitor decoupler ring around the die. Same issue, you would bust the thing if you tried, but fret not - just undervolt.

You have Ati Tray Tools? It is handy in undervolting. Look at its overclock menu, it displays an artifact counter.
 
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