Dual BIOS cards: any real need?

I've only tried flashing a few video cards to try and extend their o'clocking abilities. My x850xt, 4870 and 6950. The only real success I've had is w/the 6950. I've never had a flash that resulted in a bricked video card yet, even though I've done some stupid things like changing GDDR memory timings (on the x850xt), which I only fixed by booting w/a PCI video card and flashing from a DOS prompt. I'm planning on getting a Nvidia GTX 780 and I'd definitely interested in tweaking things like power limits and core/memory voltages as well as flashing modded BIOS. Does the booting w/a PCI video card trick still work for video cards bricked by a bad BIOS flash?

If you've never had issues and do have confidence in your skill set for working with cards, both software and hardware side, then why bother? It will cost more. The upside would be if you maintain one as a stable, known BIOS you can jack with the other to your heart's content knowing you'll have access to your card via BIOS = good at any time. Just my 2¢.

If your board has that slot that is one way to do it... another way is to use the integrated GPU on the CPU.

As far as a need... tough one. Some cards have two profiles on them. For example, the MSI Lightning has a second bios for LN2 which raises/eliminates OCP. Others are just mirrors in case you brick it. Flip it over to the working bios to boot, flip it back and correct the flash. Flashes do go wrong, so I would lean on yes.

EarthDog said:

If your board has that slot that is one way to do it... another way is to use the integrated GPU on the CPU.

As far as a need... tough one. Some cards have two profiles on them. For example, the MSI Lightning has a second bios for LN2 which raises/eliminates OCP. Others are just mirrors in case you brick it. Flip it over to the working bios to boot, flip it back and correct the flash. Flashes do go wrong, so I would lean on yes.

Click to expand...

I never used the backup BIOS on my 6950.

Is the MSI Lightning the only 780 that has the specialized alternative BIOS that disables OCP?

Thanks for all the help ED.

Hey magellan check you INBOX for PM's???

AJ.