Geforce FX5900 ---> FX5950 Ultra

Big Chief

got the info from here --

http://forums.far2cool.com/topic.aspx?PID=547301

basic quote of what was said is.. -

As some of you may already know, I bought a Leadtek 5900LX from Overclockers a few weeks ago.


I read some forum threads

http://www.madshrimps.be/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3766

and

http://discuss.futuremark.com/forum/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=techdisplayadapters&Number=3258885&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=1&vc=1

nVidia used to hardwire all graphic cards with the correct BIOS so flashing cards like ATi wasn't possible...

However, newly released information suggests that the NV38 (5950u) is simply a software rebadged NV35 (5900).

From a simple flash, the 5900's Device id:0331 could be transform into te 5950's device id:0333

Now you may ask yourself about the 128MB vs 256MB question and how the 5900 has both variants while the 5950u only supports 256MB.

Well unlike ATi's cards, nVidia chipsets do not store their buffer memory into its BIOS and rather, the amount of memory onboard is detected each time when then computer is booted. This means that even a 128MB 5900 can be flashed into a 128MB 5950u. This also applies to VIVO. Does this turn you on yet? Wait till the next line...

The card tested on the website is a Leadtek A350 TDH-LX model... If you didn't know already, the LX version of the A350 TDH is a non-ultra version.Also it is a slower version then the original 5900, with clock speeds of 400Mhz core and 700Mhz memory speed. This card was flashed to be a Leadtek A380 TDH model which is the 5950 Ultra @ 475Mhz core and 950Mhz memory.

After 1 hour of testing, GPUtemp is at 47degrees according to the Leadtek/nVidia readings.

6 cards are known and tested to work. These brands are : Leadtek's 5900 series including the slower LX model, Gainward's 5900 series, Elsa 5900 series, Insight 5900 XQ series and Rex Technology 5900 series.

There are two flashroms currently available at the site. The Leadtek A380 5950U is available along with Gainward's 1800Ultra "Golden Sample" bios. Flash program is included in both files.

I just looked at the source code of the homepage to obtain these links. If these don't work then head to www.3dchips.co.kr then click on the downdload section. the first thing you notice would be the huge amounts of bios roms available on the RHS of the page.

And so half an hour ago i decided to try this out. So I backed up my gfx card bios, and flashed it, half not expecting it to work properly :P

but it actually worked, and is clocking at 530/950 now, and is recognised by windows as a 5950ultra.

the default clock speeds for a 5950ultra are 475/950, so thats a pretty good overclock

so for £160 ive pretty much got a £290 card (bar the extra 128mb on the real 5950ultra)

Col_Loki

Wow thats a very nice find ..... very very nice performance increase.

Another one is the 9800se AIW (herc mainly) will normally soft mod to a 9800pro AIW.... as can be seen in the thread on the Hardware/tweaking forum.

Any info like this is good to post, making me strongly think of gettin one!!

bizmark

oh oh oh oh "bizmark jumps up and down" i have that card as well

please please cheif tell me how you did the whole bios flash step by step please!

OfflerCrocGod

Check out this here see if it helps.

bizmark

bah not worth it just over clock normal

RicardoSmith

Its wrong to give the impression that these mods are not with out risk, or that they work "most" of the time. Theres always the possiblity of breaking the card, and at €200+ thats a lot of money to throw away. Also the success rates of these overclocks seem at best to be 50%, more likely 25%.

So do it at your own risk.

Sir Random

Loads of people have done it successfully here:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=168786

If the 5950 BIOS doesn't work, you can flash the old BIOS back.

Originally posted by bizmark:
bah not worth it just over clock normal

The BIOS flash allows speeds that can't be reached by o/cing the old BIOS. Apparently, the card also runs much cooler :eek:

Col_Loki

From what ive been reading it increases the voltage to the core slightly and loosens the ram timings a little giving you a better overclock.

Whats the harm in trying, if you have the card might aswell get extra performance.....if it doesent work flash it back to the old BIOS like Sir Random said?? Or am i missing something :rolleyes: ??

PS The % success rate on the Hercules 9800se AIW is above 50 from the ones that have been sampled, chances are they might make some changes to the newer batches.......but still a high yield.

RicardoSmith

Lots of those guys have bought a few cards and kept the best one. One guy had to buy 5 9800seAIW's before he found one that would soft mod. 50%??? Bios flashes can fail, and you can kill the card permanently. You can do the same overclocking it. Its that simple.

BabyEater

BIOS flashing usually gives you a higher overclock than just overclocking normal. As i found out with my 9800. The ram overclocked much better as i think the ram timmings were increased with the new BIOS but the extra overclock more than made up for the increased latency.

Col_Loki

Overclockers.co.uk , high success rate at the start anyway..........havent read it all because theres 25 pages....... but it doesent look bad from where im standing (9800se AIW) .

No flashing is involved just hacked drivers. Just use the old drivers and you are back to 4 pipelines; no damage is possible.

You don't flash it you just install softmodded drivers from omegacorner.com, and if it doesnt work (artifacts or chequerboarding visible) you simply reinstall the drivers except without checking the softmod box and it will work at roughtly 9600Pro speeds if it doesnt work albeit with all in wonder features

Dont know how i got the impression that it was pretty safe :rolleyes: ....... i know its different with the 5900...........

bizmark

The BIOS flash allows speeds that can't be reached by o/cing the old BIOS. Apparently, the card also runs much cooler

Easy to say when its not your 270 euro card on the line :dunno:

ill have to buy a floppy disk tomorrow MIGHT give it a go

RicardoSmith

The soft mod is fine. You can reverse that. Flashing a card, and or overclocking definately has its risks. But apart from that quite a number of the guys on Overclockers have bought more than one card before they found one that overclocked. So how much do you lose on a card reselling it 2nd hand?

Col_Loki

There seemed to be a very high count of first timer's buying cards and softmodding them to 9800pro's.......obviously sometimes your going to be lucky, sometimes unlucky thats the name of the game. The worst you have is a 9800se which you can overclock and has AIW features, that sounds mighty good to me.

Some of the guys from overclockers that got a couple of cards and they didnt soft mod.......they were trying with ATI's and Sapphire ones.........

One guy had to buy 5 9800seAIW's before he found one that would soft mod. 50%???

Thats taking one case...............how can you judge it all on one persons experience?

Here is a poll taken about how many softmod successes people have been getting from 9800se -> 9800pro's.....

Results 50% without any problems at all (no artifacts) , 6% with artifacts that they could get rid of.......Im thinkin thats 56% success rate from 1888 votes and that poll includes all types of 9800se's........ if that was just Herc cards it would probably be higher.

RicardoSmith

I just used that guy as an example. I'm on loads of forums my impression that the success rate is about 25% at best. Some people will tell you that certain brands give you a 90% percent success rate whereas on the next forum they'll say thats rubbish and a different brand gives you 90%. But if you look theres a rake of people on all the forums having problems with the cards trying to mod them. Even at stock some cards always give a problems. So both situations don't add up to the same story.