6800 Softmod Success Rate?

[lxskllr]

BFG 6800OC both vertex and pipes, got an extra 1,000 in Aquamark3.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: ronnn

Originally posted by: hypaspazz
Kuch,

Overclocking can void the warranty.
A failed BIOS flash can void the warranty.
Softmodding should not void the warranty.

You are enabling pipelines that are masked in the BIOS through a software patch. Enabing the disabled pieces of hardware can not hurt the other components. Unless BFG has some clause in their user agreement that you can only use drivers supplied by them or Nvidia then the service rep. was feeding you a line.

Really I just assumed that unlocking pipes would void your warranty? Seems everything else does. Certainly makes the vanilla 6800 even more desirable. 50% seems low for success rate from what I have been reading. Wonder if those with a bad experience are more likely to answer.

He says it "should not" void the warranty. Without getting into the morals of whether or not it "should", softmodding almost certainly does void your warranty, as you are no longer running the card within its rated specifications. Overclocking and flashing the BIOS definitely void it.

 

[Acanthus]

Need a results button.

 

[big4x4]

I have some results as well:

Pny 6800 - Artifacts in 3dmark 03 with pipes unlocked, only could unlock vertex
PNY 6800 - Unlocks fine
BFG 6800 - Unlocks fine

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
Need a results button.

Uh... all AT polls have a 'view results' button so you can see the results without voting. At least they do for me.

 

[AirGibson]

Success here.

- BFG 6800 OC
- Pipes unlocked, Vertex unlocked
- O/Ced to 375/850 with stock heat sink

 

[MustangSVT]

BFG 6800 oc

@ 380/880

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: hypaspazz
Kuch,

Overclocking can void the warranty.
A failed BIOS flash can void the warranty.
Softmodding should not void the warranty.

You are enabling pipelines that are masked in the BIOS through a software patch. Enabing the disabled pieces of hardware can not hurt the other components. Unless BFG has some clause in their user agreement that you can only use drivers supplied by them or Nvidia then the service rep. was feeding you a line.

Ugh,,, How exactly did your logic bring you to this conclusion?

 

[MDE]

On a friend's BFG 6800 the pipelines wouldn't work but the vertex processor would.

 

[hypaspazz]

Originally posted by: ronnn

Really I just assumed that unlocking pipes would void your warranty? Seems everything else does. Certainly makes the vanilla 6800 even more desirable. 50% seems low for success rate from what I have been reading. Wonder if those with a bad experience are more likely to answer.

Softmodding "enables" the masked pipes, it does not actually "unlock" them. If you were to send the card back to the BFG for warranty service the additional pipes would still be locked (or masked). Does that mean that softmodding does not violate the warranty? I don't know for sure, you would have to ask a lawyer about that one. This is one of those grey areas in my opinion.

Matthias99 is right that it is a moral issue. The card would appear the same as delivered in the box on a bench test since the softmod is essentially an "enhanced" software driver. The moral question is, would you feel good about returning your card for warranty service knowing that you softmodded the card? If you answer no and you don't want to risk voiding your warranty then DON'T softmod your card.

I for one have never had an issue with softmodding, overclocking, or flashing the BIOS causing equipment failure so I will continue to do it until I get burned (no pun intended).

 

[Hikari]

BFG 6800 OC. 16 pipelines and 6vp, no artifacts. Slowly testing out overclocking, I'm only at 365/730 so far w/out problems. So far its over 1,000 extra in 3dmark 03.

 

[iamtrout]

PNY 6800 from the CompUSA sale. 16 pipes, 6vp, no artifacts. Currently at 381/812, 42C on watercooling.

 

[einnor76]

I have a BFG 6800NU on another machine. Unlocked all pipes and VS, showing 16x6. Went from 9334 in 3DMark03 at 12x5 up to 10240 at 16x6, not bad. That was stock. When i overclocked to 406/750, I got 10878. Fantastic, since my 6800 GT was 11203 at stock speeds on same machine. That machine being:

Abit KV8 Pro
Athlon 64 3000+ @ 218 FSB
512 MB DDR400 2.5-3-3
BFG 6800 OC @ 406/750 Stock Cooler (Any ideas why only 750 OC with memory?)
80 GB Maxtor ATA133 7200RPM
Onboard AC'97

 

[MustangSVT]

Originally posted by: Hikari
BFG 6800 OC. 16 pipelines and 6vp, no artifacts. Slowly testing out overclocking, I'm only at 365/730 so far w/out problems. So far its over 1,000 extra in 3dmark 03.

did you purchase it from BB across golf mill? (saw ur post from hot deals thread) did they do stupid thing where they dont have any of them on the shelf.. but have like 6 stashed away in a locked cabinet? I guess BB sales ppl get commission.. -_-; doesnt matter..

anyway. how much were you able to O/C your card? .. im surprised i can o/c to 880 on the memory.

 

[Drizzy]

I've successfully moded 2/4 of them so far.

 

[Hikari]

I got mine at the Best Buy near Woodfield... So far it is to 765 memory (I keep going up...)

 

[paladiin]

Couldn't unlock the vertex pipes (hardlocked at 12) but all shaders were enabled by default on my BFG 6800oc.

Rock solid at 400/900 and scoring 10300 in '03 and 4250 in '05.

 

[iamtrout]

Is it normal for the overclocked card to hard lock before showing artifacts?

 

[DusterAZ]

BFG 6800 OC success here -> 16x1, 6vp

Ran 3Dmark03 a half dozen times and played Doom 3 for a few hours and no artifacts. I have not starting overclocking yet though.

Went from 9021 to 9807 with only the softmod on my Athlon XP-M @ 2.2 Ghz.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: iamtrout
Is it normal for the overclocked card to hard lock before showing artifacts?

if it's a heat issue on the core yes, memory is cause for artifacts.

 

[iamtrout]

I shouldn't be a heat issue at all. My card doesn't ever break 43C because it's watercooled.

 

[FFactory0x]

how many of these are evga's

 

[MustangSVT]

Originally posted by: paladiin
Couldn't unlock the vertex pipes (hardlocked at 12) but all shaders were enabled by default on my BFG 6800oc.

Rock solid at 400/900 and scoring 10300 in '03 and 4250 in '05.

finally ^^* someone beat my o/c

 

[madmikeee]

ok something is NOT right here. My BASELINE on 3dmark after opening the pipes and shaders (which had artifacts) was 6013

Isn't that AWFULLY low even for stock settings???

 

[iamtrout]

What's the rest of your system specs? Do you accidentally have AA and AF turned on?