• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

x800xt pencil mod gone wrong

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

nycundaground

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2003
hey guys i did the vcore pencil mod to my x800 xt and now i have rows of artifacting when i boot up and throughtout the computer session. I used a multimeter measuring the voltage to it and it is at 1.4v. I think default is 1.3 volts according to the vr-zone guide. I tried erasing it with a piece of eraser clipped by a tweezer and rubbing it in the place i etched the pencils marks. But i still get 1.4 volts after testing it.

Ive tested it in my new and old computer and same results so i know the problem is coming from the video card. So do u guys know how i can try to get back to 1.3v? id hate to rma this card since its my last component to finish my computer.
 
Sorry, I can't help you with that but you shouldnt have said that last part. Expect a bunch of people to jump down your throat and tell you that it is unethical (which it is). Sorry about your luck man... that's an expensive card to screw up.
 
Try using a can of compressed air and blow it really well over the card. I mean REALLY well. That graphite is known to be blown away easily, wherever it may have gotten to.
 
Sorry to hear about your card. Default is in the range of 1.3v to 1.4v. Shamino had a lower voltage card when he did the guide, generally it's closer to 1.4v.
 
Yea mine was 1.4v stock. I would make sure you did it to the right resistor. Or make sure you didnt cross connect something else.

--Josh
 
As ZYALTR said, my card is also 1.4v stock, and as my card clocks like mad iv got no reason to change it. The regular x800pros (non vivo) seem to still be shipping with the lower 1.3v core - again, id check which resistor you marked and blast the card with compressed air
 
Yea i guess ill have to try that compress air. The bad news right now is that i think i threw away the sticker with the serial number on it. DOh. i tried the ati rma and crossing my fingers that i get back a email monday or tuesday saying that ican rma it.
 
mmmm doubt it...at least if you told the truth and you will get bashed if you didnt and they let you since its your fault you ruined the card.....
 
nycundaground said:
hey guys i did the vcore pencil mod to my x800 xt and now i have rows of artifacting when i boot up and throughtout the computer session. I used a multimeter measuring the voltage to it and it is at 1.4v. I think default is 1.3 volts according to the vr-zone guide. I tried erasing it with a piece of eraser clipped by a tweezer and rubbing it in the place i etched the pencils marks. But i still get 1.4 volts after testing it.

Ive tested it in my new and old computer and same results so i know the problem is coming from the video card. So do u guys know how i can try to get back to 1.3v? id hate to rma this card since its my last component to finish my computer.

Nominal Vcore out of the box is between 1.390 and 1.405 depending on the PWA revision.

Use a soft brush to dust the card and then blow it off with compressed air. Hoping fully you
just got some graphite dust where is shouldn't have been and you can clean it off.

Viper
 
An RMA is not to be abused - if you lie to ATi, and RMA your card, you are breaking the trust that has been laid, and screwing it up for everyone else.

An RMA is there as the company's guarantee that their product will be defect free - with free repairs or replacement if it is defective. When you screw up your hardware, and RMA it, you're basically cheating and stealing.

If worst comes to worst, and you can't fix your card, call ATi, and tell them honestly what happened to your card. I'm not sure about ATi in particular, but believe it or not, many companies will do repairs on hardware that you've screwed up, for a small fee, if you're honest with them.

A while back, I killed my ASUS A7V 266-E/AA by scratching a bunch of traces with a screwdriver, trying to install a heatsink. ASUS repaired the board for me, and re-soldered the traces, charging me ~$50 for the work, plus shipping fees both ways.

Way better then a dead board, or the bad Karma from cheating on an RMA in my opinion :).


Past all the hard moral drama, I'm very sorry to hear about your loss :(. We all feel your pain bro.
 
Once my comp didnt boot and soo called MSI tech support <-manu of my mobo if I could rma it well he said go for it and i told him tht the only component i didnt test was the processor he still said to rma it since they 'test' it ....

Now get this i get a 'replaced' mobo and try it .. it dosent work then FINALLY test the processor ... (lets jus say im buying a new 2500 barton from ebay this week) now its not my fault they didnt test out the mobo ...

anywayz the moral is i DIDNT rma the processor for 1 resons i void the warranty oc'ing it!

EDIT: the stuff in ()
 
ViperJohn said:
Nominal Vcore out of the box is between 1.390 and 1.405 depending on the PWA revision.

Use a soft brush to dust the card and then blow it off with compressed air. Hoping fully you
just got some graphite dust where is shouldn't have been and you can clean it off.

Viper

Viper John,

I know you are very knowledgeable on this specific topic - arguably one of the best on this forum. Is there significant risk in attempting a pencil mod if you take all proper care in doing it as safely as possible?

I don't have alot of experience or know-how on this as of yet, but I am studying the possibility. Of course, the great majority of people would be satisfied with a moderately overclocked X800XT-PE, and might not risk the money or the possibility of not getting another card for weeks by attempting a voltage mod. I want to get this right, if I do it.

I have seen some of your work and it is astounding. I, on the other hand, would be happy with a simple pencil mod if it could safely get me 1.5v or so and possibly help me bump the core speed up 20-30mhz...

My question I guess is the following - Could you describe your appreciation of the risk involved with a pencil mod (done right, meaning no bad connections, etc.) and do you think it is worth it in comparison to more complex modding such as those cards that you have successfully moded? Is the quality of the voltage good with a pencil mod (does it vary much, causing issues, etc.)?

Oh, and I should mention I will be on watercooling with a Swiftech waterblock and dual 120mm heatercore.

Thanks
 
Is there significant risk in attempting a pencil mod if you take all proper care in doing it as safely as possible?

Generally, pencil modifications are best avoided - they're risky, and imprecise in the overvolt you're getting. The problem is that may people apply too much or too little graphite to the resistor, and don't know about it untill they fire their card up. So, you'll either get too much voltage, or too little, and have to try again - or break something with too much voltage.

A simple soldered mod using a variable resistor and a ground is much safer, and not that difficult if you have steady hands, and some experience with soldering. You can raise your overvolt regularly, and in very small increments easily using a VR, which allows you to play around a little more.

A great way to improve your soldering skills on the scale you need to work with, is to buy a decent soldering iron for yourself, and practice soldering contacts to pins and resistors on some dead hardware you have.
 
SunTzu69 said:
Viper John,

I know you are very knowledgeable on this specific topic - arguably one of the best on this forum. Is there significant risk in attempting a pencil mod if you take all proper care in doing it as safely as possible?

I don't have alot of experience or know-how on this as of yet, but I am studying the possibility. Of course, the great majority of people would be satisfied with a moderately overclocked X800XT-PE, and might not risk the money or the possibility of not getting another card for weeks by attempting a voltage mod. I want to get this right, if I do it.

I have seen some of your work and it is astounding. I, on the other hand, would be happy with a simple pencil mod if it could safely get me 1.5v or so and possibly help me bump the core speed up 20-30mhz...

My question I guess is the following - Could you describe your appreciation of the risk involved with a pencil mod (done right, meaning no bad connections, etc.) and do you think it is worth it in comparison to more complex modding such as those cards that you have successfully moded? Is the quality of the voltage good with a pencil mod (does it vary much, causing issues, etc.)?

Oh, and I should mention I will be on watercooling with a Swiftech waterblock and dual 120mm heatercore.

Thanks

Felix just said it all. I can not or will not ever recommend a pencil mod. Quite the opposite in
fact. 1.500 Vcore is very soft for R420 cores or good air or WC.

Viper
 
I will take advice from the both of you.. ALL of it.

I will avoid the pencil mod and study soldering quite a bit. Maybe I can attain the comfort level I would need to do some work in a few months. There is no rush at the moment.
 
SunTzu69 said:
I will take advice from the both of you.. ALL of it.

I will avoid the pencil mod and study soldering quite a bit. Maybe I can attain the comfort level I would need to do some work in a few months. There is no rush at the moment.

Soldering is a learned skill and it isn't all that hard to learn. Practice, a well prepared iron tip and
being able to clearly see what you are doing are the keys. Once learned it is like riding a bicycle.
You do not forget but you may get a bit rusty lol.

Viper
 
Back