6950 to 6970...does this sound about right?

[axlrose]

Okay I ordered two 2gb Sapphire Toxic 6950's last night with hopes of turning them into 6970's or close. I have a fantastic (I think) article from CPU magazine (awesome magazine!) that explains the mod but I thought I'd post my understanding of it here in hopes that those of you that have gone before me on this quest can verify that I have it down correctly before the cards arrive and I give it a shot.

1. Download ATIWinflash and RBE from TechPowerUp.com
2. Download GPU-Z
3. Install graphics cards as normal (I also have an M4 and Windows 7-64 on the way with a back up hdd as well, so hopefully that will go smoothly first).
4. Restart system and disable antivirus software and close all other applications.
5. Verify the BIOS switch is in position number one.
6. Right-click ATIWinflash and run as administrator.
7. Make sure graphics card is properly identified.
8. Save to extract the stock BIOS.
9. Back up the stock BIOS on my thumb drive just in case.
10. Right click RBE and run as administrator.
11. Click load BIOS button and navigate to the stock BIOS.
12. Click additional features and click on 6970 shader count instead of 6950 shader count.
13. Save the modded BIOS as mod BIOS.
14. Close RBE.
15. Right-click and run ATIWinflash as administrator.
16. Click load image button.
17. Select the modded BIOS.
18. Click the program button.
19. Reboot the computer.
20. Run GPU-Z to check for the unlocked shaders from 1,408 to 1,536.

Thanks for any missed steps or advice etc.

 

[dbdth]

DON'T do all that out of the gate. I have two, recently purchased. Here's what I did:

I already have CPU-Z and Sapphire Trixx installed. CPU-Z wouldn't show me shaders, core clocks, etc. I'm sure I need to reinstall. Either program will show you shader counts, core clock and memory clock speeds.

I checked first one card, then removed it and did the second card. Here's what I did:

1. Downloaded and saved latest CCC and app profiles, cleaned out old ones, powered ed down, installed first card, restarted system, installed new drivers, etc

2. Checked shader counts. clocks, etc. Had 1408 shaders

3. Powered off. Flipped bios switch, powered up

4. Checked shaders, etc. Had 1536 shaders (second bios position had the 6970 bios installed by the factory)

5. Powered off and repeated steps 1 - 4 with the second card. It also showed 1408 shaders with the bios switch in the first position and 1536 in the second position.

6. Powered off, put both cards in (with the bios switch in the second position for both cards), restarted.

7. Checked both cards in Sapphire Trixx. Both show 1536 shaders (so both have the 6970 bios preinstalled by the factory.

Don't do all the extra gobbledy-beloved patriot you have listed above UNLESS the 6970 bios wasn't already installed on the cards by the factory.

 

[axlrose]

Best answer selected by axlrose.

 

[4Ryan6]

This topic has been closed by 4ryan6