Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/05 16:26I have a PCI Express card. I'd suggest you that you modify your working original BIOS. I hope that you'll find enough info on this forum. In the mean time I made another BIOS for myself, where I lowered 2D frequencies and voltage and saved a few watts... - Boot : 800MHz/700MHz/1.20V - 2D Mode : 110MHz/300MHz/1.00V - Low 3D Mode : 300MHz/400MHz/1.20V - 3D Mode : 800MHz/700MHz/1.20V
I can see frequency changes in AMD Overdrive. The card is at 110/300MHz and if I open a window it goes to 300/400MHz for short time and then back to 110/300MHz. The 3DMark score is still the same. The card uses about 8W less in 2D mode and produces less heat. That way should be stock BIOS in the first place. Now I'm thinking that I could try 0.95V for 2D mode, and then overclock 3D mode.
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Mavke
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/05 22:14Excellent stuff mate, and very nice results you have there to lower the watts used in 2D mode which is certainly very beneficial for the notebook power savings for the battery.
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Favaro
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/05 22:33Hi, can I ask something? I'm trying to modify my BIOS, voltage in 3D and fequency... But I don't know how to correct the checksum. I've tried to correct it and I change some values in order to have the same result but when I flash it and I reboot, drivers can't find my video card. Why? Can someone teach me where to modify the voltage and frequency values and where to correct the checksum values? Thanks...
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Lechuck
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/06 05:30I don't know what you did, can you flash back with your original BIOS? Then you must read and understand what is written on this thread, what to change, how to change, and how to flash... I made one example, how to change 3D mode for desktop card, only one freqency, one voltage and checksum changed. Look for changes in BIOS, so that must answer your question. XpertVision Radeon HD 2600 PRO, and tweaked BIOS update? Sapphire Radeon HD 2600 XT AGP problem, overclock limits?
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Favaro
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/06 19:34I try to explain. I have a Sapphire Radeon HD 2600 XT with GDDR3 memory and on an AGP interface. I can't go over 857/1800MHz with ATITool. The GDDR3 version is BIOS limited at 880/1540MHz if you use Catalyst. I want to change 3D voltage from 1.20V to 1.27V and change the BIOS limits. I've already read the thread and I tried to modify the BIOS as they say and correct the checksum but when I reboot with the new flashed BIOS, drivers can't find any compatible hardware, why?
Can you help me to modify it correctly and to correct the checksum? For example in order to correct the checksum where can I change some values? I find some lines with 00's etc and I changed a 00 with the new number, is it correct? I'm sorry for my English but I'm Italian. Can you help me?
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Lechuck
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/06 20:56My card also goes up to only 857MHz, even when it had 1.25V. I think that's somehow driver related. I can't help you with changing the limits, maybe someone else can. If you'll figure out, then please post to the forum. By the way, did you reinstall the drivers? I can explain bit more about checksum. My stock BIOS has 3rd line as shown below, I calculated that I need to add 55 to keep checksum the same. So I changed this line to the second one listed. Why this line and that place, I read somewhere that this is a good place. And tried and it's working.
I also saw BIOS modification, where the first line was changed. You can also look at original and modified BIOS in another thread and see in 3rd line where checksum is changed.
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Favaro
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/06 22:54In the tread you said they explain how changes limits but I don't understand why it doesn't work. However your card arrives at 857MHz because a GDDR4 is limited at 857MHz. The GDDR3 version is limited at 880MHz, so if I increase the voltages I can overclock over 857MHz I think. Can you post your original BIOS and your modified BIOS? So I can view what you changed?
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Lechuck
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/08 02:30Hmm... I can't give you an advice about limits. My card is also GDDR3, but came with BIOS that had 1.25V in all modes. That was too anoying for me so I wanted to reduce speed and voltage in 2D. I can't tell the difference between 110MHz and 800MHz at 2D. My card is limited at 880MHz, but I tried and didn't come above 860MHz. And my BIOS is already posted in this thread.
I was playing with overclocking a lot in old Radeon 9700 PRO days and what I learned is, that it does not pay of to spend too much time looking for max limits. If you need faster card and you are not happy with plus 5%, then just go for faster model. Can't make a Ferrari out of a Punto. You'll never double 3DMark score by overclocking, but you will with a Radeon HD 3870. That's the way I see it.
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Mavke
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/03/09 10:03Lechuck wrote: I was playing with overclocking a lot in old Radeon 9700 PRO days and what I learned is, that it does not pay of to spend too much time looking for max limits. If you need faster card and you are not happy with plus 5%, then just go for faster model. Can't make a Ferrari out of a Punto. Well just as you mention this, I wouldn't totally agree to the 5%, maybe that is true for ATI cards who generally are a bit behind in overclocking ability, but for NVIDIA we have overclocked and seen performance increase of 10% and even more... But yes you can't make a Ferrari out of a Punto is totally right.
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SteveFOX
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Re:Some help with Radeon HD 2600 XT and some BIOS tweaking? - 2008/04/21 11:36So i have a HD2600 XT GDDR3 from Sapphire , i modified my bios ot the change the 2d voltage and frequence values.Now all i have to do is correct the checksum.How to calculate what i need to add to the new bios to equal the checksum?
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Galaxy 9800GT PCIe 512MB - Rev 01
