Nvidia Drivers Automatically Overclocks

[eyeballkid]

I happened to stumble over something peculiar last night. When using
the excellent program Powerstrip to create a custom resolution I saw
that it detected my display adapter's default clocks to be 425 MHz
(Engine) and 1100 MHz (Memory). The card I have is a standard
reference design Nvidia Geforce 6800 Ultra which should be clocked
400/1100. To make sure Powerstrip was not to blame I enabled the
overclocking in Forceware drivers with coolbits.

Surprisingly I found that when using software in 3D mode the official
Forceware drivers (61.77) automatically overclocks the card's engine
from 400 MHz to 425 MHz. Is this common knowledge? This means all
benchmarks actually show the Geforce 6800 Ultra performing out of
spec.! You can easily verify this by using Rivatuner. (Alt-Tab to Windows
during gameplay)

I am not sure if this really troubles me, but I can definitely see someone
getting angry.

 

[Rage187]

considering your the only one who has noticed, I would say UE.

 

[eyeballkid]

If someone could, I'd be glad:

Start a game. Alt-Tab to Windows. Start Rivatuner. Check your clockfrequency. I am pretty sure it says 425 MHz for you lucky owners of a 6800U.

 

[Bateluer]

The BFG 6800U comes stock at 425Mhz, you got a BFG by any chance?

 

[PrayForDeath]

What brand is your 6800 U?

 

[Rage187]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
The BFG 6800U comes stock at 425Mhz, you got a BFG by any chance?

LOL that could be it also.

 

[eyeballkid]

It's an Aopen GeForce 6800 Ultra, Nvidia reference design.
The card is not clocked at 425 MHz by default. In Windows the engine clock is at 400 MHz. If I start any 3D application at all and switch back to windows any utility will show the card running at 425 MHz. When using Nvidias own overclocking utility (coolbits) I can see that the default setting, at least with the 61.77 drivers, is 400 MHz in 2D mode and 425 MHz in 3D mode.

What I don't understand is why official drivers use different clock settings in 2D and 3D mode. This ought to be the users decision.


Here's my card!

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, some of you other 6800u owners chime in here and see if you can duplicate this.

I'm not sure what it would mean if it's true, though.

 

[Rage187]

I doubt its true, maybe someone just trying to start something.

 

[gururu]

oooh this has the makings of some more nVidia controversy...

 

[Rage187]

1. the cards have been out for 6months.

2. The drivers are old as dirt, the newest ones are in the 70.xx's

3. Even the official ones from Nv are 66.xx's

4. New poster started this thread, AKA another Cindy who registered just to start something.

5. And the biggest one, NOBODY else has noticed this yet ??? give me a break.

 

[high]

actually my buddy has that prob and has the exact same card as u.....when in windows surfin/mailin he's at 400/1100 but when in ut2k4/cs:s and alt tabs out, its 431/1122, which oddly enough, is with 1-2mhz of coolbits' max stable oc

 

[eyeballkid]

I think I might have been a little unclear.

I have a reference design standard 6800 Ultra card clocked at 400/1100 MHz.
I use the official Forceware drivers from www.nvidia.com, version 61.77. (Latest official drivers!)

When I start Rivatuner 15.2 while sitting in Windows and look under "Target adapter - Customize - Low Level System Settings" it reports my card running a Core clock of 399 MHz and a Memory clock of 1101.6 MHz.

If I start Counter-Strike: Source, join a server, choose i.e. spectate, then ALT-Tab to Windows, start Rivatuner, the program reports 425.3 for the Core and the 1101.6 for the memory.

It doesn't change frequencies if I sit in the menu of a game, only when in 3D mode.


So, if anyone with a 6800 Ultra (no overclocked from the box editions), or any 6800 card for that matter that is not overclocked and running official drivers could start up a game, then Alt-Tab to Windows during gameplay and start i.e. Rivatuner and then check if it reports any change in clock frequencies, I'd be more than happy.

It is quite easy to verify so I am not sure what all the fuss is about.

 

[YouAreForbidden]

im with Rage187, but for the OP its the Aopen rev1 BIOS if youre worried get the rev2. i just downloaded and looked at both versions and rev1 is 425/550 (1100) in 3d and 400/550 (1100) in 2d. rev2 is 400/550 (1100) in 3d and *GASP* 300/300 (600) in 2d.

dont know about your buddy high, with those clocks im inclined to believe that it is auto overclocking in that case. but look at those rev2 2d clocks. Aopen has something odd with thier BIOS i bet.

make a fresh bootdisk and put Nvflash 4.42 on it. boot using the disk. at the DOS prompt type

nvflash -b x.rom

x is whatever you want to name it.

take out the disk and reboot. check it with NiBiTor 1.8.

not likely that the drivers are doing that.

this doesnt do anything to the BIOS other than read it and copy it to the disk.

Few ultras are clocked at 400 in 3d.

Regards,
Y.A.F.
:beer:

 

[high]

hmm thanks i'll pass this along to him

 

[gururu]

so if the bios knows when 3d acceleration is used, it is upping the clock. if its upping it beyond default levels, I say shame on Asus.

 

[eyeballkid]

Originally posted by: YouAreForbidden
im with Rage187, but for the OP its the Aopen rev1 BIOS if youre worried get the rev2. i just downloaded and looked at both versions and rev1 is 425/550 (1100) in 3d and 400/550 (1100) in 2d. rev2 is 400/550 (1100) in 3d and *GASP* 300/300 (600) in 2d.

dont know about your buddy high, with those clocks im inclined to believe that it is auto overclocking in that case. but look at those rev2 2d clocks. Aopen has something odd with thier BIOS i bet.

make a fresh bootdisk and put Nvflash 4.42 on it. boot using the disk. at the DOS promt type

nvflash -b x.rom

x is whatever you want to name it.

take out the disk and reboot. check it with NiBiTor 1.8.

not likely that the drivers are doing that.

this doesnt do anything to the BIOS other than read it and copy it to the disk.

Regards,
Y.A.F.
:beer:

Thanks,
It never occured to me that Aopen might have slipped there own bios in there. I'll try it out.
If this is the case, and it probably is, then Aopen have used a dirty trick to get ahead in reviews.

 

[WicKeD]

It is called Dynamic Overclocking..... It amazes me that people buy the card, but have no idea what they are getting...

You can read about Dynamic Overclocking here Dynamic Overclocking

 

[eyeballkid]

Originally posted by: WicKeD
It is called Dynamic Overclocking..... It amazes me that people buy the card, but have no idea what they are getting...

You can read about Dynamic Overclocking here Dynamic Overclocking

If only Aopen were as informative as Evga my topic would never have been created. I myself am quite informed but I have never heard of dynamic overclocking. :roll:

 

[Gamingphreek]

Isn't [what he is referring to] clock throttling and he just doesn't realize it.

-Kevin

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: eyeballkid
I happened to stumble over something peculiar last night. When using
the excellent program Powerstrip to create a custom resolution I saw
that it detected my display adapter's default clocks to be 425 MHz
(Engine) and 1100 MHz (Memory). The card I have is a standard
reference design Nvidia Geforce 6800 Ultra which should be clocked
400/1100. To make sure Powerstrip was not to blame I enabled the
overclocking in Forceware drivers with coolbits.

Surprisingly I found that when using software in 3D mode the official
Forceware drivers (61.77) automatically overclocks the card's engine
from 400 MHz to 425 MHz. Is this common knowledge? This means all
benchmarks actually show the Geforce 6800 Ultra performing out of
spec.! You can easily verify this by using Rivatuner. (Alt-Tab to Windows
during gameplay)

I am not sure if this really troubles me, but I can definitely see someone
getting angry.

You will have to jump a little higher in order to reach that conclusion up on the top shelf.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

yeah if u enagble the Automatic overcloking with coolbits then yeah it will oc on ur behalf

if u jus run the standard drivers minus coolbits....it runs stock all the time


also ati overclock on the fly why cant nvidia

 

[eyeballkid]

Jesus, give me a break.

Automatic overclocking is not enabled in coolbits. If you had read the post you would know.
Problem, as if there ever was one, solved. It was the bios.

 

[Ackmed]

Actually, the latest official drivers from NV are the 61.77's. Betas dont count.

 

[JBT]

Don't the ATI cards do something similar called "over drive" Even so who cares. If the manufacter allows the clock speeds to go up like this great warrentied overclocking I don't see how this is bad...