How to mod X1800GTO > 16 pipes (X1800XL)

chron · May 17, 2006

Ok, first off, if anyone has anything to add please do so. Second, I can not speak for the connect3d cards, only the HIS card I bought from newegg... I bought the normal version at newegg for 218 dollars, I believe the IceQ version is now the same price but I don’t know if they are the same board.

To edit your own bios and unlock 16 pipes do the following:

1.) Download HXD Hex editor from here http://mh-nexus.de/HxD.htm#whatsnew

2.) At line 00000070 find the key "19". Change it to "18"

3.) Save As> "New.rom"

4.) Open new.rom with RaBiT found at http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/283
*You will get an error "Bad bios?" > Click yes and continue working on it
Update: Rabit has come out with a 2.1 version which says it fixes a problem where memory timings were not being read correctly on x1800 and x1900 cards. After modifying a bios with the 2.1 version, I gained 300 points in 3dmark05 from the correct memory timings.

5.) Under "features" tab, change voltage to 1.2125

6.) Save As > New.rom > Yes to replace

7.) RE-OPEN new.rom with RaBiT. Under features tab set voltage to 1.38. You can save the bios and reopen it to apply more voltage but its best to test the bios before adding more juice. Simply by saving the bios, then opening it again in RaBiT, you can raise the core voltage by 10% each time. I brought mine up to 1.45V but ONLY because i have propper cooling.

Core speed is determaned by core voltage. 1.33 should do 625 625 no problem

EDIT:

I have heard that IceQ versions can attain 700/800 no problem. Since I've posted this guide, I have only been able to get to 700/700 on my normal version. My suggestion for anyone thinking of buying one is to go with IceQ. ATITool aparently can offer vmem and vgpu control with a simple flash method.

Voltage control for IceQ versions:

First, download a sapphire XL Bios from techpowerup. Then create a text file containing the following:

atiflash -newbios -f -p 0 sapxl.bin
atiflash -f -p 0 gto.bin

Save as: "Flash.bat" <*WITH THE QUOTES*

Using ATITool 3.09, run the batch file simply by typing C:\flash.bat (or wherever you placed it)

This method has worked for all IceQ version owners I have spoken to. You should now be able to control voltage for both mem and core via ATITool

redrumy3 · May 17, 2006

very nice guide should be a sticky! im sure this will help ppl who have the x1800gto, great job

Andreas1327 · May 18, 2006

Def a sticky but when you say every dual pci-e board you mean EVERY mobo?Even on SLI boards?

chron · May 18, 2006

From what I read at guru3d's review of powecolor's x1800gto, 6.5's will let the GTO's run on any dual pci-e motherboard in crossfire mode... This is something the author had heard straight from ATI so lets keep our fingers crossed...

chron · May 18, 2006

Ok, at 1.42V I can almost run at 700/750 no problem. Its the heat I'm worry about. Currently I have it set to 675/700 and its running fine. Max temps at 700/750 were 90C! My max temps at 675/700 are in the low 70's, which i feel more comfortable with.

not bad for 218 dollars... lol

chron · May 18, 2006

One more thing.. Here is my modified X1800GTO bios...

I changed the voltage to 1.45, so overclocking is at its highest potential. I also reset to clocks back to 500/500 since I have read that these cards are all different in different ways and some can handle speeds better than others. Once you find what your safe speeds are open this up in rabit20a and set your clocks, save it, and flash it.

Hope you guys have as much success as i have had...

heres my bios:

http://www.killtek.com/media/members/chron/r520mod.zip

chron · May 21, 2006

bump, sticky yet? Anyone find this helpfull?

shivfty5 · May 22, 2006

Hey Chron, took me long enough to get registered. I found your stuff very helpful. I was able to convert my connect3d gto into an xl, for some reason I was getting wicked high temps so I flashed back and now I cannot get it to go back to the goddam xl bios again. I saved it too. I am trying the hex thing again, first time i tried that I had to use a pci card, no display at all, kinda freaked out for a min, lol. I hope to pick your brain on this issue, I love flashing and o.c'ing. Very good work you did, excellent job brother. Take care

Sentential · May 22, 2006

Chron that is *alot* of voltage for a non 7-phase PCB. Just a word to the wise if you are using over 1.3v the odds of you burning out a FET on your graphics card become exponentially high.

I would *never* run more than 1.4v on an XL PCB that is a sure fire way to blow the card. Hell ive seen people blow their cards with as low as 1.2v. The general concensus among XL users agree that the only true safe 24/7 voltage for the 5-phase XL PCB is ~1.225v with the redline around 1.275v. I personally run 1.3v on water and I refuse to go any higher than this.

Had I not aggressivly sinked my power FETs this card would have blown by now.

shivfty5 · May 22, 2006

can u tell me how to change the 19 to 18, I tried using this software last time and ended up with no display. what r the steps to change the number. thx and yes i agree abouit the voltage, no wonder why my card was at 79c at idle. tom's hardware did a project on a his card and never went over 1.3 volts.

edit: i figured it out, still not showing up. I did have it work last night don't know why not now. I can see that the xl bios is 7109 instead of 710a

Sentential · May 22, 2006

shivfty5 said:
can u tell me how to change the 19 to 18, I tried using this software last time and ended up with no display. what r the steps to change the number. thx and yes i agree abouit the voltage, no wonder why my card was at 79c at idle. tom's hardware did a project on a his card and never went over 1.3 volts.

Well its more than just temps guys, on the A14's and less so on the A15s there is a defective metal layer from ATi's bungling TSMC's 90nm spec sheet. Because of the layout flaw this metal layer has a tendency to cause a form of "slow/sudden death syndrome" on a GPU level.

Ive had several cards inexplicably die all of which were either lightly overclocked or completely stock.

The R580 core does not suffer from this flaw and this is why you see people running as high as 1.7v+ on the chips as they do not have a voltage bug with the chip. In short if you run over 1.3v for extended periods of use without aggressive cooling both on a power level and the GPU itself you can *expect* your card to die in a matter of days.

**Side note, the majority of XLs and GTOs cannot run more than 1.25v without it immediatly hardlocking in 3D mode because of this "bug" some however can run much higher but the vast majority do not.

chron · May 22, 2006

Sentential said:
Chron that is *alot* of voltage for a non 7-phase PCB. Just a word to the wise if you are using over 1.3v the odds of you burning out a FET on your graphics card become exponentially high.

I would *never* run more than 1.4v on an XL PCB that is a sure fire way to blow the card. Hell ive seen people blow their cards with as low as 1.2v. The general concensus among XL users agree that the only true safe 24/7 voltage for the 5-phase XL PCB is ~1.225v with the redline around 1.275v. I personally run 1.3v on water and I refuse to go any higher than this.

Had I not aggressivly sinked my power FETs this card would have blown by now.

So, have I damaged my card by testing these settings? The longest I have run my card above 1.3V was probably arround 20 minutes. At 1.45 I had a house fan (more like garage fan) blowing directly into the computer and practically blowing the pc over just trying to get it to run with no artifacts at 675/700.

My "safe" settings are 1.2125V 600/600. This is what I am running 24/7. If I can somehow lower my GPU Temperatures by 10-20C can I increase the voltage?

I have plenty of heatsinks and thermal tape, is there anywhere I can place a heatsink and avoid any damage?

Bottom line: What is different about this card an an XT that lets THAT card run at 1.38V? What can I do to make my card handle above 1.3V safely?

chron · May 22, 2006

shivfty5 said:
Hey Chron, took me long enough to get registered. I found your stuff very helpful. I was able to convert my connect3d gto into an xl, for some reason I was getting wicked high temps so I flashed back and now I cannot get it to go back to the goddam xl bios again. I saved it too. I am trying the hex thing again, first time i tried that I had to use a pci card, no display at all, kinda freaked out for a min, lol. I hope to pick your brain on this issue, I love flashing and o.c'ing. Very good work you did, excellent job brother. Take care

Thats odd. From what I hear the connect3d cards aren't having much success. If simply flashing a sapphire XL bios to it works then I suggest you do that. While searching for ways to edit my card's bios all I found were HIS cards that were being used as examples.

When you open your default bios in a hex editor, at the top in the left hand corner you should see 00000000 or something. follow it down until you see 00000070. Then go to the right until you see "19". Clicking on 1 in the 19 highlighted it for me, so i just typed in 18 and saved it. Rabit fixes the checksum error when you open it up and save it.

Sentential · May 22, 2006

chron said:
So, have I damaged my card by testing these settings? The longest I have run my card above 1.3V was probably arround 20 minutes. At 1.45 I had a house fan (more like garage fan) blowing directly into the computer and practically blowing the pc over.

My "safe" settings are 1.2125V 600/600. This is what I am running 24/7. If I can somehow lower my GPU Temperatures by 10-20C can I increase the voltage?

I have plenty of heatsinks and thermal tape, is there anywhere I can place a heatsink and avoid any damage?

Bottom line: What is different about this card an an XT that lets THAT card run at 1.38V? What can I do to make my card handle above 1.3V safely?

Yes there are several things that make your card different from an XT. Observe:

This card is an XT

This is an XL, note the missing power FET as well as the different PCB.

The XL PCB cannot take the same voltage that an XT can because the power fets on the XT are designed to take more voltage through their circuts.

In terms of sinking the FETs this is how I am cooling mine:

Finally if your card is still running then no significant damage has occured but I would be really careful above 1.3v from here on out. If you want to run high voltages sinking the Fets (the black squares) and actively cooling them is a must. Mine on load without cooling would spike into the 90C+ range which is dangerouly high (to the point where solder can physically melt).

If you want to really use that much voltage you will need to significantally cool them and water cool your GPU to keep its temperatures within a safe range. (ie under 70C loaded)

chron · May 22, 2006

Hey, XT pic isnt working but I'm looking at one rite now...

Ok, so the fact that my GTO has 6 power FETs and not just 5 means that they are probably lower quality? I've got a bunch of ram sinks laying arround and thermal tape. If I covered all 6 FETs with ram sinks and then fashoned a fan on like you did could I get away with higher voltages or is this just something that the actuall design of the FET is limited by? In other words, if I've already let 1.45V through them, shouldn't heat be their only limit?

Sentential · May 22, 2006

chron said:
Hey, XT pic isnt working but I'm looking at one rite now...

Ok, so the fact that my GTO has 6 power FETs and not just 5 means that they are probably lower quality? I've got a bunch of ram sinks laying arround and thermal tape. If I covered all 6 FETs with ram sinks and then fashoned a fan on like you did could I get away with higher voltages or is this just something that the actuall design of the FET is limited by?

I stand corrected, if you have 6 FETs and not 5 like I do, you are infact on the XT PCB. God be with you because you are not bound by the voltage cap that the XL is plagued since the voltage limitation only applies to those who are on the XL PCB (those with 5 phase power)

**For the record most of the GTOs have 4 phase power (one less than the XL) and the few that can be flashed to XL have 5 phase. I personally have never heard of a 6 phase GTO before (or an XL for that matter). Your card is truly unique because your card is on an XT PCB for some odd *** reason.

You can confirm if your card is a "failed" XT by the silicon batch on it. If you have an A15 batch R520 core then yours is of an XT calibur which would mean you could theoritically use as much as 1.55v or whatever the max ATI tool has to offer (since those on phase and water have used this amount)

chron · May 22, 2006

wow, maybe i should buy another one. lol. GO HIS!

Sentential · May 22, 2006

chron said:
wow, maybe i should buy another one. lol. GO HIS!

Well it would certinaly explain why your card managed to hold 1.42v stable. Hell my old XL would hardlock at 1.275v no matter how I cooled it. Good luck to you.

shivfty5 · May 22, 2006

i keep getting an error 0fl01 "adapter not found" when trying to flash. WHen i did my last flash to go back to original bios it didn't take and now I have black screen. So i put in pci card and am trying to reflash my gto. WHat does that error mean, is my card dead. I have tried every bios i have backed up and they all say the same error no adapter found, am i missing a step. I even tried to change the adapter #, this card is junked. I know i am doing it right i'm afraid i'm f*cked. going to try and rma, this will be my 2nd rma, first one was legitimally broken, sure hope they don't pop these in pc's and check for bios flashes, actually how can they tell if i just get a bland screen, i am not saying boo.

chron · May 22, 2006

try flashing an empty bios to it to clear what ever is in there. Then restart, and in the dark try flashing the backup bios. In other words, try taking out the PCI video card and using this line of code:

A:\atiflash -f -p 0 A:\YOURBIOS.ROM

remember to place the correct directory in front of each file... If atiflash and the bios are both on A:\ then there you go. otherwise change as needed.

How to mod X1800GTO > 16 pipes (X1800XL)

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