Looking For a Guide to BIOS Volt Mod

[moccor]

I'm trying to find a guide on how-to BIOS Volt Mod, but I can't really find a good one. I found this http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66296 . But I'm kinda looking for more details. Like a max voltage, lowest, downsides, what to do if I brick the card, can I fix the BIOS by leaving this card plugged in and using another card to view the desktop and reflash a BIOS. etc. Also, is it possible for the manufacturer to find out if a BIOS was changed if the card is damaged/bricked while editing it? Can they find out if I change it then change it back to default? I did a mod for better cooling from here - http://www.overclock.net/t/540332/how-i-dropped-my-gtx-260-load-temps-by-25-degrees-update - so I'm ready to take this card a little further or make it even cooler haha.

 

[Woomack]

BIOS mod won't help much for most cards. If I remember it good then stock voltage for most cards is 1.12V and max in BIOS is 1.18V. Depends from card, some OC versions have 1.18V max and you can't set more. I had Gigabyte GTX260 cards and I couldn't set more than 1.18V but as you see in TPU link, they were able to set more so it's worth to try.
Link from TPU is showing about all.
Easy way to edit BIOS and not to brick your card with something weird is to edit it yourself using your card's BIOS ( not something downloaded from the web ). Save your BIOS ( gpuz button or nvflash command ) and edit it with Nibitor. Easy process as there is not much to change. Later use nvflash -> nvflash file.rom -4-5-6 , and that's all.
Always keep your stock BIOS copy. If flash fails then you can fix it using any other pcie card in 1st slot and bricked one in 2nd. Then you pick card 1 to flash ( 1st will be set as ID 0, 2nd as ID 1) and use force flash command.

 

[moccor]

Always keep your stock BIOS copy. If flash fails then you can fix it using any other pcie card in 1st slot and bricked one in 2nd. Then you pick card 1 to flash ( 1st will be set as ID 0, 2nd as ID 1) and use force flash command.

Thanks a lot for the response. I figured that that was how I would take care of it, but the unknowing made me skeptical about the process as I couldn't really find info from someone reputable about it being safe. I have tried MSI Afterburner, but even though I unlocked the setting to change voltage and I did so then pressed apply, HWiNFO64 says the voltage stays the same. I'm sure its XFX's voltage lock, so I think I will have to go with the BIOS route. I mainly want to undervolt it a bit tho, and try to get some extra power out of it. I've read about people undervolting and achieving better clocks than stock.

Came to edit and say I successfully edited the BIOS. A good thing to note for others though that may have the same question. I assume since there are multiple levels to adjust the voltage of, as long as 2D and 3D (maybe even just 2D) stay default, the card should have np reaching the desktop. I edited my XFX's voltage from 1.12 to 1.06 on each level and I made it to the desktop fine. FOr w/e reason, 2D, 3D and Extra were set to 1.12 but I seen on someones EVGA GTX 260 that it was more like 2D 1.06, 3D 1.08 and Extra 1.15 so I took a gamble and hoped it would just reach the desktop fine .