Poll: How did your 9500 mod turn out?

[jaybee]

That otter cover it. My experience: hardware mod and software mod, 3d artifacts and sometimes 2d as well. Just post the most successful btw.

jaybee

 

[jaybee]

One more thing: if you have a successful mod, please post driver and bios (if flashed) version.

 

[frustrated2]

Nice idea all these other threads are nothing but redundancy same thing over and over again. This should organize everything and help people get a handle on things. I will post wednesday when my card arrives

 

[RandomCoil]

Sapphire OEM 9500 NP 128MB from Newegg.

w1zzard software mod, ...7193c drivers with original BIOS.
no 2d artifacts
no 3d artifacts (3dmark score confirms activation was successful)

Yes, I'm thrilled.

 

[Killrose]

Saphire 128mb 9500 non-pro OEM from Newegg
removed resistor/conductive paint
bios ver. 97npsap.bin
360+core/301mem stable no artifacts.

 

[Mardeth]

I think this works only if you have not done any hardware mods.

 

[jasonja]

Originally posted by: Mardeth
I think this works only if you have not done any hardware mods.

BS... people just don't understand wth this does. All you're doing is changing a PCI deviceID. You either have a good chip or a bad chip.

 

[jaybee]

I agree, jasonja. The reported success rate for software is higher, but I think that is probably due to flashing wrong bios with hardware mod. Software mod doesn't require bios flashing, hardware does. I tried a bunch of different bioses and had different results. Some bioses gave me 2d artifacts (even in 9500 mode!), and with others I had only 3d artifacts (due to bad chip IMO).

Which reminds me, if you have done hardware mod and have 2d artifacts, try other bioses (or the software mod). I don't see how defective 3d pipelines could affect 2d quality, so you may have a good chip. If there is a problem in the chip that appears in 2d, I think it would appear whether you are in 9500 mode or 9700 mode.

jaybee

PS Not a lot of results back, but the fact that we see 2d artifacts reported for hardware mod and not software supports the above.

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: jaybee
I agree, jasonja. The reported success rate for software is higher, but I think that is probably due to flashing wrong bios with hardware mod. Software mod doesn't require bios flashing, hardware does. I tried a bunch of different bioses and had different results. Some bioses gave me 2d artifacts (even in 9500 mode!), and with others I had only 3d artifacts (due to bad chip IMO).

Which reminds me, if you have done hardware mod and have 2d artifacts, try other bioses (or the software mod). I don't see how defective 3d pipelines could affect 2d quality, so you may have a good chip. If there is a problem in the chip that appears in 2d, I think it would appear whether you are in 9500 mode or 9700 mode.

jaybee

PS Not a lot of results back, but the fact that we see 2d artifacts reported for hardware mod and not software supports the above.

What are the advantages of doing the hardware mod?

 

[jaybee]

Over software? None that I can see.

 

[Killrose]

I wonder what the success rate is for the 9500 64mb non- pro to a 9500Pro 64mb is?

 

[jasonja]

The advantage of the hardware mod is that when new drivers come out it will still work, software hacks are simply modifying the ATI miniport to report the 9500 as a 9700. So if the driver changes, the software hack will need to be updated.

On that note, anyone claiming they don't have ANY artifacts needs to further stress their chip. I've done two mods and both have artifacts. One was obvious in everything... the other card's issues only appear when you start playing more. For example, mine works fine except if I go and force on 6X FSAA and play UT 2k3. Then I can see faint checkboarding in the menu, but the game is solid and no artifacts. It seems it's 98% artifact free.

I don't doubt that some people have chips that are working flawlessly, but what I think is that a large number of people claiming to have no artifacts, just haven't seen them yet. Running 3D Mark and seeing nothing doesn't certainly mean your mod worked flawlessly.

 

[Bovinicus]

To test for artifacts try the ArtifactMark program that comes with the Omega drivers. Just download the install for the Omega drives and uncheck everything but that program. It can reveal artifacts that you cannot even see in regular usage.

 

[jaybee]

So far: 6 successful, 10 have artifacts. 37.5% success rate. Bummer for those of us who bought just for the mod.

jaybee

 

[Killrose]

You have to remember that Ati can fail these chips for other things besides non-working Pipes. I think that's why mine is working, but I can't run at the 310Mhz memory that Pro cards do. I think the 3.3ns infineon that is on my card should normally be able to hit 310MHz, but 301MHz is all I can stabily get before I get artifacts, and no, not any checkerboarding. They probably test stability at certain clocks, and that's why a lot of people report no artifacts, but low mem. clocks.

And I think that 3hrs of RTCW on-line with my card @ 330/301 is a good test for artifacts. That followed by several runs of 3DMark2001se @ 360/301 for the hell of it. And some Vietcong thrown in for some D3d action. All done at 2xFSAA+8xAniso.

 

[Rand]

7/17 so far.... 41% success ratio.

 

[Creig]

The best I could get out of my system w/GF3 Ti200 o/c'ed to 240/520 was 8500 3dmarks.


But NOW! Reformat/reinstalled WinXP and using RivaTuner w/Soft9700. System as follows:

Koolance PC2-C Watercooled case
Epox 8K5A3+
T-Bred A 1800+
512mb Crucial PC2100
ATI Radeon 9500 w/Infineon 3.3ns

R300
215R8ABGA13F
G25485.1
0243AA
TAIWAN

1) Stock processor @ 1.53 GHz/stock card.... @ 275/540 =.. 9641 3DMarks
2) O/C processor... @ 1.83 GHz/stock card.... @ 275/540 = 10627 3DMarks
3) Stock processor @ 1.53 GHz/9700 update @ 275/540 = 11016 3DMarks
4) O/C processor... @ 1.83 GHz/9700 update @ 275/540 = 12716 3DMarks
5) O/C processor... @ 1.83 GHz/9700 update @ 325/600 = 13329 3DMarks
6) O/C processor... @ 2.00 Ghz/9700 update @ 380/600 = 14308 3DMarks

Fillrate 1) 927.9 single/1103.5 multi
Fillrate 2) 928.0 single/1103.4 multi
Fillrate 3) 1538.0 single/2163.4 multi
Fillrate 4) 1548.0 single/2173.5 multi
Fillrate 5) 1749.1 single/2538.2 multi
Fillrate 6) 1839.6 single/2938.2 multi


Haven't had a chance to do any other benches or games but haven't noticed any artifacts/checkerboarding yet.

 

[jaybee]

Hmm, software mod quite a bit more successful than hardware mod... is it wrong bios/drivers, a physical problem with/due to the mod, or statistically insignificant? Goes along with what I've heard elsewhere about software working more often than hardware. Why why why?

jaybee

 

[Killrose]

Originally posted by: jaybee
Hmm, software mod quite a bit more successful than hardware mod... is it wrong bios/drivers, a physical problem with/due to the mod, or statistically insignificant? Goes along with what I've heard elsewhere about software working more often than hardware. Why why why?

jaybee

I think a lot of people heard about the mod, ordered their cards, and by the time their cards arrived the software hack had come out. If you read around the net, you'll find the software hack does not fix cards that don't work with the hardware hack. And i'm sure the same is true with the exact oposit.

But it does'nt look good as far as success either way. For once, i'm one of the lucky ones.

 

[xylem]

My card works correctly with the software hack (no artifacting). It's the Sapphire OEM with 3.3ns Infineon ram from Newegg.

 

[CZroe]

Neck and neck. 10 100% successful hardware/software mods, 10 artifacting hardware/software mods. I don't like those odds

 

[jaybee]

Originally posted by: KillroseI think a lot of people heard about the mod, ordered their cards, and by the time their cards arrived the software hack had come out. If you read around the net, you'll find the software hack does not fix cards that don't work with the hardware hack. And i'm sure the same is true with the exact oposit.

But it does'nt look good as far as success either way. For once, i'm one of the lucky ones.

But why is software more successful? If you mention it above, sorry I missed it. I thought those control circuits were pretty simple, but maybe shorting the points cooks something. Moot at this point probably; I don't think anyone is going to fudge with the card now that software hacks are out.

jaybee

 

[hovenas]

Software mod only, 100% sucess! VERY pleased and very grateful.
Thx W1zzard, thx Unwinder and all you other ppl that got me this beauty!

 

[Killrose]

Originally posted by: jaybee

Originally posted by: KillroseI think a lot of people heard about the mod, ordered their cards, and by the time their cards arrived the software hack had come out. If you read around the net, you'll find the software hack does not fix cards that don't work with the hardware hack. And i'm sure the same is true with the exact oposit.

But it does'nt look good as far as success either way. For once, i'm one of the lucky ones.

But why is software more successful? If you mention it above, sorry I missed it. I thought those control circuits were pretty simple, but maybe shorting the points cooks something. Moot at this point probably; I don't think anyone is going to fudge with the card now that software hacks are out.

jaybee

My point is that people received their cards at about the sametime as when the software mod was released. So the software mod was the only method attempted. You will not see any increases in poll numbers on the hardware side anymore. Everyone is going to go straight to trying the software hack. The software hack will be more successful due to the complexity of moving the resistor.

 

[SlinkyDink]

I just installed my 9500 non pro, reflashed the bios, and the card died! The system doesnt appear to boot without video either!! I think I'm SOL unless I can find a PCI video card to reflash the card with! Crap!!


Edit: Installed a PCI video card, reflashed with original bios, back up and running
About to try the 9700 software mod