Advanced Info Tab

Next one on the list is the Advanced Info, which will display some extra information and details about the BIOS and BIOS file itself. It will also provide the option to rescan the file showing the actual changes you applied (what you can also call a reload).

This tab displays additional information and allows you to edit some important IDs manually.

• Device ID: Is the ID used to identify the device. It can also be changed by using dropdown menu Device in the General Info region.
• Sub Vendor ID: Is used to display the Vendor in the General Info area. Changing this may allow you to use vendor specific tools. Note that this is called Sub Vendor ID, because there is also a generic Vendor ID, which is always NVIDIA for NVIDIA BIOSes.
• Sub System ID: This is to make the difference between the different chipsets or GPU's used on the graphics cards.
• Board ID: Is used to distinguish between cards of same chipset. Often flashing tools like nvFlash check these.
• Projected Filesize: Displays the filesize stored in the BIOS, e.g. the size the BIOS thinks it has.
• Actual Filesize: Displays what size the BIOS really has. A mismatch here could be a sign for an incomplete file.
• Calculated Checksum: Shows the checksum calculated from the actual file, this in contrast with the Actual Checksum.
• Actual Checksum: Shows the checksum stored in the BIOS. A mismatch here could indicate corruption or that the BIOS was modified without applying a new checksum.
• Rescan BIOS: Forces the editor to interprate the BIOS again, based on the data in memory. If you e.g. change the Board ID and hit Rescan BIOS, the BIOS will be handled like a BIOS from a different device. When rescanning the BIOS, it is likely that the integrity LED in the Info section will show yellow when you have modified anything on the BIOS. That is because of the modifications and the old checksum doesn't match the new data. A new correct checksum will always be written when the file is saved.

Memory Timings Tab

The following tab, the Timings Tab, contains all related details about the memory timings. As you know each NVIDIA graphics card comes with different memory modules. This can be different brands, specifications, speeds...and the control we have over the memory is basically all about the timings that are used.

There are two ways to edit memory timings, one for GeForce FX 5xxx BIOS files and one for the newer GeForce 6xxx/7xxx series cards. The way of editing timings is chosen automatically depending on your card type (and the BIOS that comes from it).

For the GeForce FX 5xxx series cards you can edit the memory timings stored for each performance mode. For the GeForce 6xxx series cards you can edit the timing values loaded into the GPU registers, e.g. "Timingset0" for "NV_PFB_TIMING0", "Timingset1" for "NV_PFB_TIMING1", etc...

Note that there are 8 sets of memory timings in a GeForce 6xxx/7xxx series BIOS, you can select the set to edit by using the Timingset drop down menu. Depending on your memory hardware configuration, one of these sets is used by your card. You have to edit only one set, not all.

Next to the display of the TimingSet selection box and the Timings value display you will find as well extra options:

• AutoSelect TimingSet: By using this function you will get a popup which will ask you to select the Device from which you would like to know the actual Timings used. You may ask why a Select Device question? Well you might have more then one NVIDIA graphics card installed (like when you are running SLI) and then you will need to know the Timings of both cards... The Select Device window will show you all available cards.

  

  Once you have selected the graphics card you would like to know the Timings from you will get a window saying which TimingSet you card can use. This TimingSet is specific for the memory used on your video card. If you want to change the Timings then you will need to stay within the same TimingSet and change the actual values.
• Detailed Timings: This opens a form where people can edit the currently selected TimingSet more detailed. Timing0 is fully deciphered into tRC, tRFC, tRAS and tRP. Timing1 is not yet deciphered yet and Timing2 is partly deciphered into tRCDRD, tRCDWR and tRRD. Currently this is only available for the GeForce 6/7 series.

  

• Test Timings: Opens a form where the user can read the current Timings from the card with the Get Timings function and write them via the Set Timings function. The timings are read/written from the GPU registers, which is only temporary until reboot. This is for advanced users and setting some wrong timings will most likely cause display errors and lockup the PC.

  

You will find as well on each of these a very nice Help Function to explain you what certain fields mean and how they can be used for gain extra performance, more stability or more overclocking room