OLD - Nvidia bios modification/flash/restore guide (See new Guide)

This is a simple guide on how to mod your Nvidia video card's bios and flashing it, and also how to backup/restore your original bios, just in case it doesn't work out.

This process is fairly simple, and in my opinion foolproof, but just in case you do screw up, you can always flash it back using a PCI card to boot computer.

Okay first of all you'll need the following things,
1. Floppy drive
2. Floppy disk
3. Download the program NiBiTor
4. Download the NVflash utility
5. Balls

First to back up your original bios:
-Create a bootable floppy disk, then copy the NVflash files onto the floppy.
-Set computer to boot from floppy in bios
-after the floppy disk has loaded, type "a:nvflash -b backup.rom" without quotes, then press enter. this will save your current bios on the floppy as backup.rom
There you've backed up your current bios, in case the new bios doesn't work out just flash back to this.

Now reset computer and go back into Windows, open the backup.rom file on your floppy disk using NiBiTor, modify it any way you like, change the voltages a bit, tweak the memory timings a little(BE SURE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!), increase/decrease clock speeds. Save the file as newbios.rom

Here's how to flash your card with the new bios:
-Boot from the floppy with NVflash and the newbios.rom
-After floppy's loaded type "a:nvflash -p -u -f newbios.rom" without quotes, and press enter.
-Reset computer, and go into windows, it shouldn't have problem with driver, since you only modfied your own bios. However if you've flashed to a different brand or different chipset's bios, you will need to reinstall your drivers.

You're done, your card now has the new modified bios

Now if your card behaves strangely, such as crashing in 3d, or artifacts, or crashes in coolbits, that means your card can't handle the new settings, and you'll need to restore to the original bios.

Here's how to flash back to original bios.
-Boot from nvflash with backup.rom floppy
-type "a:nvflash -p -u -f backup.rom" without quotes and press enter.

Now if you screwed up majorly, your card wouldn't even boot anymore, you could blind flash the card back to the original bios, or you could use a PCI video card to boot the computer and monitor, then you can flash the bios on your primary card back to the original.


I think i covered everything, if i remember anything else i'll update this. This is a very simple process, and can't go wrong, so if you got all the stuff i said you'd need, then give it a try. If your card sucks and doesn't work out, hey just flash it back, you got nothing to lose.



Okay, have to mention this in the end, if you're a dumb@ss and screw up your card, I am in no way responsible, you do this at your own risk.


Update: I will get an update soon on how to flash PCI Express cards and SLi setups.

I have a question...what the balls are for?...do you mean cojones?

thanx for all, I'll try when find an opportunity...

should be 1.5 volts for the 6800

HOW???

Where do you actually get the new GPU firmware from?

I've always bought/used nVidia cards since ever since 3dFX went bust, and in all that time I've never seen an nVidia firmware available for download anywhere.

Very, very carefully.

Thanks dude, thats a good one

Here is some guy telling you how to do exactly the same thing, but from within windows, at no risk of ballsing up

http://gnerma.wordpress.com/2007/1 [...] geforce-8/

I did this on mine and this is what I got:

Stock speeds:
Core: 500mhz
Shader: 1042mhz
Memory: 713mhz

After using RivaTuner and guide:
Core: 670mhz
Shader: 1762mhz
Memory: 1024mhz

Obviously you can flash to get the same results, but its less risky.

So, what does this mean for performance?

Core: An extra 35%
Shader: A massive 72%
Memory: An extra 44%

This means my GTS has literally doubled in performance, I run Crysis maxed out (no AA ) at 1280*1024 at an absolute!! minimum of 30fps (usually during explosions and or intense physics activity), usually around 42/43, when it used to run around 30fps max!! I can post some screenshots if people don't believe me, since a GTX will just about do what I said. I don't mind, actually I'd quite like to.

Also there are hundreds of Crysis tweaks to squeeze a few more FPS and just to make it look better!

Disclaimer: Not every GTS will overclock exactly the same, I think I just got lucky!

Also, just incase anyone is going to try and say its not stable, I just ran around on Crysis for like 40 mins blowing stuff up, stressing it alot *around 32fps * and it never missed a beat, or crashed.

Also, you may need to set your fan to 100%!! I do, its more noisy, but I don't actually care!

Anyone want to know anymore just ask

Yeah ^ that is correct ^.^

Stupid updates

Hello
I have an 6600 silent edition from ASUS and i try to increase the voltage....
So I've done it and the next the computer doesn't power on(the screen) And now I have to reset the firware by hardware....Is there any way to do it???....

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] dification
New Updated. Vote for Sticky!

If you don't reply to it, it stays at the bottom, not the top, and Shadow has linked to his replacement.

There's still valuable information here from contributors as well, it will be a question of what to consolidate if anything, first. THEN we can consider taking this down. I don't see a rush until then unless people bump this up to the top again.

So now you can go bump Shadow'ss thread to bring it back above this one.

Update Edit: Going to consider rolling this information into the new thread and then take down this and the old ATi sticky too. Gonna give them a couple more days/weeks to fold in all relevant info.