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softmodding 9800 pro vs just oc it!
- Thread starter Scph9002
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- Jun 20, 2001
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- Vancouver, WA
By flashing the Pro to an XT not only do you get the clock speed, but you also "unlock" features of the R360 core (if your card does have an R360 instead of an R350 under it's hood). This will let you have access to the temp probe among other things, as well as give a very slight performance increase over a simple overclock because of the slightly different way the R360 does things.
JigPu
JigPu
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^^ What he said. Also note that even R350 cores can be flashed to XT so long as you use certian BIOS.JigPu said:
OP
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2004
- Thread Starter
- #5
ahh... just found where to look for core type... everest readed that it has an r350... can I still read the temps if I flash it to xt?? would it do good when flashed to xt.. I´m running at xt speeds on my pro right now without probs... due to the fan I installed on it, it runs cooler then when it was at stock speeds without the fan... i can now touch it without getting burnt =p... and I´ve ran the atitool and it didn´t generate any jitters at xt speed... have tried hl2, AA, and they ran just fine... didn´t notice any huge performance increase thou... mayby 10fps +.... but I scored 1000 point more in 3dmark2001 =)=)=)
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No, since you have an R350 core it would be a bad idea to flash it with a R360 bios. If you want to get the most out of your card, volt mod it and cool it well and you'll be set. Sine the cores are different, there is no way to magically enable temp sensing as the transistors don't exist! Your ticket to speed is more voltage and lower temps...good luck. 
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2002
consumer9000 said:No, since you have an R350 core it would be a bad idea to flash it with a R360 bios. If you want to get the most out of your card, volt mod it and cool it well and you'll be set. Sine the cores are different, there is no way to magically enable temp sensing as the transistors don't exist! Your ticket to speed is more voltage and lower temps...good luck.
I wouldnt say a bad idea...I have a R350 core and went ahead and tried the latest GC pro to XT bios...now my core only went up a few Mhz...but the key thing was the memory timnigs are better with the XT bios...I am actually able to bench up to 412 on memory now without a v-mod...compaired to 389 on the original...
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I've heard horror stories as well...but as always with overclocking, your mileage may vary! 
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- Feb 4, 2003
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Here's a comparo of how an XT BIOS performs against a Pro BIOS at the same speeds:
But I wouldn't run an XT BIOS on an R350 core. You'll get artifacts, because the R350 doesn't actually have the extra shaders. Better to download the Gigacube BIOS, which uses XT timings, but the R350 instruction set.
But I wouldn't run an XT BIOS on an R350 core. You'll get artifacts, because the R350 doesn't actually have the extra shaders. Better to download the Gigacube BIOS, which uses XT timings, but the R350 instruction set.
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- Nov 6, 2002
Gautam said:
Not sure about the latest one I downloaded...but stated it was for the R360...but (glad you mentioned this above) I dont have any artifacts in space and troll like I did before...
I really did like the memory boost though...and checking with ATI Tool...the memory timings are exactely the same as the original Pro bios...the only thing I can find different (only using ATI TOOL and radeditor) is the clock timings...
Since I dont have a program that can break the BIOS down...I really cant tell what the modded BIOS actually change in the coding...
If anyone has a program or knows of a way to break down the BIOS...would be interesting to see how the tables compair to each other...
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- May 29, 2004
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The only real way to tell which vpu you have is to remove the heatsink and check the markings on the chip itself. Almost all 9800pros will read that you have a 350 right out of the box using software, because the software just checks the bios for the chip info, and since the pros are all designed to use an r350, that is what the bios will say, even if it is an r360.
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- Aug 8, 2003
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- Baltimore, Maryland
If i got a ATI made 9800 Pro 128meg where can i find a 128 meg ATI 9800 XT bios or should i just use a 256?
- Joined
- May 29, 2004
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- Southern New Jersey
There are bioses made specifically for the 128MB Built by ATI card, I know that is what I used for mine. However, it has been a few months and I no longer have the link. I wouldn't recommend using a 256MB bios, could cause problems.
I tried checking the sticky at the top of the page for you, but at 16 pages long, I don't have time to seach though it for a working link (my boss might get mad at me ). If you have the time, you may find one there (or maybe someone nice will have it on hand and post it here for you).
Oh, and I did some tests before and after, and got a few hundred extra points in 3dmark03 after the flash (with the same clock speeds).
I wouldn't recommend using a 256MB bios, could cause problems.I tried checking the sticky at the top of the page for you, but at 16 pages long, I don't have time to seach though it for a working link (my boss might get mad at me
). If you have the time, you may find one there (or maybe someone nice will have it on hand and post it here for you).Oh, and I did some tests before and after, and got a few hundred extra points in 3dmark03 after the flash (with the same clock speeds).
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I've posted the possible bios for a sapphire 9800XT 128mb, the hynix is for you card with hynix memory, ATI.bin is my backup (9800pro) and the 2 samsung bios should be self explanatory
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- Aug 8, 2003
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- Baltimore, Maryland
Yea i got a ATI 9800 Pro 128 with hynix ram
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