Puzzle of the day....ATI 2900??

[freeloader1969]

I purchased a used 2900 Pro for $70 and I'm puzzled about it. It was advertised as a PRO but looks like a GT. Here's a pic of the BIOS according to Everest Ultimate. The problem is I can't get any drivers to install as I get a "setup did not find a driver compatible with your current hardware or operating system....setup will now exit" error.

I believe it has something to do with the BIOS id of 9403. All the 2900 Pro/XT's I've seen report the id as 9400. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Is there a physical way I can identify the card as a 2900 Pro or GT? The memory and core clocks certainly look like a GT too me. Thanks.

[alexp999]

what does gpu-z say?

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1031/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.1.9.html

[erocker]

Yes, it's a GT or possibly a Pro with it's 256bit memory bus. I think that's why the bios reports 9403. You could try flashing to a 9400 bios, though they are for 512 bit memory bus cards.

[philbrown23]

yeah flash it using ati winflash

[freeloader1969]

Is it possible to flash this card to a 2900 Pro card from the database? I looked up the memory chips and they're Hynix HY5RS123235B FP-11 and it says the chips are capable of 900mhz operation (1800 doubled I guess). I'm just concerned about the 256 vs. 512 bit bus operation.
The GPU says the following....

215RGM0KA13FG
N81515.00
0711AAP

Thanks for the help guys!

[erocker]

Can you post a GPU-Z screenshot please? Just upload it using techpowerup's free image hosting, and paste the URL to your post.:)

[flashstar]

For $70, you're lucky if you got a gt. 256bit pro's run around $150.

[Kursah]

Pretty good deal no matter which way you look at it, good performing card for $70...but like others have requested...get that GPU-z screenshot and post it so we can better clarify what you have.

[btarunr]

If it's a used card and you bought it from someone, chances are that clown would've flashed the card with a BIOS that has the device ID of HD2900 Pro. That is a HD2900 GT. HD2900 Pro has a 512-bit memory bus (but a certain HD2900 Pro from Sapphire DOES come with a 256-bit memory bus). Secondly, HD2900 GT does NOT come with 512 MB memory, no model to my knowledge does.

[freeloader1969]

GPU-Z says unknown architecture.

[erocker]

I guess the only thing you CAN do is flash the thing...

[btarunr]

Is that a Sapphire? What do its power inputs look like? Is it [6 pin + 8 pin] or just an 8 pin ?

Don't flash just as yet! The moar v know, moar v h4x.

[freeloader1969]

Just one 8 pin connector. It's definitely a 512mb model as there's 8 chips and they're rated for 64MB each. If I flash it to a full blown 2900 Pro, is it possible to flash it back blindly to the original BIOS that I'll save before flashing?

[Kursah]

Can you take pics of the card by chance and upload them?

[btarunr]

Just one 8 pin connector.

It can't be HD2900 GT because it has 512 MB of memory. Sapphire sells a certain model of the HD2900 Pro that comes with a 256-bit wide memory bus alongside the usual HD2900 Pro with 512-bit wide bus. Back during X-Mas '07 Newegg had those cards stocked for $159.99 (the 512 bit variant was priced at $169.99).

[freeloader1969]

How do you mod a BIOS to get rid of a "subsystem id mismatch" when you're trying to flash?

[freeloader1969]

Just a follow up for everyone. I force flashed the board to a 2900 Pro BIOS (Sapphire) and the board works great! :) I can only assume that it's operating on the 512 bit bus. It defaults to 600mhz core/800 mhz memory. Thanks for everyone's help!

[Kursah]

Nice work man...for $70 you gotta helluva card on your hands! Congratulations! :toast:

[erocker]

Will GPU-Z work for you now? I'd love to see it, you got one heck of a deal!:toast: