ATI bios selection

[papasmurf]

I've heard many things about flashing ati cards, many I believe to be myths and many seem to have a shred of truth to them.

Firstly on the issue of the secondary video controller on my ati9700 <-what is it's function? I assume it's the dvi controller though I strain to understand why it would need a driver for that.

Secondly the issue of device id, does my r9700 have the same device id as a 9500pro and a 9700pro? because that seems to be the case. WHY not make seperate dev ids so that the drivers can recognize the different cards? there are different drivers for the cards with the same id why not make it easier for us damnit?

Thirdly I have heard things about people with 9500pros and 9700's flashing to a r9800 bios...WHY? besides the higher default clock speed of these bios (easily created with a bios editor in their own bios)is there any benefit?

Fourthly why the hell did I have to flash my cards bios in order to install drivers of any sort manually or automatically and why does it think I have a r9500 when I try the automatic install (previously it wouldn't find the card and error out) I flashed it to a r9700pro bios and have tried several 9700pro bios's I have found with the same result. I suspect it is related to the similar device id of the r300 based cards.

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[GeneticWeapon]

Flashing your cards bios <b>can</b> give you the advantage of faster memory timings...it's not about simply upping your clock speeds permanently. 9500Pro users dont flash R9800 bios's to their cards, but they do sometimes use a modified R9700 bios to unlock their clock settings(which are locked by default)
In the days when I was using a 9500Pro, I didnt know about editing my own bios, so I used a bios that was tried and true for my exact card type that I got from Sivadselim @ Rage3D.

<b>9800 3DMark03 Score =</b> <b><font color=red>5,342</b></font color=red>
<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=1666744" target="_new">http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=1666744</A>

 

[kinney]

<A HREF="http://discuss.futuremark.com/forum/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=techdisplayadapters&Number=2712704&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=1" target="_new">Q&A on flashing ATI cards</A>
<A HREF="http://www.ocfaq.com/softmod/bios.php" target="_new">All ATI bios</A>

I dont think it would be wise to update a 9500/9700 to a 9800 series card. There are probably some optimizations done in the bios that might affect speed but there are added features in hardware (F-Buffer) that could lead to making your card useless.
But I think the worst that could happen in reality is you have to flash back blind.. or with a PCI card.

As far as the secondary video controller... I dont really know. Like you said it is for the dual output.

I flashed my 9800NP to a pro and had good results.. but I had to experiment with the bios on that page to find the best. For me, the one dated earliest, ATI branded 9800 Pro worked the best.

Some vary in memory timings and made my card run like molasses (probably due to tighter timings it couldnt handle).
I think that the ATI branded bios generally have more leanient timings as they allow me to o/c higher.

But IMHO, flashing only is good for your ego.. if you can use the rage3d tweak and o/c it to whatever card you want then its the same thing.
But if it does work at that speed 24/7 then you might as well find a bios that allows you too.

It will increase the value of the card if you are unscrupulous like myself .
If you follow my path, you flash the thing and sell it. Then wait for NV40.

You're right this is great hardware but the drivers are lacking. They arent terrible, but functional.
This is how most all ATI software support has been for me always.
Funny watching them fumble over serious issues with their Catalyst drivers.

----
I just tell it like it is and some can't handle it. If your experience is different, well congratu-fukulation.
<b>I’M NOT A ATI FANBOY, I’M NOT A NV FANBOY, I’M A STABILITY FANBOY</b>

 

[Crashman]

1.) The function of that secondary controller is the second (DVI/TV) output. Don't blame ATI, blame Microsoft, it's the best (maybe only) way to get XP (and probably 2000/NT) to use the outputs independantly.

2.) The 9500, 9500 Pro, and 9700pro/non-pro, use exactly the same driver files. These all use the same chip, the R300.

3.) Flash a 9700 to 9800, you get the "new features of the R350 chip", which are not actually chip features, but driver features. The driver looks at the card and decides whether or not to use the newer features based on that BIOS. As far as I know there are no functional differences between the R300 and R350 chip, the R350 was simply revised to reduce hot spots and allow higher clocks, the rest is "smoke and mirrors" (software).

4.) Maybe. It should detect your card as a 9700 series. Or a 9500/9700 series. At any rate, since the speed differences between the 9500/pro/9700/pro are hardware (not related to the driver), it shouldn't affect performance.

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[papasmurf]

Thanks guys great answers, I appreciate it.

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[papasmurf]

the r350 is built at a lower process so that's the only real differance as far as I can tell I'll try a flash to r9800 and hey if it works woot and if it doesn't I'm experianced in the art of recovering with a pci vid card lol

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[papasmurf]

I flashed her to a 9800np from ati infineon yet I got some serious tweakage on boot with that bios, some letters would be missing and others replaced with strange symbols and then it just wen't crazy in windows. I switched back to my 9700pro bios and all was better but I'm gonna try another 9800 bios just to be sure that wasn't just a wierd one.

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