Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/14 21:18I just did the test with ATITool and I tested my card with the core on 640MHz and the memory on 1900MHz just like on the Alpha Dog card and I ran the test for 3 hours and it did not make any errors or artifacts on that time. I then pushed it up and it started making errors with the core on 704MHz and then I tried with the memory upped and the core at 640MHz. With the memory at 2208MHz it started to create artifacts. So I guess with 3 hours at 640MHz core and 1900MHz mmemory it is safe to use those speeds?
Well after 4 hours of no artifacts I decided to change my original BIOS file and set the core to 640MHz, memory to 1900MHz and shader to 1600MHz and then flashed my graphics card with that edited BIOS. And it is all working fine. I also installed my Zalman VF1000 cooler on the card and it is now 26°C cooler when playing Company of Heroes than before with the standard cooler. and at idle temp it is 42°C. I am a happy man now, thanks for the advice and best regards...
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DarkFox
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/15 05:54Awesome! Game on mate! That should just do it and match the performance of your previous XFX GeForce 8800 GT that was already pre-overclcoked. Good stuff, and enjoy!
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Mavke
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/15 11:25Kodiak wrote: Well after 4 hours of no artifacts I decided to change my original BIOS file and set the core to 640MHz, memory to 1900MHz and shader to 1600MHz and then flashed my graphics card with that edited BIOS. And it is all working fine. Excellent stuff mate, and well done. That is exactly on how you should have done it and you even know that you can go further. Of course now it is up to you if you are happy with only 640/1900MHz, cause you should be save to run even 675/2000Mz as you only saw artifacts at vene higher clock speeds. I am glad we could help and enjoy your graphics card. And if you want to support us check out our advertisers.
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Kodiak
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/15 17:06Thanks again guys for the nice replies and all the help given. This is a great site that really helps people. I really appreciate it! Best regards.
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Mavke
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/15 22:40Kodiak wrote: Thanks again guys for the nice replies and all the help given. This is a great site that really helps people. I really appreciate it! Best regards. You are welcome, and if you have other question or things to clarify you know that we are here to do so. And spread the word a bit so that more people get to know us and we can help some more.
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Kodiak
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/16 04:17I'm happy as it is now with the speed of my card, all the games I play work like a dream. One thing I like to share is that when I replaced the standard cooler with my Zalman VF1000 cooler is that I didn't use the heatpaste that I had here. I have a tube of white heatpaste, but when taking off the standard cooler of the PNY card I saw there was a lot of heatpaste on the cooler, way too much! It is a dark grey paste. So I decided to carefully scrape that one of with a plastic card and use that one on my Zalman cooler.
And after installing on my second GeForce 8800 GT, with the same speeds the card stays 5°C cooler at idle and on load as with the white cooling paste I used before on my Alpha Dog card. So maybe a usefull tip if someone also replaces his cooler on a PNY or other card, that dark grey cooling paste seems to be very good quality. If you see there is enough on it for a second use, give it a try.
And yeah, I'll spread the word, a good site with helpfull guys like you is priceless, I learned a lot from reading here on the forums. Thanks again!
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DarkFox
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/16 11:59Keep in mind that these cards are mass produced, so the people who assemble them do not take the time to carefully apply the thermal grease like the end user would. They don't buy the cards themselves, so they aren't too worried about how they put the stuff on. I assume that they are assembled by hand, maybe they are done by robots now, but it does seem a bit too haphazard for a machine.
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Mavke
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/16 13:07Kodiak wrote: I have a tube of white heatpaste, but when taking off the standard cooler of the PNY card I saw there was a lot of heatpaste on the cooler, way too much! It is a dark grey paste. So I decided to carefully scrape that one of with a plastic card and use that one on my Zalman cooler. Well I would very much advice against that cause every graphics card always comes with too much thermal paste, as far as I have seen on all the samples and cards I have seen so far. And this is not ideal for the temps, and re-using used thermal paste is neither that good. Best is to apply a small layer of new thermal paste and should be doing the best job. Well as long as you use some high grade thermal paste like from Arctic Cooling, etc.
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DarkFox
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/16 13:51Once you pull off the cooler and start moving the paste around you introduce microscopic air bubbles which do not conduct heat well at all. You want to minimise trapped air to start with, meaning using new paste is the better options as it made no contact with the air yet, and remove it as much as possible by making sure the cooler is attached with adequate pressure in the GPU die which sqeezes out air bubbles and excess paste.
Thermal paste doesn't conduct heat amazingly itself, so ideally you want the thinnest layer that fills in the microscopic cracks in the heatsink and GPU surface and no more. It's unlikely you'll actually get that ideal amount though, so just keep it to a minimum but make sure the GPU is covered. Thick amounts of thermal paste just traps heat.
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Kodiak
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Re:XFX GeForce 8800 GT 512MB and what BIOS to use for flash? - 2008/06/16 22:10Well I did not apply all the heatpaste that I took from the old cooler. I know the thinner the layer the better, so I only applied a very thin layer with it, and like I said it does the job very well. Maybe I just got lucky? Who knows? In fact I can use a bit of luck from time to time. Quick question, I also have a tube of heatpaste with 5% silver and 5% copper in it. Is that one better than the white one? Best regards...
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