X800-X850 AGP/PCIx POSSIBLE EXTRA PIPE UNLOCKING

[dolf]

Owners of "not-modable" X800 and X850 cards AGP and PCIx I believe that Xmas has come for all of us. I consider that ATI's secret was solved (from me :D ).
W1zzard you say "no sir" when I proposed to get out of the box and to search for something simple.

The solution could be genius and meanwhile very simple but the simple things are not always genius. :rolleyes:
I hope that you were not right saiyng that. Yes the solution is simple "like bean" and now I am 99.9% sure that I know how to do it :D :D :D

My suspicion about very sophisticated core protection gave a proof (laser cut is protection but the reason for doing this is different than just protection, all cores are the same after production and before testing and marking ;) ). The transformation takes place later on but only with lase cut (one or two).

The problem with extra pipe unlocking on all "not modable" cards could be solved easy. Other issue is how the unlocked pipes will perform. But the second good thing is that the modification is 100% convertible. Every pipe squad (4 pipes) could be shut out at any time.

It becomes too late and I am going to sleep. Tomorrow I will explane how the mod can be done with examples and pictures.

Good night :)

[Don__1]

This'll be interesting !




































Or not !

[dolf]

Very funny, if there isn't interest on my modest resurch of how to unlock the extra pipes on R420...........R480 cores I can keep the results for me :rolleyes: . But I don't even have such "locked" card :D . Why am I loosing my time with this :confused: ;)

[mizio57]

is very interesting

[W1zzard]

i'm listening to your ideas. trust me, people are interested. if you dont want to discuss this in public: w1zzard@techpowerup.com

[Don__1]

Of course we are interested.
It's just that we are so interested that we actually want to see how to do it as we don't know.
So, how do you do it ?

[fresko995]

I can't wait until you tell us ur secret!! I'm almost desperated with my non-unlockable Sapphire X800Pro non-VIVO (GC20-memory). I've flashed a whole bunch of BIOSes, all without success.
I've used conductive pen to close the lasercut-separated "pins" on the die.
My GPU is a newer one:
215RAACGA12F
GG0967.1
0502AA

I'm very anxious to hear from your good news, Dolf.

[dolf]

Ok fresko you will be the first and also the honor will be for you. I presume that you have R420 X800PRO Non VIVO with 2.0ns ram. Don't worry it will "reveal" his pipes, trust me:D . But there are no guarantee that pipes will work properly and you have to be ready for that.
It will be necessary to connect the laser cut but not only. I will attach picture and you have to find out the place on the back of the card's PCB. It will be necessary to unsolder / solder very small resistor. If you can't do it find somebody who can. :confused:

Today I have sent all the materials (results of my study) concerning pipes to w1zzard and hope that he can prepare some modding guide soon.

Now you have everything needed.

Success and don't forget to post feedback. :D

[W1zzard]

i replied to your email dolf, but no reply from you so far

[djbbenn]

Yes this iwll be intersting to see, but its a shame it won't help me cause my pipes are defective lol.

-Dan

[fresko995]

Damn, Dolf, UR DA MAN!!!!!
HOW did u find out about that resistor-stuff??? I'm impressed. You must have made some substantial inquiries... comparing many PCBs (or photos of them) against eachother.
I'm gonna give it a try; fortunately i know a friend who's a specialist in SMD-soldering. cause the resistors there a pretty small and presumably one has to work very carefully. Not to forget that some kind of "magnifying glass" will be required...
I'll keep you posted about my success. Even if the last quad of pipelines should not actually be functioning - what counts for me is the way you showed us how to probably unlock pipelines of ANY X8X0-PRO-card.
Thank you very much again.

EDIT: below's the RivaTuner-analysis before the resistor-mod. register 990 is supposed to change after the mod, i assume?

[dolf]

W1zzard 1 hour ago I have sent the materials through yahoo. But pictures are big and I have to split them in two packs. Also I have sent a pdf file with the results of the research on the address given by you.
Please check it again and if there is nothing received alarm me. I will send them again. But probably it will happen in the morning.

Regards

[fresko995]

By the way dolf, do you happen to know where i can get an X800XT-non-VIVO-BIOS? or can this be done by Rabit-bios-editor (hack regular XT-vivo-BIOS)?
by flashing a non-VIVO-bios the annoying devicemanager-issue because of missing Rage-Theater-Chip would be solved.

[dolf]

Just lieing in the bed and thinking few hours. Of course closer look on my X800XT PE, background in electronics, ;) incredible ability to see the obvious ;) which is inaccessible for the others even it is obvious. Haveing idea what means logistic and how difficult is to manage many goods. And some other merits but enough for me let's be humble :p ;) :D .

Guys I have also very nice BIOS modds 256MB 9800XT to 128MB 9800XT with Overdrive and 2.8ns memory. The BIOSes are for 128MB PRO cards with XT PCB. But I am sure that nobody have seen this also posted here. But the questions are like a rain. Most of the issues are allready explaned in the forum.

See you tomorrow.

[W1zzard]

in your pdf: "this resistor blocks the 4th quad" .. the resistor is used for "video capture enabled" according to (pretty reliable) information i have. this would also explain why it is enabled on vivo/xt/xtpe since all those have vivo

did you actually try the mod with success?

[dolf]

I have no card with locked pipes to try. As you can see only one resistor moves. If you have card available you can check with multimer the resistance (connection) between laser cut ends (one end needed) and the middle pad of the resistor which can be moved. On the PCB I saw some other posibilities for changing the resistor configuration but I am almost 99.9% sure that this is the resistor. Ofcourse there is 0.1% chance to make mistake but we will see.

[dolf]

Yes fresko edit the BIOS with RaBit and uncheck (disable) the VIVO feature after that save the new BIOS (.bin or .rom it isn't important). There is NO guarantee that the mod proposed by me will work, but you have nothing to lose if you try. The best will be to have 16 pipes (this will be equal to correct deducation from my side :D ). The worst will be still 12 pipes and twice moving the resistor (this will be equal to incorrect deducation from my side :mad: ).

Case two means bad news for all the people waiting development in pipe modding (unlocking). But the life is cruel :rolleyes: .

[W1zzard]

i agree with dolf - please try this mod

[dolf]

Guys the key hides in the information. It is possible to have also some differences in the resistor configuratin on the front side of the "unlockable" cards (I mean PRO's without VIVO) but I haven't pictures with high resolution to compare with. (Pictures of both sides will be well accepted - without heatsink of course). The PN (Part Number of the PCB - on the top of the front side something like PN 109-Axxxxx-xx) is also important. These simple things can help to solve the problem with pipe unlocking which is good for all ;) .
Almost everywhare I can find XT pictures but not PRO :( . You should thing about this because wrong (insufficient) information = wrong conclusion. ;)

If you have such pics or if you cam make them use my mail: vgd_new@yahoo.com

[dolf]

Fresko one more thing dump the original BIOS of your PRO before to the resistor mod. After finishing with the hardmod don't flash it but dump the BIOS again. Name these BIOSes with "before" and "after" and send them to vgd_new@yahoo.com to see the difference. After that run RivaTuner with the command line RivaTuner.exe /rr990 /rr994 /rr99c /rr402c and also post the result. Meanwhile you can check the nunber of pipes with ATITool (probably 12).

Now you can flash modded XT (disabled VIVO) and again ATITool, RivaTuner and finally techpowerup :D

Successssssss

[SPHERE]

I don't think those are used for pipe locking :/ i think that they are used for indicating wether or not the vivo features are installed

Edit: lol wizzard beat me lol!

[dolf]

Sean it is true (they are responsible for the VIVO chip) and also other resistors which changes their places. From the front side of the PCB has the same "resistor panel" which is equal on PRO, XT.
Resistor/s configuration is the way to block on the hardware level the number of active pipes but like combination with BIOS. In fact BIOS does that.
The BIOS itself has sections with constant data (programmed) and sections with variable data. Based on that it generates commands. (For example number of active pipe lines).
Let imagine that for 4 working quads (16 pipes) it is necessary to have four logical "1". XT BIOS reads the info coming from the hardware (let accept 8 bits - 01010101) it generates 16 pipe configuration.
But if we have hardware blockage (01010100) BIOS compares the data and generates 12 pipe configuration. You can obtain 00 in the last bit connecting the reading point to GND. You can't unlock the remaining pipes with connecting the bridge (laser cut).

With this idea I don't want to say that moving resistor N4 will 100% unlock the pipes (probably it is necessary to move also 2 or 3 resistors in order to obtain a XT resistor configuration) but I am trying to say that I belive that the secret is hiden in the PCB resistor configuration not in the core itself :)

If we change the resistor configuration (4 resistors at all on the back side) from PRO to XT we can lie the BIOS that is XT board even without VIVO chip and to get 16 pipes. If I have such X8x0 PRO for sure I would do all these changes step by step and will follow the change/s in the core registers with RivaTuner until I get needed result. Something more - the only resistor connected to GND on PRO board is R577. It is also directly connected to the core. All other "configurable" resistors are connected to GND on XT and on the second position on PRO. Back the R577 is connected to GND only on PRO bords. I will pledge money on R577. ;)

I haven't problem with pipe unlocking because my card is X800XT but yet I am trying to do something. Probably I will not be able to do it at first attempt but it is only one battle :D . (It happens with 9800XT 128 BIOS modding. It takes me two months to find what I looked for but I succeed :D )

I start to think for buying X800PRO NON VIVO and to work on it but it does't make any sense :cool: ?

Enough for today.

[Don__1]

What has happened to this idea ? Has it died a death or has anyone bothered to try it ?

[dolf]

I am still waiting fresko995 to do some try and to post results. :confused:

Nobody has dare to do hardmod and it is understandable having idea how small the resistors are but all of these people who have such cards prefer to flash them thousands of times but not to try something different.

I have background in electronic and can say that it is possible the last quad to be disabled by fuseing (w1zzard told me and some other people - which is permanent :mad: ) after testing but as long as it is not proved I will consider that there is no sense to make laser cut after fuseing :confused: :rolleyes: .

If I was so desperate with pipe unlocking for sure I would try this and also some other resistors movements (2 more) to see how it influences register 990 in RivaTuner and whether the resistor position/s influences something in general.

This will give the real answer about pipe unlocking possibility ;) :D .

[dolf]

About X850XT PCIx and X850PRO the cores are equal but are marked with gold/silver dots. Gold means 16 working pipes, silver 12 working pipes. The last quad is disabled by removing of two - core power supply elements (XT - 8, PRO - 6). You can't unlock the pipes by flashing BIOS. It is probably possible if some enthusiast adds the missing components. Even here I don't believe that the pipes are fused but for sure it means that ATI predicts the option to switch off every quad (or at least last) separately!!!!
In R420 probably such option is not foreseed but there is some way to block the last quad (laser cut, BIOS lock, PCB resistor configuration and finally fuseing :( )

It would be interesting to see RivaTuner results from X850XT PCIx and X850PRO Non VIVO or other with unlockable pipes.

But I don't see any interest of the people even doing soooooo easy operation like starting the command line in RivaTuner and posting these fuc.....g results which can help to somebody searching the answers :D .

[SPHERE]

About X850XT PCIx and X850PRO the cores are equal but are marked with gold/silver dots. Gold means 16 working pipes, silver 12 working pipes. The last quad is disabled by removing of two - core power supply elements (XT - 8, PRO - 6). You can't unlock the pipes by flashing BIOS. It is probably possible if some enthusiast adds the missing components. Even here I don't believe that the pipes are fused but for sure it means that ATI predicts the option to switch off every quad (or at least last) separately!!!!
In R420 probably such option is not foreseed but there is some way to block the last quad (laser cut, BIOS lock, PCB resistor configuration and finally fuseing :( )

It would be interesting to see RivaTuner results from X850XT PCIx and X850PRO Non VIVO or other with unlockable pipes.

But I don't see any interest of the people even doing soooooo easy operation like starting the command line in RivaTuner and posting these fuc.....g results which can help to somebody searching the answers :D .
no offence dude but i think you are asumeing way too much :/

[dolf]

Again very constructive criticism but just criticism. If everybody really knows but really knows even one little part of these cards (even one resistor is responsible for what) and to keep that for himself it is "offence". I really hope that to think is still no offence. Just look the cards dude and if you find out something so wrong in the above kill me.

OK enough efforts from my side to discover the wheel or "even" to fly. The human body is designed for walking but not but not for flying :confused: . I will fully agree with this :D .

[kurik]

I have a x800pro vivo pci-e (built by ati) that i have tried to unlock pipes on. I have connected the bridge (lasercut) but that ofc didnt work out, so if this is a new idea to unlock, NICE. But and this is a big but.... i cant say i have the skills to unsolder and solder back the resistor as I have never done anything like that before, and if my card would break I couldnt afford a new one at this point, so I dont dare to try, and as always nobody wants to be the one trying first unless u grow d0llars on trees. I really hope someone tries this out tho, to confirm.

[klootzakje]

i sent u an email dolf... might be interresting :) plz read it and reply :O

[dolf]

Yes klootzakje it would be interesting for me to see pictures of the PCB (core) of your card (please also attach the PN of your PCB). What type is your card PCIx or AGP?
After receiving of the photos I will see what I can do for you :)

Please also start the RivaTuner (how you can see on the previous pages) and send me the result ;) .

[klootzakje]

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4392/front17rd.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/9222/front24ug.jpg

if u want more, just ask :)

u want me to do the rivatuner thing? i'll have to mount my cooler onto my card again and stick it in my pc... so i'd rather first hear if the pics are good? :)


edit :
here's my rivatuner info,
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8325/x800rxinfo7cl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[dolf]

Pictures of the back side please :) .

[klootzakje]

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/7972/back11ff.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/796/back23fl.jpg

here you are... hope they're good enough, if not, i'll take out my card again :)

[Shyska]

Is this Powercolor's x800gt? If so i could take my boards photos, it's Sapphires x800gt with 423 core. I haven't tried to do anything with it cause my rr990 = eff3bfff, also i'm so green in this area, that i'm afraid to turn my card green as well (supposedly i do it all alone, i will definitely screw it up...)

[klootzakje]

no my card is a club3d x800rx(gt)

[Shyska]

no my card is a club3d x800rx(gt)

And they sold one that i have ordered.. Ghrrr... If i find out this Sapphire is 432...

[Freddy23]

According to Rene Froelecke (Technical Marketing Manager) from ATI, unlocking extra piplines from the X800GT should be possible!

English Translation...sry, i'm not an interpreter ;)

Translation interviewer: Do we need a hardware-mod to enable the pixelpipelines or will it be possible with a tool like RivaTuner?

Translation RF: I don't know how we disabled the pixelpipelines. In the past we did it with a substate, but I'm not sure how we solved the "problem" with the GT's. But those, who really want to enable the extra pipelines will surely be able to do so.


Entire Interview in german is available here:
http://www.ati-news.de/HTML/Berichte/GC/2005/GC2005-Teil3-Seite1.shtml

[Shyska]

According to Rene Froelecke (Technical Marketing Manager) from ATI, unlocking extra piplines from the X800GT should be possible!

English Translation...sry, i'm not an interpreter ;)

Translation interviewer: Do we need a hardware-mod to enable the pixelpipelines or will it be possible with a tool like RivaTuner?

Translation RF: I don't know how we disabled the pixelpipelines. In the past we did it with a substate, but I'm not sure how we solved the "problem" with the GT's. But those, who really want to enable the extra pipelines will surely be able to do so.


Entire Interview in german is available here:
http://www.ati-news.de/HTML/Berichte/GC/2005/GC2005-Teil3-Seite1.shtml


OMG! i'm taking that fan right away!

[Shyska]

Ok, there is my baby:

front
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2554/front14pa.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=front14pa.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/9567/front21si.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=front21si.jpg)
back
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/233/back16ed.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=back16ed.jpg)
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2711/back21kc.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=back21kc.jpg)
Riva
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1499/riva7qi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


And i'm a little bit confused there - it says X800SE!??

[Shyska]

Hehe, connected laser cut and there are my 12 pipes, will try other dots for another 4 later :DD

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6802/12pipes3il.th.jpg (http://img301.imageshack.us/my.php?image=12pipes3il.jpg)

[dolf]

Klootzakje I have inspected your pictures carefully and compare them with X850XT PCIx but can't find difference in resistor configuration. The PCB's are equal at the first look but in fact are a bit different. Your does't have two elements on the right-top side of the back (VIVO and some elements responsible for VIVO). I presume that is the core energy supply elements (could you please chech whether these chips are electricaly connected each by the other in parallel or they are separate by pairs and conected to core? You SHOULD remove the card from the PC).

I think that you can forget about last quad (16 pipes) but 12 you should have. I hope that you flashed with PRO BIOS useing "modified" flashrom. If not try with this modified flashrom which you can find here http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100 and post results.
I will inspect it once again during the weekend to see can I find something interesting. :)

[dolf]

Shyska you shouldn't have second laser cut :confused: . But if somehow you discover it please report about the result after connecting. I am almost convinced that you will haven't got the last 4 pipes due to some missing elements on the back (top-right) side of the PCB and probably (according my theory) resistor R577 should be moved on position R576. :)

But it is great that you achieve 12 pipes because it fall in with my idea about PRO and XT PCB's. You have classic PRO board designed for 12 pipes and laser cut on the right is has applied to disable the 3th quad (8 pipes). After connecting the bridge you have the pipes. :D

[klootzakje]

@ shyshaomg nice :D !!

[klootzakje]

Klootzakje I have inspected your pictures carefully and compare them with X850XT PCIx but can't find difference in resistor configuration. The PCB's are equal at the first look but in fact are a bit different. Your does't have two elements on the right-top side of the back (VIVO and some elements responsible for VIVO). I presume that is the core energy supply elements (could you please chech whether these chips are electricaly connected each by the other in parallel or they are separate by pairs and conected to core? You SHOULD remove the card from the PC).

I think that you can forget about last quad (16 pipes) but 12 you should have. I hope that you flashed with PRO BIOS useing "modified" flashrom. If not try with this modified flashrom which you can find here http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100 and post results.
I will inspect it once again during the weekend to see can I find something interesting. :)

you want me to measure something? if so, could you plz show me in one of my pics what to measure? :D

[dolf]

Klootzakje, look your last picture of the back side. There are 6 chips and two empty places (top-right).
1. What is writen on the chips?
2. Please if you can measure whether these chips are electriaclly connected in parallel or are separate and are connected to the core?
They all can be connected also to GND or power supplay also!

Finally what flashrom did you used when flashed PRO BIOS? If not try with modified flashrom and post your result (I think that you should have 12 pipes) :confused:

[Pinksteady]

Hi all, this does make interesting (and baffling) reading! I've got a Gigabyte X800Pro 256Mb and am always up for a bit of modding and tweaking! Not sure I can do this soldering myself though, so if someone lives in the south of England, then let me know and they can have a go trying out this mod on my card! I can put pics up if you like, would be nice to know if ANYONE has tried this succesfully though!

All I know is that some cards have 12 and some have 16 and the spare 4 can be unlocked. That is the extent of my technical know-how on this topic!

(I might add that with a Arctic Cooling ATI Silencer 4 rev.2 I overclocked this baby to 540/540 and it didn't even go over 40C!)

[fresko995]

Hi Dolf

sorry for my late answer. the guy who could the soldering work for me was on holiday last week.
this evening, he performed the mod, exactly as you instructed me: connecting the lasercut using conductive pen and moving the resistor from position 577 to position 576 (right below = also the fourth position from the left).

before the mod i had reflashed my original x800pro-bios from sapphire. after the mod i directly went into atitool and.... no luck! still 12pipes!! afterwards i tried to flash a modified X800XT-bios (without ragetheater-chip-stuff) using the most recent atiflash-tool and the "-newbios"-switch in order to not preserving the old asic-settings. guess what? still only 12 pipes!!!! the soldering work was done very carefully using a binocular and a professional smd-soldering-iron. the good thing is, the card works as well as before. no lockups in 3d-games. so i guess i don't have to resolder the resistor.

earlier in this thread i had posted my rivatuner-register-results. now the actual results are posted below. only the last digit in register 994 has changed.
enclosed is also a not very sharp image of the backside of my X800Pro (after the resistor mod was done). you should be able to see the new position of the resistor.

I'm beginning to believe that ATI might build indeed "TRUE" X800Pro's with 4 pipelines disabled on the GPU itself! and this chip could also be the base for other variants which only have 8 pipelines. so that one could only activate 4 more pipes. meaning they have produced 16-pipes gpu's and 12-pipes gpu's.
or do you have some other ideas about resistor-re-positioning?

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/9922/dsc000816zg.th.jpg (http://img236.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000816zg.jpg)

[W1zzard]

fresko: 994 changed by only moving the resistor? you did nothing else? ie. flash another bios

[4g0ny]

i have the same (r420) card but with a red pcb?
anyway , Dolf, dont you have an electric component scheme of x800 pro 420 or Klootzakje's r480 ?
(btw im a friend of Klootzakje)
i watched Klootzakje measure the chips via webcam, giving instructions as he went on,
i couldnt see whether the chips are parallel or direct, but measuring gives weird values and isnt really reliable, do you know any other way to discover whether the last quad is there or not? and do you know anything for my card?
i can probably solder the resistor but if it doesnt work, i dont know if i can put it back..
plz , answer! :)

[fresko995]

yes, wizzard, register 994 has changed (last bit) from "e" to "f", by performing the resoldering of resistor. the laser-cut-"reconnect" had been done before the resistormod (when i posted my first rivatuner diag results).
that would at least mean, that actually something HAS changed but that it did not unlock the 4 pipes :(

[4g0ny]

fresko, can you check in atitool, if there is a setting where you can enable the pipe by software? i remember atitool having an option but i couldnt change it cause i didnt do the mods ..

(edit) or maybe update videocard drivers cause the pipes are also a registry entry in windows (and do tell me if im completely off)

[W1zzard]

atitool cant enable pipelines

nor does the video card driver change pipeline configuration on the x800 series

[4g0ny]

hmm i thought it could, on the geforce 6X00 series its possible to unlock pipes trough rivatuner/registry so i was kinda lead by that :)


though i am still puzzled on why fresko didnt succeed in doing the mod.. he did it according to dolfs ideas, so why shouldnt it work? :confused:

[klootzakje]

yeah it's weird, though i doubt the theory of ati making seperate 12 and 16 pipeline cards so that there's nothing to unlock...
let's wait 'n listen what dolf has to say about this :)

[dolf]

Welcome back Fresko995. Sorry to here that you still have only 12 pipes after conducting resistor position mod :( .
Are you absolutely sure that the laser cut was connected before the resistor moveing and reg.994 changes after moveing of the resistor 576 to 577? Alexey Nikolaychuk (creator of RivaTuner) presumes that laser cut should affect reg. 994 :confused: .

If the card works normally I thing that it isn't necessary to move the resistor back.

There are 2 more differences in the resistor positions of the back side of the PCB but they are connected to GND on XT and on the second position on PRO cards :mad: . If you still have nerves to play with this card I will observe my X800XT again and will see whether is possible to do something more.

But in order to justify our efforts PLEASE CONFIRM once again that reg. 994 changes after moveing the resistor not after connecting the bridge!?

Please if you have copys of the BIOS before and after resistor move send them to me.

Finally - yes I have to admit ( :mad: :mad: :mad: ) that the core can have fused quad which is one-way unfortunatelly but let think optimistic. It was only one battle WE have war to win :)

[fresko995]

Dolf, unfortunately I can't say for sure what action DID change the register 994 - simply because my first "mod", i.e. the lasercut-reconnect was probably done not very carefully and that it actually was done properly not until the second time when I had the binocular available (this helped us a LOT in order to do the soldering work with the very tiny resistors....). and the second time we have scraped the surface between the laser-dots better before reapplying the conductive pen.
That simply means: the last digit of reg. 994 might have changed because of the "bridgeing" the laser dots and that the resistor-move did affect the registers in no way.

BTW, I have re-checked the resistor-resoldering using a multimeter. link is ok.
I wish we had a documentation by ATI covering the "PCB layout secrets of X800 series graphic cards" :D - still hoping that the disabled pipes are not "hard-fused" on the GPU itself!!

[dolf]

Fresko so do I still hope. I have also other idea to check whether and how BIOS reacts on the PCB differences (I also want to have full electric drawings of all ATI PCB's and cores but....... :rolleyes: ).

I will flash my X800XT PE with your XT BIOS dump but with VIVO features enabled (you have to flash once again your card with XT BIOS but with VIVO enabled) and to send me "after"-BIOS dump. I will need the original source BIOS also.

(Just for your information I am currently useing ATI X800XT PE BIOS (Jun 9th 2004 6:28 PM) from http://www.techpowerup.com/bios/).

Please also to send me your current XT BIOS dump (probably you have disabled VIVO) and the source XT BIOS with already disabled VIVO.

Later probably w1zzard can and will help us to define the pipe information in the BIOS and how it looks like :confused:

The fight continues ;) :D

[W1zzard]

if you hold the shift key while clicking on "settings" in atitool, the info window where pipelines are listed, will have the fuses information on the bottom.. unfortunately no details are known about the encoding of the two values

[klootzakje]

Klootzakje, look your last picture of the back side. There are 6 chips and two empty places (top-right).
1. What is writen on the chips?
2. Please if you can measure whether these chips are electriaclly connected in parallel or are separate and are connected to the core?
They all can be connected also to GND or power supplay also!


on the chips it's written:
59n03s
ak 511

and i/we think theyre parralel but not sure...


anything more?

[dolf]

I think that is enough but what you have done with your card? Did you flash it with modified flashrom?
And what is the result?

Please look the previous post from w1zzard and post the result from ATITool in order to collect data.

:) Thanks preliminary

[klootzakje]

i think i used the normal flashrom and flashed a x850 pro 2.0ns bios onto my card... the only bios of several i tried that accually flashed onto it...
it didnt change my 8 pipelines offcourse, it only changed the hardware name of my card to x850 pro, and made my default speed as high as a x850 pro (507/520) i'll brb and stick my x800 in again make the atitool settings screenshot

edit :
here y'are
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8343/atitoolshift1qd.jpg

want me to flash back to my original bios? or is this info also good?

[fresko995]

Hi Dolf,
as requested, enclosed are the files you wish to analyze.
the first one is the dump of the X800XT-PE BIOS by ATI that you're using on your own card (DL'ed from techpowerup's BIOS collection) after having flashed onto card (w/VIVO enabled).
second one is the same as the first one, but before flash.
third one is a modified X800XT-PE-BIOS dump without VIVO-features (no yellow exclamation marks in device manager).
the fourth is the same as the third but not "dumped" --> source BIOS before flash.
and last but not least the fifth is the dump of my ORIGINAL X800Pro-BIOS by Sapphire, BEFORE having done ANY modification to the card.

hopefully you'll be able to spot any important differences among those firmwares which might give you some more idea how the disabling of the pipelines is done on X800-series graphic cards.

thanx for all the brain work and efforts you've made so far!

[klootzakje]

thanx for all the brain work and efforts you've made so far!

i to-ta-lly agree with you :D :D

[dolf]

Fresko, klootzakje THANKS to you guys and to all other that wants to help with something for our common interest. :)

I will keep you informed for all that I discover (good or bad).

Klootzakje, please use the modified flashrom to flash your card with PRO BIOS useing -f -p command and report whether the number of pipelines changes?
More you can find here: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100

I will attach the modified flashrom (I am recommending it because it is more familiar to me, win flash could also be used)

Success

[klootzakje]

oke i will,when i get back from work :) thnx

[W1zzard]

i suggest you only use the modified flashrom (not winflash or any other dos flashing utils from ati) for such experiments, because those tools may not overwrite the whole bios. as you can see in the x800 pro vivo article, ati's tool preserves the pipeline settings area.

[dolf]

W1zzard thanks a lot for the ATITool information (I think that the results in ATITool repeats the RivaTuner results). But have you any idea from where it takes the information?
From BIOS or from somewhere else?

Thanks preliminary :)

[W1zzard]

its the same information rivatuner shows .. it's just that i didnt not want to reveal this feature to the public in the past

the information is read directly from the gpu chip .. the rom fuses are stored inside the bios and can be changed but they have no effect if die/substrate fuses are present

[SPHERE]

you should make this public dude :)

[F!reF0X]

Here's some extra gb_pipe_select info. Its from a stock sapphire x800 pro (NON VIVO).

[klootzakje]

dolf? which kinda extension should your zipped file have? it hasn't got any ??

[Don__1]

dolf? which kinda extension should your zipped file have? it hasn't got any ??

If your on about the "flashrom16" file from an earlier post then it has the standard .zip extension. It downloads here just fine.

[ChAce]

Why oh why is it that nVidia cards can simply be unlocked through software (RivaTurner), while ATi cards have to be either bios modded (in a lucky case) or hardmodded? Surely there must be some way to unlock them through software aswell? But well, I guess we'd have seen that program had it been possible. Bios flashing is not the slightest problem but hardmodding can always be dangerous.

[klootzakje]

If your on about the "flashrom16" file from an earlier post then it has the standard .zip extension. It downloads here just fine.
lol but when i unzip it it doesnot have an extension ;o

edit :
tried changing it to .com and .exe but it didnt work :confused:

[Don__1]

Oh yeah.

[ChAce]

lol but when i unzip it it doesnot have an extension ;o

edit :
tried changing it to .com and .exe but it didnt work :confused:
lol, you put it on the floppy and use dos commands to use it, your computer will understand you "little asshole" :p

[kurik]

Hi.

Ive been watching this thread closely for a week or so, and my hope is still there that we can make this work. So, I figured i could contribute a little to your research. I attatched the info ATItool gives.

I have done the following "mods" to my card.

I connected the "lasercut" with conductive paint, after that i flashed bios with various 16pipe pcie bios versions. But I didnt have any luck unlocking pipes. My x800pro vivo (built by ati) pci-e is still in 12pipe mode. At the moment my bios is the original i got with the card, and the screenie is taken with that bios installed (if that matters).

Cheers, and good work you guys do! Thumbs up!

//Kurik

[SPHERE]

acording to that pic it looks like you are out of luck dude :/

[dolf]

Klootzakje, sorry for the misunderstanding but it is clear that firewall stops all the executables I have forgot that. Download the flashrom16 from here: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100

Success :)

[klootzakje]

thanks :) will do it tonight again, now i'm going to work :(

[klootzakje]

here i flashed a x850 pro bios onto it and the 3e2 changed to 3e0

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1255/atitoolshift20he.jpg

i also flashed a x850 xt bios onto it

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/3411/atitoolshiftxt9ni.jpg

but offcourse still 8 pipelines :(

[W1zzard]

yep rom fuses can be freely changed by changing the bios, but they seem to have no effect if die/substrate fuses are in effect

[dolf]

Klootzakje, even failed in opening the 3 quad (12 pipes) it gaves more information about the cause and way of locking. At present you can't have 12 pipes but I still have a hope and new idea but we have to be patient. It is more radical than resistor config. and I need time and info in order to prove/disprove it.

In order to have 12 pipes I presume that is necessary to obtain "f" in the last place in CONFIG_SUBSTRATE_FUSES 0xFFFFFF9D (your). It have to be 0xFFFFFFxF

For 16 pipes on SE is not reasonable to tnink but on PRO is very nice idea. To have 16 pipes it is necessary to have "F" on 5th position in CONFIG_DIE_FUSES 0xFFFF9FFF (your). It should be 0xffffFfff.
If we find how to unlock doesn't matter which quad (3 or 4) we will unlock the remaining because the mechanism of lockind is the same.

Thanks for the great job done :)

[klootzakje]

how can i/we help ? i don't mind trying hardmods or making more detailled pics, if you say which piece(s) of the card you pictures of

[dolf]

Guys thanks a lot in advance for the support. When the time comes I will again turn to you for help. But first I have to play with my own card and when I am ready will ask you for just measurings. I will need (I have to collect) data base to compare with. Arm yoursef with multimeter and patience because I need some time ;) .

"The hard times requires drastic measures :D "

[Megatron]

http://www.doomiii.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Fuses.jpg
http://www.doomiii.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/FusesXLbios.jpg

Powercolor x800gt tried a x800xl bios still 8 pipes

Something of interest?:
http://xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1033705&postcount=10

[klootzakje]

http://www.doomiii.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Fuses.jpg
http://www.doomiii.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/FusesXLbios.jpg

Powercolor x800gt tried a x800xl bios still 8 pipes

Something of interest?:
http://xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1033705&postcount=10

seen that post like days ago... but most x800gt's don't have the 423 core....

[dolf]

Shyska, could you please perform the ATITool research for fuse lock. More information you can find here: http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=5367 and post your results with 12 pipes.

Thanks :)

[dolf]

Fresko, unfortunately I couldn't find any diferences within the provided BIOSes. The "problem" is on the hardware level and is not so connected with the resistor configuration as I believed. But it directs me in other direction and soon i will need again your help with just measurements as a beggining. We will see is it possible to do something more in order to unlock the last quad. :)

In connection with the above please read time to time this thread.

[fresko995]

it's ok Dolf. - one other thought i had about the hard-fuseing of the pipelines: when comparing the upper-sides (surface) of all the X800-GPUs against eachother, are there any differences among those very small "resistors" there (if they are "resistors"?)? I assume the only other difference is the dots with or without the lasercut, which we all know since the beginning of modding X800Pro's.

If there aren't any important differences, then the secret of unlocking the pipelines is very likely on the PCB, as you already assumed before. but HOW did they lock the pipelines?
maybe not only by configuring some resistors but also by performing some other modifications on other areas of the PCB (front-side, back-side).

if I could set my card aside I would even lend you my X800Pro in order to find the solution for the community :-)

[dolf]

Fresko, don't hurry on I will make some research on my card but it is XT and all the measurements have to be compared with PRO. Fortunately you have one laser cut which is good for comparison. When I am ready all of you will receive step by step "measuring" requirement which can show something interesting. You will be load up to conduct these measurements and to find possible differences and finally to return the information to me (I prefer to keep it private for now. That's why please provide me your mail and I will be very greatful).
Cross fingers and light up candle to find (invent) method for reverseing of the fusing if it is possible at all. :)
Regards

[Compuweb]

I've attached pics of the soldered jumpers and the ATI Theatre chipset along with the front side showing the jack that indicates VIVO.

Can this Powercolor X850PRO's 12 pipes be increased to 16 pipes with ONLY a bios update, or does this card also require soldering to get the extra 4 pipes?

[dolf]

Run the ATITool pipe research and post your results here or/and on the http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=5367 and you will have your answer ;)
You could use the link for information what and how to do.

[Chefkoch81]

Hi!

I have the same card as klootzakje. A Club3D X800RX (actually its a X800GT).

When I switched to Zalman cooling I made some Pics of the core:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=729&stc=1
Maybe important for a Hard Mod?

Also I did Scrennshots of AtiTool, here with original Bios (although Frequency Modded):
http://forums.techpowerup.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=730&stc=1

and here with flashed X850XT Bios (to bad only 8 Pipes, but I think thats whats all about here :-) ):
http://forums.techpowerup.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=731&stc=1

Tell me how can I help. Im not afraid of HardModding too.

CU

[dolf]

Thanks for the reply. The time for R480 will come soon and every information will be important and also courage to do some hardmod. At present I will play with R420 because I have such card but it is just beggining :) .

[dolf]

Fresko Hi again,
I am ready with my "measuring request". It was difficult for me to start but for you it will be easily (max. one hour).
My X800XT is dismantled for a week already and will remain in this condition until I receive your results.

Please inform me when you have that and if you have questions :) .

[MeridiusZN]

Great thread! Great idea! I have X800SE AGP but i havent heart so far anybody can unlock it. With my OC 580/1130 i would be pleased if somebody manages to do that. Do you still think PCB is the key.... not the core? That there is the hitch in it? BTW sorry for my English...i am from the Czech Republic. :-)

[dolf]

Great, Meridius for the concern. I change my opinion about PCB but based on the experiment. Now I am working on the core locking and very soon your support will be necessary. I hope that you can work with multimeter because I will need some results (measurements) from SE core.

Stay on line with this issue and pray for us :) .

[MeridiusZN]

Great, Meridius for the concern. I change my opinion about PCB but based on the experiment. Now I am working on the core locking and very soon your support will be necessary. I hope that you can work with multimeter because I will need some results (measurements) from SE core.

Stay on line with this issue and pray for us :) .

So....of course...i can set to work. I have simple multimetr...but it is still multimetr :-)))

[ChAce]

I hope its digital...

[MeridiusZN]

I hope its digital...

:-)) your houpe is right....it is digital multimeter.

Anyway....if there is any measurement i can do...tell me.

[dolf]

After receiving of Fresko's results I will have idea is it reasonable to continue in that direction and what exactly to ask for ;) .

Thanks a lot for the readiness for help.

[dolf]

Klootzakje, if my suspicions about R420 (R423) get a prove, soon I will need your support. But until I have't positive result from my "measuring request" to Fresko I prefer to keep silence :).

See you soon

[klootzakje]

Klootzakje, if my suspicions about R420 (R423) get a prove, soon I will need your support. But until I have't positive result from my "measuring request" to Fresko I prefer to keep silence :).

See you soon

u got my support, you know that :) i'll do mods, measurements.. pretty much anything :O btw do you still have good hope about it? or is the chance getting very little? :O

[dolf]

I am optimist ;).

[fresko995]

hey dolf, do I have to perform those measurements on the card while it's installed and the system is running? If so, how did you manage the lack of cooling at that time? did you massively underclock your card (gpu, mem)? the card could take damage....

[dolf]

Hi Fresko,
Of course you have to take out the card from the PC. Remove the cooler and proceed the measurements. But please don't round off the values but write exactly what the multimeter shows ;) . There are resistors with resistance 3 ohm and it will be shown within the results. When you have no resistance shown (range 2000ohm) just put dash in the file.

Success

[SPHERE]

dolf i found your magic resistors :/ they are lasercut marks located here:

http://rigshowcase.com/img/46UKXGT/622

i have a actual r420 core here in front of me (x800pro vivo that was flashed to a pe with 16 pipes) and 2 of the marks are burnt


i can get you a pic but not now i dont have access to a camra :(


they look like this:

o o o o.......o o o o o
.....-..-.......
o o o o.......o o o o o

[dolf]

Sean, this information is crucial. I am hardly searching for the those missing "fuse bits" and suddenly they appears on the back side of the core. It is a dirty trick from the ATI side but from other side it is their right. Our right however is to search way to fix the things done by ATI.
I will continue to search way to unlock the pipes. But it is very hard to do it alone.
If you are really ready to help to do that your core will be very useful. I hope that you also have PCB without core :confused: .

Please see my previous posts in this thread and try to explore the electrical relations between front side lasercuts and the backside. Also imporatnt are the 4 resistors from the front side and their connection with the backside lasercuts. And finaly the relation between "F" point and back-side cuts.

I have discovered that front lasercut area is a part of (pipe quads power managemet system I presume). It consists of 4 equal electric chains with equal elements (equal resistors) and power supply +3,3V comming from the AGP slot. This 3,3V power supply is disabled with cutting the bridge/s.

It is clear that I am looking for a way to connect two things and to have the pipes "but without unsoldering the core" :D .

One more thing you said that the core has been X800Pro ViVo flashed to XT with 16 working pipes and it has 2 laser cuts on back of the core originally. Am I correct?

Thanks for the useful information. Also if you can provide me with the pictures of the naked core (PCB if you have it).

[SPHERE]

there isn't much left of the pcb i cut it up to cut out parts like the bios chip the lm63 and the rage theatre chip for possible future use :)

and any electrical readings you want from the core cant be trusted cause in cleaning some of the solder off of the back i cracked the core into 4 sections lol (you may be able to see the cracks)

here is the core :) (scaned)

http://rigshowcase.com/img/46UKXGT/624
http://rigshowcase.com/img/46UKXGT/623

[Don__1]

Mmmmmm, nice find Sean but if that's where the extra pipes are disabled then I don't think that we are going to have much luck bridging them !
I don't fancy unsoldering that ! :eek:

[dolf]

Sean It is nice. In that state the core can help a lot. The electrical relations on the core are much more important for me than on the PCB. Of course even cracked the PCB could bring some info especially for the external core - PCB connections. I hope that you have the pieces :confused:.
I am very curious to know about the possible connection between the following parts:

1. Do the dots have a general connection in between at least on the one side?
2. Whether this general connection (if exists) is connected to the front side?
3. Near to the (5 bridges) part has square pad and my question is how / whether this pad is connected to one similar on the front side?
4. What are the relations between GND and the bridges (cutted bridges)? (GND you can find on the front side of the core - my picture in the previous post for Fresko).

This core was with functional 16 pipes and have 2 lasercuts on the back obviously it have to be like that on 16 pipe core. Probably on 12 or 8 pipe cards the configuration is different (I will try to understand what) but for me is important to understand the mechanism of cutting (fusing). Not how the process works but what the effect over the core is.

This core is gold in that position (for research of course).

But your discovery is what I am afraid of because if there is no connection point left after laser cut we can do nothing about re-connection (missing second connection point). Also the situation becomes worst because there isn't access to the back side of the core.

At present I will remain optimist until no prove that there is no way to fix the core cuts.

The situation have to be similar on R480 (lasercuts hides on the back side).

One thing is clear now: This operation takes to core producer just few seconds to done "his bloody job" after testing but for us (if possible) it will take much much more time to fix it.

[SPHERE]

Sean It is nice. In that state the core can help a lot. The electrical relations on the core are much more important for me than on the PCB. Of course even cracked the PCB could bring some info especially for the external core - PCB connections. I hope that you have the pieces :confused:.
I am very curious to know about the possible connection between the following parts:

1. Do the dots have a general connection in between at least on the one side?
2. Whether this general connection (if exists) is connected to the front side?
3. Near to the (5 bridges) part has square pad and my question is how / whether this pad is connected to one similar on the front side?
4. What are the relations between GND and the bridges (cutted bridges)? (GND you can find on the front side of the core - my picture in the previous post for Fresko).

This core was with functional 16 pipes and have 2 lasercuts on the back obviously it have to be like that on 16 pipe core. Probably on 12 or 8 pipe cards the configuration is different (I will try to understand what) but for me is important to understand the mechanism of cutting (fusing). Not how the process works but what the effect over the core is.

This core is gold in that position (for research of course).

But your discovery is what I am afraid of because if there is no connection point left after laser cut we can do nothing about re-connection (missing second connection point). Also the situation becomes worst because there isn't access to the back side of the core.

At present I will remain optimist until no prove that there is no way to fix the core cuts.

The situation have to be similar on R480 (lasercuts hides on the back side).

One thing is clear now: This operation takes to core producer just few seconds to done "his bloody job" after testing but for us (if possible) it will take much much more time to fix it. if you want i can mail you the core :)

btw trust me when i say that the pcb is pointless ;) the part around the core was broken and melted getting the core off and the rest is in peices the biggest peice left is the powerplug and 4 of the ram chips (side 128 bits of the ram)

where do you live? (pm me)

[klootzakje]

does any1 know if someone ever succesfully unsoldered and resoldered his gpu core? cause if it turns out the mod can only be done under the core.... guess i'll have to try then...

i have an old 9800 pro which is almost dead.. i would first test the un- and re soldering the core on that and see if the card still works :O

anyone ideas? tips? urls to threads about unsoldering core? :O

[Don__1]

does any1 know if someone ever succesfully unsoldered and resoldered his gpu core? cause if it turns out the mod can only be done under the core.... guess i'll have to try then...

i have an old 9800 pro which is almost dead.. i would first test the un- and re soldering the core on that and see if the card still works :O

anyone ideas? tips? urls to threads about unsoldering core? :O


LOL, see the last post by Sean for how 'easy' it is.

[klootzakje]

i read it but his card was already defective, so i guess he just broke the card
i'm talking about a little bit more careful kinda way :D

[Don__1]

Nah, without a special surface mount de-soldering machine you'll never get it off and back on again. Never !

[SPHERE]

dude if you try to remove your core you will not get it back on correctly i dont care how slilled you are lol

[dolf]

Sean, the idea to mail me the core is great and for sure the BEST we can do. But I have to inform you that I am situated in Europe. If you haven't problems with sending to here and it is not expensive for you I will provide my address.
Otherwise we have to think about other possibilities.

Thanks for the constructive proposal and for the support :) .

[MeridiusZN]

One thing: i have noticed the X800GT with R423 core is unlockable by hard mod....how can it be possible? X800SE not, but X800GT with the same core yes.

[F!reF0X]

Nah, without a special surface mount de-soldering machine you'll never get it off and back on again. Never !

Maybe we could use a hairdryer (Haarföhn) to de-soldering the gpu? I saw somebody doing it with ram (old ram ofcourse). He put the hairdryer above the ram and wait until the soldering get liquid and removed it an put it on a other ram module.
Maybe this is the safest way to get the gpu from the PCB?. Maybe it is possible to put back the gpu on the same way :D

[Don__1]

Maybe we could use a hairdryer (Haarföhn) to de-soldering the gpu? I saw somebody doing it with ram (old ram ofcourse). He put the hairdryer above the ram and wait until the soldering get liquid and removed it an put it on a other ram module.
Maybe this is the safest way to get the gpu from the PCB?. Maybe it is possible to put back the gpu on the same way :D

Not a chance in Hell but nice thought.

[klootzakje]

i was thinking about using an oven upto 100 celsius.. not any higher cause the core would burn... but for now i do nothing at all, first want to see some more results from dolf

[SPHERE]

no and no
btw the core can probibly take about 250c safely as long as it's off (thats how they get it on there in the first place ;))

if any of you people tank your core off by any means you aren't going to get it back on listen to me!!!!

Sean, the idea to mail me the core is great and for sure the BEST we can do. But I have to inform you that I am situated in Europe. If you haven't problems with sending to here and it is not expensive for you I will provide my address.
Otherwise we have to think obout other possibilities.

Thanks for the constructive proposal and for the support :) .
doh lol make a pretty picture of what you want me to measure and ill do it for you k :) (i dont get exactly what you want in that other post :))

One thing: i have noticed the X800GT with R423 core is unlockable by hard mod....how can it be possible? X800SE not, but X800GT with the same core yes. x800se come in pcie?

[MeridiusZN]

What do you hint at? Of course X800SE is for AGP.

[klootzakje]

agp and pcie arent the same card though they do have the same core :O

[F!reF0X]

Not a chance in Hell but nice thought.
Why not, it did worked on removing ram modules, Why should'nt it work on a gpu. With a good hairdryer with less air input can easy reach high tempertures. (try it with your hand on the air input) It much safer then an oven with 250 degress. I think we will see a Molex conector on the pcb melting away, if somebody is going to try it in the oven:P

[SPHERE]

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&tab=if&q=x800+se+express&btnG=Search+Froogle

i cant find em on froogle lol

[klootzakje]

x800gt doesnt have a molex connector anyway :P

[SPHERE]

caps and other plastic parts don't like the oven lol

dude if you realy want to take your core off go ahead but i gurantee you you wont get it back on because it doesnt use pins it uses balls of solder that will smear all over the bottom of the core

[F!reF0X]

:| no gpu pins?

[SPHERE]

:| no gpu pins?
nope no pins just balls of solder... :mad:

[dolf]

Sean, I will prepare a file with what I need to be measured and will send it to you as soon as possible.
:)

[dolf]

Guys, the idea to remove the GPU to fix and to return it on the PCB sounds nice but please
cool down. If you want to see what is on the back side of the GPU just ask your friends, fellow-citizen about burned X800, X850 with R480 (PCIx). Do the same like Sean did and the things will become much more clear and much more securely.
Otherwise probably some of you will successfully remove the GPU but to restore it on the proper position and with all connections in order - I don't believe unless some of you haven't a special equipment :).

My suggestion is before to destroy a working card first to see what is on the back side of the core but from already dead card :D .

Even after the discovery for the back side cuts I will continue to work on R420 because I still have hope :) .

Successfully searching.

[fresko995]

hi dolf,
finally, I found some time to perform the measurements on my Non-VIVO-X800Pro in accordance with your instructions (I didn't resolder the resistor you initially told me to move to position R576!).
my results are in the attached document.
I some times had difficulties to get values while measuring the "PD"-point; it's the one from the "lasercut-bridge". that "dot" is damn small to put the multimeter-probe on.
also keep in mind that I'm not a professional in electronics as you are. performing some basic multimeter-tasks is all I'm familiar with.
Although Sean has found that unlocking the last pipelines might by impossible at all (resistors on the backside of the GPU), I still have hope. thanks to your everlasting optimism in this issue.... ;)
could you please send me your own measurement results so I can compare them as well?
later,
fresko

[dolf]

Hi Fresko,
Please check my file and try to answer to my new questions. Later on I will put my comments over the the results but first I want to obtain the all possible data.

I hope that after having the results I won't become pessimist.

Sean's results will be also very important but they will come later on.

For the final of my post I will use my favorite sentence:
What is pessimist? The answer: pessimist it is well informed optimist. :respect:

[Nobru_rv]

U need a hot air workstation mostly used for GSM phones repairing. Its easy to remove the core. It is VERY HARD to solder it back.

[dolf]

It is just talking. We haven't intention to unsolder the GPU. It is just wish. :)

Thanks for the reply.

[klootzakje]

hey dolf... will you need me to do some measurements? if so... does it matter much if i do some voltmods?

[dolf]

Hi Klootzakje,
I was busy this week and no time left for core investigation. Tomorrow if possible I will prepare the material for Sean and probably when I receive the feedback (from Fresko also) and summarise it I will be ready to give some difinite answer about locking:) .

If you want to voltmod the card do it. The mod is not connected with my investigation.

Please, if you have time measure the resistance between the pads on the core where you haven't resistors (empty resistore places).

Successfull modding

[SPHERE]

Hi Klootzakje,
I was busy this week and no time left for core investigation. Tomorrow if possible I will prepare the material for Sean and probably when I receive the feedback (from Fresko also) and summarise it I will be ready to give some difinite answer about locking:) .

If you want to voltmod the card do it. The mod is not connected with my investigation.

Please, if you have time measure the resistance between the pads on the core where you haven't resistors (empty resistore places).

Successfull moddingsry dude i kinda disected the core (a peice of the die fell off and i was kinda like meh! f*** it! so i broke it in half lol:o )

[dolf]

Sean I am very sorry to hear that. But even now the core can help (hope that you have the correct part of the dissection - that with laser cuts).
If possible try to obtain the following information:

1. (On the back side 5/4 bridges) they should have joined end. Is this end is general for both 4 and 5 bridge groups?
2. If it is not general for 4 and 5 bridge groups try to discover to what is/are connected. (All resistors from the front side are connected to Ground. But it is possible some of them to use connection through the PCB - core ball).
The first possibility is connection of the bridges to GND, the second one is to have direct connection to +3.3V (top of the front-side bridges). The third possibility is connection to ball (pin) from the core.
3. If you discover connections with these points, please cut the remaining bridges one after other and see whether the zero ohm connection is changed and to what (which ball, point from the front side)?
4. Can you find direct connection between not joined bridge part for every single end (after cutting) to ball of the core (or resistor on the front side)?

For me is interesting only the core-side with bridges (I hope). This information could be crucial:respect: .

Thanks in advance for the support and time spent but all that is done just for the community not personally for me :).

[eeirertomb]

dolf your the best i just unlock the pipes!:rockout: :roll: :rockout:

[SPHERE]

Sean I am very sorry to hear that. But even now the core can help (hope that you have the correct part of the dissection - that with laser cuts).
If possible try to obtain the following information:

1. (On the back side 5/4 bridges) they should have joined end. Is this end is general for both 4 and 5 bridge groups?
2. If it is not general for 4 and 5 bridge groups try to discover to what is/are connected. (All resistors from the front side are connected to Ground. But it is possible some of them to use connection through the PCB - core ball).
The first possibility is connection of the bridges to GND, the second one is to have direct connection to +3.3V (top of the front-side bridges). The third possibility is connection to ball (pin) from the core.
3. If you discover connections with these points, please cut the remaining bridges one after other and see whether the zero ohm connection is changed and to what (which ball, point from the front side)?
4. Can you find direct connection between not joined bridge part for every single end (after cutting) to ball of the core (or resistor on the front side)?

For me is interesting only the core-side with bridges (I hope). This information could be crucial:respect: .

Thanks in advance for the support and time spend but all that is done just for the community not personally for me :). :( i only broke it in half cause i didnt think you where gonna get back to me :(

btw i kinda lied when i said broke in "half"


see by that i meant shreaded and peeled the layers apart :(

if its any concolation at all i am verry shure that ati does these cuts before the core is even on and before its even marked for pro or xt

(im quite certan that all of these perminatly locked pipes are bad even if you where able to unlock them :()

realy sorry dude :(

if i get another ill be shure to look you up ;)

i still have the lasercuts i believe but they arent attached to much else and im not at home atm :(

[SPHERE]

dolf your the best i just unlock the pipes!:rockout: :roll: :rockout:

kool :)

[Pavlin]

dolf your the best i just unlock the pipes!:rockout: :roll: :rockout:


Great !!
What's your card and what did you do exactly ?

PS: I'm getting soon Sapphire X800Pro VIVO PCI-E with 2ns Samsung memory and I'm gonna make everything to unlock it :pimp: !

[ChAce]

If you get 2ns your chances of XT PE speeds are virtually zero. You need 1.6ns ram ;) And if you're going for PCI-E, get the GTO2.

[Pavlin]

If you get 2ns your chances of XT PE speeds are virtually zero. You need 1.6ns ram ;) And if you're going for PCI-E, get the GTO2.

Well i see no problem speeding the card at least to X800XT PE speeds :). Also 1180Mhz aren't impossible for 2.0ns samsung. More important is though will the card can be unlocked. I've already order it, also GTO2 at the moment is 299$ in newegg which isn't best buy offer :D .

[4g0ny]

Hi again guys, i am now playing with my ASUS x800 PRO R420 too, but mine is one of the first cards.. ive read that if you have a lasercut on your core, you can connect the missing pipes with conductive pen? well i have a lasercut, but after removing the cover layer and connecting with a (graphite) pencil, i still have 12 pipes? did i screw up? or do i need conductive pen.. or is this regular bs and do i have the same prob as you all..
btw i got 2ns mem and the 500/500 bios, it says XT but 12 pipes..
any suggestions?

well anyway, Klootzakje has to RMA his x800RX cause we blew it up, hope he wont stay out of commission for too long :)
:rockout:

[klootzakje]

got caught in the "a little more" syndrome :banghead:

[Svart]

Dolf, I see that you and I are looking at the same places!

I've also noticed that the higher cards have unstuffed resistor networks on the topside next to the BGA, and the lower end cards have these stuffed. Some of the higher cards also have different resistor settings(either VCC or GND) as you mentioned before.

I propose a high res picture of every different version of card so that we can group them and figure out if certain setups have certain terminations. I haven't had time this week to do much investigation.

I'm interested in the R480.

Do the cut traces on the BGA correspond to pads on the BGA grid itself? This may be what we are trying to figure out.

[dolf]

Svart, thanks for the interest in that issue but I have to admit that my original idea about resistor configuration has now changed. Something is "disconnected" within the core and all the measurements connected with the core shows that. On R480 it should be equal but without laser cuts on the front side. If you have interest to understand what is under "core ground" we can work on that.

Unfortunately I am receiving less and less information all the time (concerning R420) and soon I will be forced to give up from the battle;) .

Probably somebody will replace me and will infuse a "new blood" into the research and finally will bring promising result:respect: .

[Pavlin]

Very usefull information . 10x Dolf and Sean478 for the hard work ! You guys made findings which are not really going to unlock the locked GPU's , but to understand how they're really locked. I don't think that there's a chance to change 990 reg, thus to unlock back side GPU locked GPUs , from the front side of the wafer, but we can always :toast: !

[SPHERE]

Very usefull information . 10x Dolf and Sean478 for the hard work ! You guys made findings which are not really going to unlock the locked GPU's , but to understand how they're really locked. I don't think that there's a chance to change 990 reg, thus to unlock back side GPU locked GPUs , from the front side of the wafer, but we can always :toast: !thx :)

yah i don't think there are pins that go to those lasercuts ither but its worth a shot if one of us ever gets another core. :)

(im realy sorry i broke that core dude :( )

[dolf]

Guys in order to unlock your cores I need some help from the owners of the X800PRO or SE AGP. If somebody wants to help me, please see the attached file and conduct the simple measurements described. I will try to discover what is possible and eventually to invent method for unlocking from the core-front side because on the back the things are more complicated.
At minimum I need to know whether one of the resistors enclosed with red is directly connected (zero ohm on the multimeter) to already cutted bridge spot (shown below) and whether one of the resistors enclosed with yellow is not connected with the remaining three?

o o
-
o o (left spot)


Preliminary thanks to all of you for the support:)

[4g0ny]

as soon as i get a multimeter, i will provide you with the measurements :)

[dolf]

Thanks a lot for the readiness. I think that I am very close to the success but need prove :)
If you need some additional explanation please ask.
But I am interested in "short-circuit" connections between these 8 resistors. One side of them is connected to GND (you have to find for you which side and to mark it on paper for every resistor). My interest is mainly to find or not to find direct connection on the other resistor side (end) but not connected to GND between these 4 resistors. Each group is independent and should be treated separately. If some resistor is not connected in paralell to the others and you start to measure from him you will not find other direct connection but GND. Take care about that. Just move the multimeter probe to other resistor of the same group.

Please If you succeed to find some difference than "short-circuit" (direct connection) point which exactly resistors show that difference.

If you find such difference it will be easy to unlock the pipes!

Something more what exactly card do you have?

[Robin [CZ]]

Hello guys. I have HIS RADEON X800GT (8 pipelines, PCI-E, non VIVO, R480 (in atitool R423...), 2ns GDDR3...)

There are some photos (it's my article but now after reading this topic i found that my article is unuseable and bullshit at all)

http://czechgamer.com/hardware/X800GT%20-%20zvy%9Ate%20si%20v%FDkon%21.html


I want to help you, and don't know if i can, but if you need some infos about thic card, try me, i will do my best. (but no multimeter and so on, i am noob but want to unlock that pips! THERE MUST BE SOME WAY?!!!) I hope this card can... :ohwell: (and sorry my english i am from czech republic blah blah...)

[locoty]

I have HIS X800GT IceQ II Turbo. In some reviews in the internet is says that my card has R423 core. but when i ask HIS about this 'core thing' they say that all of HIS X800GT armed with R480. one thing i know is, so far, standard HIS X800GT is equipped with R480 and so far, in reviews i read, IceQ version is equipped with R423. in this thread i've read that shappire X800GT can be unlocked to 12 pipes by shyska. It is possible for HIS X800GT card to be unlocked to 12 pipes too. if it's not, why this happen?Both card has same core....

[Shyska]

Remove heatsink, clean thermal paste and look at the core, it should look like this one:

http://193.219.78.85/shyska/mycore.jpg

for some reason it is named RadeonX800SE :confused:

[Robin [CZ]]

I have HIS X800GT IceQ II Turbo. In some reviews in the internet is says that my card has R423 core. but when i ask HIS about this 'core thing' they say that all of HIS X800GT armed with R480. one thing i know is, so far, standard HIS X800GT is equipped with R480 and so far, in reviews i read, IceQ version is equipped with R423. in this thread i've read that shappire X800GT can be unlocked to 12 pipes by shyska. It is possible for HIS X800GT card to be unlocked to 12 pipes too. if it's not, why this happen?Both card has same core....

I thing your GT will have R480, not 423 as its on shyskas picture. GT from HIS allways have R480 core. And that's my problem too :)

BTW X800SE is R423 - it's from older RADEON X800. If you have R480 on your GT, the BIOS will say you that you have R423 - X800SE, becouse GT have BIOS from older RADEON X800... when you flash your BIOS from card which have R480, it will tell you on WINS that you have R480. it's only BIOS thing. just look at your core on your card for yourself, you'll se R480...

[locoty]

Yes you're right, but in this case i talk about HIS X800GT IceQ II Turbo. it's true that all HIS X800GT have R480 core but when we talk about HIS X800GT IceQ it's different. So far i've never found about IceQ X800GT with R480. You can see it it in link below. But i always found X800GT vanilla with R480

R423
http://www.mvktech.net/content/view/2133/0/1/4/
http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/video/his/r4xx/x800gt/index.shtml
http://www.vr-zone.com/print.php?i=2773

R480
http://www.guru3d.com/article/Videocards/241/2/
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/video/x800-3.html

Can you unlock the lost pipe in your X800GT card

[Robin [CZ]]

oh I'am foooool :D sorry:rolleyes:

[ShadowFlare]

Hello guys. I have HIS RADEON X800GT (8 pipelines, PCI-E, non VIVO, R480 (in atitool R423...), 2ns GDDR3...)

...
Ooh, another X800 GT with an R480 core! You should definately take a look here: http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=6056 :) Also post your bios there, so I can do a mod on it to have an HIS X800 GT R480 bios there, too. BTW, I will be modding it to say it is a GTO, since there is no such thing as an R480 X800 GT in the inf file for the drivers, which is actually the reason why no X800 GT is identified as R480 in the bios.

[DewiL]

So i have an HIS X800GT ICEQ II iTurbo 256mb (i think with r423 core)
can i active +4pipe however :confused:

[dolf]

Do the fuse research: http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=5367 post your results and it will become clear.

[Robin [CZ]]

So, anybody know how to get +4 extra pipelines with R480 on X800GT? I goooogled for 7 hours but... no success... ATi ATi pleeeease, pleeeease, how to unlock that pipelines?!:cry:

[dolf]

If you are absolutely sure that you have R480 be sure also that you will NOT have more pipes at all. If not sure remove the cooler and see. Your chance is to have R423. Sorry for the bad news but please read the above and do the fuse research and post your results ;) .

[decoder]

dolf are you still working on the R420?

If yes, i just got an X800 PRO AGP and i can do the measurements
for you.

[manoloxxl]

Hallo Folks,

i´m from germany and found your Board with google. I found many Informations but just want ask some questions before ich try to modifi my Card.

I´ve got a Sapphire X800GT 256MB AGP. It comes with 2.0 RAM & 420 Core.

Is ist right that i did NOT have a Lasercut?

http://www.manoloxxl.de/treff/bastel/x800gt/x800gt_lc.jpg

This ist wat ATITool show:
http://www.manoloxxl.de/treff/bastel/x800gt/x800gto_atitoolxtra.jpg

A picture from the core:
http://www.manoloxxl.de/treff/bastel/x800gt/x800gt_gpu.jpg

When i understand from this Thread everything right i just need to flash a new Bios-File and i have 12 Pipes open? I don´t need to connect the points in lasercut-area because they arén´t disconected?

[dolf]

You HAVE to connect the right bridge (left is not disconnected). After connection of the bridge do again the fuse research and post results. Flash PRO BIOS using MODIFIED flashrom and the command "flashrom -f -p 0 (zero not o) biosname.bin".

[manoloxxl]

Thanks:
Must i use a special Version or just download latest (Flashrom 2.40) from here?

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Utilities/BIOS_Flashing/ATI

and as Bios-File i can user all PRO Files for my card? For example from here:
http://www.techpowerup.com/bios/
this file:
Sapphire X800 Pro (AGP) 256 MB Apr 8th 2004 3:37 PM Jun 17th 2004 2:48 PM 475 / 450
Samsung 2.0

???

But, how can i tell the BIOS to use 12 or 16 Pipes? Sorry for crossposting in two Threads but i don´t want to kill my card.

[Shyska]

For the start just connect laser cut, that will probably be enought to get you 12 pipes.

[manoloxxl]

Allright, i try it.
I post the result here in 2 days.
Thank you!

[dolf]

Use PRO BIOS in order to allow 12 pipes. Your original BIOS allows only 8. You have to use not normal but MODIFIED flashrom in order to override the number of the active pipes on BIOS level ;) .

Please post your PCB partnumber here. (Front top side of the PCB - for example PN 109-A26100-XX)

Modified flashrom can be found here: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100

You already know from where to get BIOS. (I supose that your PCB PN is 109-A26100-00 )

The number of the active pipes is writen in the BIOS and could be changed manualy in hexeditor.

[manoloxxl]

My PCB-Number:
PN 109-A26130-01

[Jshrk]

Prob stupid question but has anyone tried write to ATI or someone like that about the r480 core pipe unlocking, cause apperently they said it was possible so wouldnt they know what needs to be changed, or do they just cut the pipes easiest method and leave it to the OC's to worry about it

[dolf]

I think nobody writen to ATI because it is useless (they even don't have pictures of the referent cards on their site...... what about pipe unlocking :rolleyes: .
But partly you are right they "lock" the cores using "easiest method and leave that to OC's" but not to be unlocked but because it is not possible to revert the already done "misery". Our sweet ATI........ehh

[Sir_Solo]

Hey Dolph
I have GeCube X800GT, R423, 8 pipes, 4 pipes are laser cutted will i get the other 4 this way?
Thanks

[dolf]

I believe that you can get 4 pipes more. Connect tour RIGHT bridge and please post your fuse results (http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=5367). Send me your original BIOS to mod it to 12 pipes or use PRO BIOS. When flashing USE MODIFIED flashrom from here: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100 with the following command line: flashrom -f -p 0 (zero not o) biosname.bin

[Sir_Solo]

So i must connect laser cutted pipes, what about resistors you mentioned about?
Thanks

[dolf]

Looking the fuses the core should be R480 or R430 which means no more pipes possible. Sorry to tell you that. If you want remove the cooler and look but probably you will see no laser cuts at all.

[Sir_Solo]

Thanks for answer me Dolf
But i've heard about people with exactly the same card like me and they have laser cut, are you sure that i haven't? And can you tell me how more points in 3dmark05 i can expect in case i have laser cut and i succeed to connect pipes? Now i have 4500 and after overclocking it with Atitools i have 5000. How more i can expect?
Thanks

[dolf]

Yes I will tell you that there are GT's with R423 and with R480. All they have BIOS for R423 and of course all the software "declares" R423. R423 and R480 has different fuse format that's why I consider your core for R480.

[Sir_Solo]

Thanks Dolf
I will remove the fan soon and will see for myself.
If it is r480 and have laser cut is it means that it have 16 pipes? 4 laser cutted and 4 somewhere?

[W2hCYK]

i havnt read the whole thread, so im not sure if you still need pics, I have an X800 Pro vivo that flashed to an XT PE with 16p, i could take super close up shots of any area on the card if you need it, look at my thread in general nonsense "I <3 my cam".

This is a crazy discovery, im gonna continue reading the rest of the thread, onto page 3... lol... i wonder if anyone tried it... lol...

**ok i finished reading, my card is AGP, im getting right to those measurements on the core... :-D


****im not sure what I'm supposed to be finding on the card... the ground point of the resistors? I have an XT core, all 16 pipes work fine, what do I look for on point 1 and 2?

[dolf]

Thanks for the readiness to help but I don't need such information any more. Yes the resistor was moved on a real card but the result was not like expected. The problem turned out in the core itself. (Namely on the back side of the core there are another 9 laser cut bridges which are inaccessible after the soldering of the core on the PCB) :cry: .

[W2hCYK]

lol another 9... darn... oh well.. I'm happy anyway, my core is unlocked :-D lol...

cool find anyway, shows exactly why and how the cores are locked... ;-)

[drummer07]

so no luck in unlocking any for the x800gts with the r480?

[REVHEAD]

so no luck in unlocking any for the x800gts with the r480?

Good question this thread seems to have hit a snag ,I am very interested to see if this is possible? I am guessing since no one has bothered to post of late its not?

[drummer07]

dolf any official words?

[dolf]

dolf any official words?

Official words for what? :confused:

[drummer07]

on the x800 gt with the r480 core, are all possibilities for unlocking pipes gone?

[dolf]

Unfortunately it is absolutely true :cry:. With R420 and R423 there is chance to mod something (laser cuts) but R480 comes and remains with the original number of pipes with few exception (quads not disabled on the hardware level).

[gigge]

Hi!

A question to all..

Have you tried to flash a empty bios, -newbios -f options.
and after that direcly flash a 16 pipe bios ?

The result for me is a 16p modded card... but not so mutch working.
Windows reports error code 10, hardware start failure, but AtiTool tells me
http://hem.bredband.net/guivel/16p-atitool.jpg

Frogot to write that fuse values are the same, if i flash the bios this way.....

Well first i thoug it was the core speed and mem speeds..
I did flash it back to original bios, (whit out -newbios options to keep the 16p settings..)
But same result in windows.

Reading this thread i see the diffrent on the back of the resistors.. and i have been looking for more.. so i found this on the front, more resistos. <-- pic attached.
Have any one tried to change this resistors ?

http://hem.bredband.net/guivel/R420resistor-b.jpg
On the X800 card i have this are different..

I would like to have a picture from a moddeble Connect3D X800GTO ViVo, front and back resistors to compare.

unmodded this card have 12p.. so the extra 4 are just around the corner.. :D
Well just to add to this post..
Flashing the bios as described, i dont mather if I fix the lasercut or not.. 16p is the result.
problaly meaning that they are there, but not the lasercut or bios beeing the blocking..


Hope this can help !!!

[JvdBosch]

Hi All!

I've been following this thread with a lot of interest as I have a X800GT card with 8 pipes, which I hoped to modify to 12 or 16 pipes. I connected the lasercut, but those damned lasercuts on the back probably keep me from 12/16 pipes. But maybe the resistors play an important role in this too...

Gigge, is there a number on the resistors? If it's a 0 (zero) then it's a shunt, which functions like a jumper. If so, changing the position is as simple as desoldering one and reconnect the other contacts with a drop of solder, or a thin wire.

Maybe we should setup a database of different (ATI Reference design) X800 cards and their resistor locations to figure out what they do (PAL/NTSC, ViVo on/off, 4/8/12/16 pipes, etc).

Any thoughts?

[gigge]

Maybe we should setup a database of different (ATI Reference design) X800 cards and their resistor locations to figure out what they do (PAL/NTSC, ViVo on/off, 4/8/12/16 pipes, etc).


Great idea!!!

Hope that more ppl get inte to this !!

[nurbs999]

Hi !

I have a Sapphire X800 PRO with laser lock and i just read about a "pencil-trick" to the laser-lock. what is meant by that?

i've just tried to unlock all 16 pipes by flashing a x800 XT BIOS to by card, without success

thanks in advanced
nurbs999

[bikr692002]

Hi!

A question to all..

Have you tried to flash a empty bios, -newbios -f options.
and after that direcly flash a 16 pipe bios ?

The result for me is a 16p modded card... but not so mutch working.
Windows reports error code 10, hardware start failure, but AtiTool tells me
http://hem.bredband.net/guivel/16p-atitool.jpg

Frogot to write that fuse values are the same, if i flash the bios this way.....

Well first i thoug it was the core speed and mem speeds..
I did flash it back to original bios, (whit out -newbios options to keep the 16p settings..)
But same result in windows.

Reading this thread i see the diffrent on the back of the resistors.. and i have been looking for more.. so i found this on the front, more resistos. <-- pic attached.
Have any one tried to change this resistors ?

http://hem.bredband.net/guivel/R420resistor-b.jpg
On the X800 card i have this are different..

I would like to have a picture from a moddeble Connect3D X800GTO ViVo, front and back resistors to compare.

unmodded this card have 12p.. so the extra 4 are just around the corner.. :D
Well just to add to this post..
Flashing the bios as described, i dont mather if I fix the lasercut or not.. 16p is the result.
problaly meaning that they are there, but not the lasercut or bios beeing the blocking..


Hope this can help !!!
I think hes onto something :ohwell:

[FiShBuRn]

Its possible to get my remaining pipes on my Connected X850Pro (AGP, 1.6ns, R481 with LaserCut), with this kind of solution?

Thanks in Advance
/FiShBuRn

[dolf]

It is interesting to here that on X850PRO (R481 core) has laser cut done (It could be un advantage :D ). R481 is very similar to R420 ostensibly. Please see that: http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=5367and post your fuses here. After that remove the cooler and connect the left bridge (befor that clean the contact dots with something sharp) using conductive paint/glue or solder a thin wire.
Conduct the fuse research again and post your results. If everything is OK remains only flashing with proper BIOS and flasher :) .

Successssss

[FiShBuRn]

Thanks dolf, i have posted my fuses there :) see at top of pag. 99 :)
I will try that :) i will tell u something later..thanks :)

btw:

http://cyberia.tuxsp.org/~fishburn/Untitled-2.jpg

I have to connect that two dots right? connect 1 with 2?

Thanks

[manoloxxl]

I have to connect that two dots right? connect 1 with 2?

Thanks
Yes.

[FiShBuRn]

Can i bypass the laser cut by using an ordinary pencil to connect the bridge or what pencil is everyone talking about?

Thanks

[FiShBuRn]

I´ve bypassed the LaserCut, connected the two dots with conductive glue..and tested if they are connected.

The problem is the fuses on ATiTool are the same :( CONFIG_DIE_FUSES 0xFFFFEFFF

Edit:

I´ve flashed my card with a bios modded to 16 Pipes. Removed the Drivers and ATiTool first. And nothing..still 12 pipes :( :| maybe its cutted in the other side of the core...

Anyone knows if this is true?
...all the x850pro that have in the serial number 18054 are dielocked...the are no mod (hard/soft) that can be open the 4 died pipe......if in the serial there is 18053 the card have a lasercut but can be mod by an hardmod....and if in the serial there is 18052/51/50 etc the card is moddable by flashing the bios....

Because my card have the 18054 serial! :(

Any ideia?!

Thanks

[serjster]

FishBurn im in the same situation as you. Have the same card and already knew about the serial so i gave up. But now there seems to be alot more info, anyone know if this dielock is true? Can anyone explain what exactly is it?

[naseltzer]

Anyone unlocked the last 4 pipelines on an Asus EAX800? It's basically a GTO stock is 391/351 w/12pp. Mine is an R430 core.

[badDay]

Hi!

I also have a Asus EAX800 with the R430 core.
By now I have read a lot about modding ATI card but I am somehow still confused.
The Card can do Core 450 Mem 495 with no prob.
Atit Tool strings are.
die fuses: 0xFFFF7FFF
substrate: 0xFFFFFF9E

Is it possible to md the card, or can I just forgett about it?

greetz

[naseltzer]

I don't know. Your die fuse data and substrate are the same as mine. I tried flashing the bios, but the bios seems to be locked and won't flash. I basically gave up and am now trying to sell the card. Please let me know if you find anything. I could sure use those extra 4 pipelines in quake 4 and FEAR. BTW.. a 450 MHz core is pretty nice for an R430.

[pezcore64]

i have a sapphire x800GT AGP version(R420)...
i have tried flashing the bios with the sapphire x800pro bios that matched my ram and the card operates correctly afterwards and is identified as an x800pro but atitool still only shows 8 pipelines active.
how can i go about finding out if there is a way to mod the without having to look under the heatsink? I understand to do a hardmod you have to remove it, but id rather not just to find out if i can or not.

ATitool shows the following :
CONFIG_DIE_FUSES 0xEFF39FF
CONFIG_SUBSTRATE_FUSES 0xFFFFFE9D
CONFIG_ROM_FUSES 0x22
GB_PIPE_SELECT 0x19940

anybody have any clue ?

[naseltzer]

If the pipelines haven't been enabled after that, they're probably not unlockable. Though I don't have the same model you do, so perhaps I'm wrong. However, regarding the heatsink. Just go ahead and take it off, man. It'll be a learning experience. It's good for you. And when you do it, go ahead and replace the stock thermal grease with something higher quality... like Arctic Silver or something. See if you can get some higher quality thermal tape for the ram chips, too. Very easy and cheap way to squeeze out a few MHz.

[ivaj]

Hello, congratulations for this amazing post.
I will try to explain as well as I can, english is not my languaje, sorry.
I have seen in some pictures the lasercuts are made on right bridge but in my MSI X800PRO AGP I can see the lasercut in left brigde.
I've cennected the bridge with silver conductive paint, but no results.
What is difference between cards with left cutted brid