OCing: 6800GS AGP 256MB

[Chixofnix]

Here we go!

It took me enough procrastination, but I'm FINALLY getting around to seeing what this puppy can do!

It's a PNY 6800GS AGP with 256 MB. I usually get nervous whenever I mess with my videocard OC's... so I thought this time I might post the play-by-play here to ease my nerves and get any input.

Stock cooling for now, case open and cold room temperature for safety. If I end up with what looks like some real potential then I'll go for some 3rd party cooling.

First step is to try unlocking the shaders and pipelines to get 16,6. Guess I'll try to do so all at once and see what happens...

Here's my RivaTuner starting screen and the quad screen where I've added checks to the 'disabled' lines:

[Chixofnix]

Success???

Gonna fire up Bioshock and see if anything scary happens...

If all goes well i'll start bumping things higher from here!

[chevro1et]

Back when I had a BFG 6800gs agp, I was unlucky and it didn't unlock the pipes but the shader did. Lemme see if I can find my old OC numbers from that card...

Have a look HERE (http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=4662699&postcount=10) for my best results with that card.

[Chixofnix]

Back when I had a BFG 6800gs agp, I was unlucky and it didn't unlock the pipes but the shader did. Lemme see if I can find my old OC numbers from that card...

Have a look HERE (http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=4662699&postcount=10) for my best results with that card.

Thanks for the reference!

So i just finished a battery of 3dmark03, 3dmark05, and Bioshock with everything maxed out and 1920x1200 (framerate unplayable), and saw no signs of snow/artifacts. This is with everything unlocked but memory/core clocks untouched.

Here's my scores (CPU/Mem = 351/1002):

[chevro1et]

No artifacts w. unlocked pipes+shader = free performance!! Have some fun and crank up the clocks on that card now...

[Chixofnix]

looks like i'm in the range of 401/1075 after pulling things down a bit for stability...

Core clocks around 415 cause screen-freeze/crash.
Mem clocks around 1080 and I start seeing artifacts with ATItool.

This is all with stock cooling... So my question is... How can I verify/determine to what degree these numbers are my limits because of cooling vs. hardware limitations?

PS: I did notice a real performance increase in Bioshock after all was said and done... so nice to get tangible results! Followup 3DMark scores to come shortly for record... i don't think my clocks will get me close to yours though, chevy.

[chevro1et]

Did you use the fan control in RivaTuner to increase the fan speed? That may be a start... I seem to remember from back in the day that alot of people found that unlocking the extra pipes actually hindered their overall OC. Just for kicks, you should try locking the extra pipes back to stock and see if it OCs any better. Maybe mine was just a beast, stable as a rock at 450/1200 w. 12pipes/6vertex. I put an accelero X2 cooler on mine as well, never loaded over ~60C.

[Chixofnix]

Did you use the fan control in RivaTuner to increase the fan speed? That may be a start... I seem to remember from back in the day that alot of people found that unlocking the extra pipes actually hindered their overall OC. Just for kicks, you should try locking the extra pipes back to stock and see if it OCs any better. Maybe mine was just a beast, stable as a rock at 450/1200 w. 12pipes/6vertex. I put an accelero X2 cooler on mine as well, never loaded over ~60C.

I thought I might've been going nuts, but after unlocking the pipes/shaders AND OC'ing... My 3dmark scores went DOWN (3dmark '03 score was roughly 9500)???

I think I need to start again from square 1 and take measurements step by step. On stability(play)testing the final OC numbers with Bioshock for awhile I'm now more inclined to say that it did feel like my performance had decreased...

I'm thinking my 3dmark testing battery from here should be:

* Stock speeds, no unlocks <-- This will be my baseline
* Stock speeds, pipes unlocked fully
* OC core/mem to 400/1075, no unlocks
* OC core/mem to 400/1075, pipes unlocked fully
* Also investigate most stable OC with no unlocks and take a measurement.

Any suggestions/comments on this plan? It may be a bit before I've got the block of time necessary to do all this at once (to minimize variables over time).

[chevro1et]

If your 3DM score went down, then there is some sort of issue.
1. if you didn't, crank up the fan speed with RT.
2. I suggest using 3DM05 instead of 3DM03, more accurate assessment of that gen GPU
3. I totally agree with taking a baseline from stock, but test at stock speeds after unlocking just the pipes or just the vertex.
4. Try OCing before unlocking anything, and see what kind of results you get.

Good luck, and keep this thread updated with your results.

[ChinStrap]

NICE!!!! i had a bfg 6800gs agp back in the day :)

she would unlock and overclock to 420/1200 - great freaking card for the price back then. best 06' i ever got out of it was like 3120 -

great thread