New PowerColor X800Pro VIVO not flashable!!

[Minnyboy]

Just got myself a new X800Pro VIVO (PowerColor) straught from the Aussie Distributor for PowerColor.

Opened the box up & had a look at the card.

It's got 2ns ram on the GPU side & 1.6ns ram on the back of the card.

Tested it with stock cooler & OverDrive does not work with my card. I thought it was a feature with the X800's??

Anyways, after confirming that it could run at X800XT speeds, I flashed it with the Gigabyte X800XT bios & noticed that instead of keeping the ASIC number of 4A49 or changing to the X800XT's 4A50 ASIC, it changed it to 4A48.

Never heard of 4A48 before but took no notice of it. Booted into Windows & noticed that my rig "found new hardware".

Uninstalled the 4.7's & tried to re-install the but just got an error saying that my card is "not supported".

I've tried different bios but none will keep the X800Pro's 4A49 ASIC code or change to 4A50 (whixh my first VIVO did).

Luckily I saved the original bios & flashed it back to that. I was intending not to save the original bios as I have a backup of my first X800Pro VIVO bios. Good thing I didn't go ahead thinking that I had the bios saved.

On another note, I think they (ATI) did that as the first of the X800XT-PE's had been shipped to OZ...

So a warning for all! Don't expect to be able to flash the X800Pro VIVO into X800XT anymore. If you are successful then you probably got a first gen card....

BE WARNED!!!:mad:

I haven't looked at the core to see what the codes are to if it has the laser-cut. I just wanna return the sucker...

Minnyboy

[Arkangyl]

Well; at least this helps my GPU buying decision :p

FYI, ZIpzoom has X800XT's for $485 (not in stock) which isn't much more than most places are charging for a VIVO...


sorry to hear bout the bum card though Minny...

[Mariachi]

I think GT is my way now, XT costs too much.

[Arkangyl]

yea, my only catch-22 is that a 6800 GT + dangerden's new GF6800 wb (see their front page) is going to be $70-80 so a 6800 GT + block = $480 and a X800XT PE = $485...

[LilGator]

The 4A48 code and lack of Overdrive seems to me like it's a buggered card...

Anyone else buy one recently ?

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by LilGator
The 4A48 code and lack of Overdrive seems to me like it's a buggered card...

Anyone else buy one recently ?

Is it true that ALL X800 series cards support OverDrive??
Need to know ASAP to give me a good reason to return the card.

I think mine's pretty recent. Basically just came in "off the boat".

Most shops would probably still have a couple of older cards but I think it's a hit & miss affair.

I remember my first X800Pro supported OverDrive & that was generic X800 series...

Hmmm... Think I might have a bodgy card here. Will contact distributor & find out.

Minnyboy

[blinky]

x800pro should support overdrive

[CodeRed]

IIRC macci's ES X800XT card was 4A48 or 4A47

wierd how they have mixed different memory speeds too :confused:

[Minnyboy]

CodeRed,

I was thinking the same too.

Might give macci a PM asking for his original bios to see if it makes a difference.

I was thinking that it was going to be a $hitter when I saw the ram.

Thing is, the ones with 2ns on the look a bit funny. It seems like they (Samsung) marked them very differently. Makes me think that they are 1.6ns, just marked wrong.

OverDrive is still an issue for me though. Gonna try & RMA it on that basis.

Just getting to know the PowerColor distributor, maybe he can pull some strings for me.

Cheers,
Minnyboy

[=STE=BloodAngel]

If I'm correct only the X800XT PE's have overdrive not the Pro's. I remember when I had my original bios on my card after the Gigabyte one that there was no Overdrive tab. And when I flashed to XT the overdrive tab appeared.

[Minnyboy]

N0ooooo!!!!

That can't be...

Oh well, guess I'll just have to do something I never wanted to....

What's the fastest way to kill something w/out modding it??

Decisions, decisions...

Removed All References Of Illegal Activities...

[=STE=BloodAngel]

Fry it :D static electricity is your friend :banana:

[masterofpuppets]

Or use ATi tool to overclock it till it dies. It worked with ClockGen and an Athlon XP for me (oh how i hate amd!). Just bump up the clock speeds to max and watch it burn. BWAHAHAHAHA!

[=STE=BloodAngel]

Well, sending a burned to death card for RMA won't work if you ask me :rolleyes:

[skate2snow]

Do you have the dream theater chip on it?

[evil_raver]

i have here a club3d x800pro (not vivo and with 2,0 ns memory) borrowed from a friend and it has overdrive feature....

[enroscado]

My Sapphire x800 pro has the overdrive feature, but i have tried different drivers (4.6, 4.7) and sometimes the overdrive tab appears, and sometimes it doesn't, even with the same drivers.

EDIT: Post #100! :toast:

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by skate2snow
Do you have the dream theater chip on it?

Dunno if Rage Theatre & Dream Theatre are the same thing or not.

It has the Rage theatre on it.

Might just keep it until someone walks in & asks for a gaming rig & use it to build their machine for them.

Other than that minor/major problem, the card has been running fine.

After finding out that problem with the bios, I haven't OCed it.

Not worth my hassle of sitting there trying to find the sweet spot when I know it should be more than capable of doing more with 4 extra pipes...

Cheers,
Minnyboy

BTW, I was only joking when I said I was looking at the carpet. Darn house ain't carpeted. Gets bl00dy cold in winter. Good for benching I suppose...

[Stinger]

and who cares about overdrive????????????

[evil_raver]

no one here do it i think....:D
we were just trying to guess an "easy rma" way....:p:

[Huhn]

dismount the gpu cooler. i think u´ll have a trace cut there. i heard about one vivo that had also this trace cut. as soon as this cut was fixed and the x80xt bios was flashed---->16 pipes :banana:

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by Huhn
dismount the gpu cooler. i think u´ll have a trace cut there. i heard about one vivo that had also this trace cut. as soon as this cut was fixed and the x80xt bios was flashed---->16 pipes :banana:

Too scared to hardmod atm... Hobby is getting mighty expensive...

Stinger,

I couldn't really give a hoot bout OverDrive apart from measuring temps...

Just asking if every x800 card should support OverDrive or not...

Reason to return the thing...

[Huhn]

well then u can still have a look at the trace. if it´s cut, fine for others who wanna buy a x800pro vivo. if it´s not cut then it´s really bad for all those future vivo modders

[saaya]

it has diferent chips on the back?

the memory chips on the front are sometimes soldered onto the board together with the gpu and manufacturers sometimes leave the back of the card blank waiting for cheap memory. has happened before on geforce4 cards.

but no overdrive is weird!

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by Huhn
well then u can still have a look at the trace. if it´s cut, fine for others who wanna buy a x800pro vivo. if it´s not cut then it´s really bad for all those future vivo modders

OK,will have a look at it when I get home from work...

Working on Saturdays $uck BIGTIME:mad: ...

Come to think of it, you'reprobably right bout the trace being cut.

If it's that, then I might find the "balls" to mod it.

This time I won't be taking a razorblade ot it & doing the mod the "other" way.

I cut the trace too deep last time, think I went through the GPU itself...

Cheers,
Minnyboy

[Minnyboy]

Not trying to get bad habits double-posting & that but I wanted to share my findings on the core of this new X800Pro VIVO that can't be modded to an X800XT in any way...

As stated in my last post, I was just waiting to get home from work to have a look at the core of this card to see if it has the tell-take laser cut.

Well, I took the hsf off & had a look at the core.

Guess what??

No laser cut at all. Didn't have a look at the numbers as I ain't changing the stock thermal paste in case I need to RMA the card.

Seems like an X800XT but with a special code in the bios that farks the ASIC code up when you use any different bios apart from the orginal one.

If anyone has a PowerColor X800XT PE bios, can they send it my way??

Need to test it with the same make X800Xt to see if this card can be modded.

If not then I hate to say this fellas, bad news for all if I'm correct.

These new X800Pro VIVO come with unflashable bios.

I repeat:
THESE NEW X800PRO VIVO COME WITH UNFLASHABLE BIOS!!

BE WARNED!!

Don't usually do capitals either but this card has got me pulling hairs...

DAMN Manufacturers:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :mad: :mad: :rolleyes:

Minnyboy

[Spider]

*offtopic* what's the difference bethween X800XT PE's , and X800XT's?

[Minnyboy]

X800XT is the PCie downclocked version of the X800XT PE PCie version if ya get what I mean.

X800XT PCie is clocked at 500/1000 & X800XT PE is 526/1120. Both have 16 pipelines.

There is no AGP8X version of the X800XT. Most of the times when ppl refer to X800XT in AGP version, they're actually refering to the X800XT PE.

Hope this helps.

Confusing isn't it??

Cheers,
Minnyboy

[althes]

good to know

[Spider]

are the x800xt PE's alot better than the x800xt's?

[Formann]

Originally posted by Stinger
and who cares about overdrive????????????

DONT´T mess with overdrive... it´ll OC your core from 520Mhz to a mindblowing 529Mhz!!! :p:




Minnyboy:
I would very much like to know what your core-stepping says, cause my X800Pro VIVO died today, and im RMA´ing it. If i get a unmoddable card in return, I´ll get real pissed off. therefore i would like to know if i shpuld ask for a real XT instead. The Sapphire XT cost about 50$ more, but its worth it if the Pro cant be flashed to an XT. :)

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by Spider
are the x800xt PE's alot better than the x800xt's?

IMHO, the X800XT PE & X800XT are the same.

People are confusing the X800XT which is a PCIe verxion with the X800XT PE...

Then again, here are the product specs:

AGP 8X:
X800Pro = 475/450 - 12 pipes
X800XT PE = 520/560 (526/573) - 16 pipes

PCIe:
X800XT = 500/500 - 16 pipes
X800XT PE = 526/573 - 16 pipes

Specs for PCIe version of X800XT PE may change as it wouldn't be worth it getting an X800XT PE over an X800XT for an extra 26/73 on the core/mem.

So to answer your question, no, the X800XT PE isn't worth it over an X800XT.

Then again, you might be comparing an AGP8X with a PCIe version... Which is bl00dy confusing on ATI's behalf...

Formann, I'll check the card out for numbers a bit later today when I clean my rig up a bit. Didn't want to do it because I can't get the same paste in case I want to RMA the $ucker but I guess AS5 will do the trick.

I'll be back...

edit: I'm back....

To my surprise, the numbers on this farked up X800Pro VIVO is:

215RADCGA11F
GB8808.1
0422AA

Looks like ATI & their partners have found a way of disabling the bios flash to enable the 4 pipes...

Minnyboy

[Geforce4ti4200]

dont kill the card, even if you get to rma it, its dishonest and causes higher prices for all of us. Just ebay it, youll have no trouble breaking even if not for profiting. so many people still cant get one they pay $50+ more on ebay for one! If I was ati, I would also make them unmoddable to xt's cause this costs me when people buy pros and get free xt's outta them. a real xt isnt that much more anyway and has faster 1.6ns ram anyway plus higher clocks

[dippyskoodlez]

Originally posted by saaya
it has diferent chips on the back?

the memory chips on the front are sometimes soldered onto the board together with the gpu and manufacturers sometimes leave the back of the card blank waiting for cheap memory. has happened before on geforce4 cards.

but no overdrive is weird!

Actually, this is a knwon issue with "powercolor"

I'm sitting here on a 9600xt that doesnt have overdrive/ :mad:

Never buying a powercolor again.

[Huhn]

don´t see any sense in magic overdrive. x800xt overdrive is astonishing 6mhz more lmao. just tweaking with rivatuner or ati tool makes more sense at all

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by Geforce4ti4200
dont kill the card, even if you get to rma it, its dishonest and causes higher prices for all of us. Just ebay it, youll have no trouble breaking even if not for profiting. so many people still cant get one they pay $50+ more on ebay for one! If I was ati, I would also make them unmoddable to xt's cause this costs me when people buy pros and get free xt's outta them. a real xt isnt that much more anyway and has faster 1.6ns ram anyway plus higher clocks

Blah, blah, blah, blah...

Just talking, did NOT say I was going to do it.

If you read my past threads, you'd notice that I too am against killing something intenionally or by modding it & trying to RMA it.

I remember a 9800pro, 9800XT as well as a few CPU's where I never tried to RMA it because I killed them...

Might have talked bout it but never did it. A joke's a joke. Whether being sarcastic or not.

Now, spreadin $h!t bout this hardware & that hardware & becoming Nostradameus is another thing.

edit:
speeling...

[LilGator]

LOL

Until we see another card like this, it's only an isolated experience ...

We don't know that ATi is doing this on purpose yet, and as always, there might be a way around it if that's the case ;)

[blinky]

dont make a generalized statement like taht minnyboy. for all we know this could be the only card like this, or powercolor could be the only brand doing this. we just dont know, so dont scare people away from a good deal.

[Minnyboy]

Yeah, sorry if it sounds like I'm making a statement like that...

I'm just $hattered, that's all.

Just stay away from PowerColor atm as I've seen with my own eyes how they "save" money by mixing compnents...

2ns & 1.6ns on the same card...

Most of the successes have been with Sapphire X800Pro & Gigabyte X800Pro VIVO cards.

Heard that the Gigabyte ones come with 16pipelines enabled as default...

I too am hoping that my case is an isolated case & NO other cards are affected....

Here's to hoping:toast:

Minh

[Sheograth]

the X800 pro DOES have Overdrive, its in the ATi control panel where it always is. I have one and have OD enabled at this very moment, and the Core speed is at 506mhz.

[Minnyboy]

I have had three & only 2 of them have Overdrive.

I can't say I'm 100% sure as i never really gave the first VIVO card a chnace before I flashed it to know if had OverDrive w/out the X800XT bios.

There have been numerous ppl w/out OverDrive from Rage3D forums.

I will flash my good card back to X800Pro 2nite to see whether I have OverDrive or not.

Cheers,
Minnyboy

[Tedinde]

a lot of RMA'ing talk here. If you RMA a card you break you are a Theif. Simple as that.

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by Tedinde
a lot of RMA'ing talk here. If you RMA a card you break you are a Theif. Simple as that.

Even though I have talked a lot about RMAing the card under suspicious reasons, I have to say that I agree with you Tedinde.

Like I have said before, I have done a few things to compnents where I could've returned the components for RMA, I refused to do so as I know that ain't right.

In other words, you will hear no more of me saying how I'm "going" to RMA this or that.

As a Mod here, you may have read up on me & my "magic" touch. Have I RMAed anything that I have farked up myself??

I'll go back & edit all my posts relating to RMAing stuff under suspicious circumstances.

Minnyboy

[Formann]

Originally posted by Minnyboy

Formann, I'll check the card out for numbers a bit later today when I clean my rig up a bit. Didn't want to do it because I can't get the same paste in case I want to RMA the $ucker but I guess AS5 will do the trick.

I'll be back...

edit: I'm back....

To my surprise, the numbers on this farked up X800Pro VIVO is:

215RADCGA11F
GB8808.1
0422AA

Looks like ATI & their partners have found a way of disabling the bios flash to enable the 4 pipes...

Minnyboy


Thanks :)

You have the same stepping as I did, just i had 0420AA .. i think.

Im going to give PowerColor another try.. hope I wont regret it.


BTW: Mine did not have overdrive with any catalyst until I flashed it.

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by Formann
Thanks :)

You have the same stepping as I did, just i had 0420AA .. i think.

Im going to give PowerColor another try.. hope I wont regret it.


BTW: Mine did not have overdrive with any catalyst until I flashed it.

I've been a bit of a PowerColor boy for a while.

Had 1 x 9700pro, 3 x 9800pro's, and now 3 x X800Pro's.

50% chance ain't that bad if i don't consider the first X800Pro a dud...

Could've persuaded the distributor to RMA the dead card for me but morals held me back.

At least I have a "one-of-a-kind" card.

Who else has got a card with 2 different speed RAM & non-flashable bios??:rolleyes:

Minnyboy

[Geforce4ti4200]

honestly even at x800 pro speeds, its still fast as heck. the x800s are so cpu limited, you wont notice the difference at pro or xt anyway :) look at your 3dmark, you only gained 1k and thats all in nature alone!

[Minnyboy]

Geforce4ti4200,

Gotta admit it, you're right after all.

Just had high expectations from it.

Even if I couldn't enable the extra pipelines, I at least wanted XT speeds as well as OverDrive.

Not for the OC, for the temp measurements, that's all.

Oh well, can't win'em all can ya??

Anyways, got meself an Asus TI4600 (methinks) to play with for a week or so.

Last time I had a TI4600 was back in the Leadtek days when 9700pro's were nothing but a myth...

Let's see what it can do on the stock cooler. Big difference is 4.17Ghz of CPU power compared to 1.7Ghz back then...

Cheers,
Minnyboy

[Formann]

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:ing lame-ass powercolor... ARGH!!!!

Got mine today... 2.0ns on the frontside and 1.6ns on the backside!! I :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:ing HATE powercolor.


:mad:



Update
With the "stock" Pro bios I got to 518Mhz (core) before the system locked up. No sign of artfifacts, it just froze.

I tried to flash the Gigabyte bios, and reinstalled the drivers. No problems, except the card wont run XT speeds. Not even close.


Update2:
Tried the Retail AT X800XT bios, but no change.
Max speeds are 497/530 .. Thats REALLY bad. Must be the worst x800 VIVO ever made.

I should have listened to you Minnyboy.. cause this really sucks :mad:

[Mariachi]

OK so I think this issue is only with PC cards and with the newer ones!

[Minnyboy]

Okay, I was wrong when I said I had a "one-of-a-kind" card.

Damn, I thought I was special:rolleyes:...

So the solution to this problem that's arising is this:

STAY AWAY FROM POWERCOLOR X800PRO VIVO CARDS!!!

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:EN CHEAP-A$$ BASTARDS!!!

Now I'm PISSED... Thought I was the only "LUCKY" one but nope, it ain't so...

POWERCOLOR = DOGS...

[Legionar]

Powercolor is not the only vendor selling cards with mixed 1.6ns and 2.0ns RAM.
We got 10+ people with such cards @ 3dcenter, no problem.

@Formann: but your card is working with 16 pipelines, isn't it?
Already checked your vgpu? Some ViVo only got 1.24 V instead of 1.4 V.

@Minnyboy: read on here: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100
Afterwards download the 16 pipes flashrom, empty.bin, and the newest ATi X800 XT-PE bios you can download there.
Flash empty.bin and then the other bios.

But...wait a moment! You flashed the Gigabyte bios with the gigabyte tool -> problems.
So you flashed back your bios, using which tool - flashrom 2.37?
If you used 2.37, please be so kind and look at ATiTool if you got 16 pipelines activated.
You should have.

[a5h]

just read the whole thread ...i'm staying away from ATI now ...6800 GT all the way! (when i ever get the money again) :D

we don't want to be "lucky" or "special" with bummer cards :p:

[Minnyboy]

Originally posted by Legionar
@Minnyboy: read on here: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/100
Afterwards download the 16 pipes flashrom, empty.bin, and the newest ATi X800 XT-PE bios you can download there.
Flash empty.bin and then the other bios.

But...wait a moment! You flashed the Gigabyte bios with the gigabyte tool -> problems.
So you flashed back your bios, using which tool - flashrom 2.37?
If you used 2.37, please be so kind and look at ATiTool if you got 16 pipelines activated.
You should have.

Used every bios available to bo success.

I have to try the one you've linked but somehow I don't think it'll work.

I did finally get the G/byte flash/bios working but no luck...

Will update you on this new bios that you mentioned...

Even tried macci's ES bios but still no good.

End Result:
I GOT A P.O.S CARD!!!

Going soon anyways to some(un)lucky soul who just want an X800Pro.... Then getting myself a proper X800XT to avoid any problems...

[Legionar]

@Minnyboy: please stop whining and don't spread the rumor there would be non-moddable X800.

You didn't answer one of my questions.

1.) What flashtool did you use?
2.) Did you try to flash with W1zzards new 16 pipe flashrom?
3.) Please empty your card's bios with W1zzards empty.bin using the 16 pipe flashrom, and flash the newest X800 XT bios with this tool, too.

After that please report back.

4A48 is your core's "raw id", the bios is telling if it is 4A49 or 4A50.
The flash didn't work properly, you should be able to get it working by first emptying and then flashing it properly.

[misteroadster]

minnyboy i have a powercolor vivo and i have activated the 4 pipes.
She works very well at 510/600 without pencil mods , i love it.
try this :
-Flash with flashrom with the gigabyte bios r80p256v.f1 : flashrom -f -p 0 r80p256v.f1
-Flash with gvf11 with the gigabyte bios r80p256v.f1 : gvf11 -f -p r80p256v.f1
i'm sure you ll ve your 16 pipes after that and default pro frequency; it's better to test if your card can have 520/560 before flash to XT PE (with flashrom).
I m able to desactivate the 4 pipes when i want with the gvf11 and the original powercolor bios.

[Legionar]

Originally posted by misteroadster
minnyboy i have a powercolor vivo and i have activated the 4 pipes.
She works very well at 510/600 without pencil mods , i love it.
try this :
-Flash with flashrom with the gigabyte bios r80p256v.f1 : flashrom -f -p 0 r80p256v.f1
-Flash with gvf11 with the gigabyte bios r80p256v.f1 : gvf11 -f -p r80p256v.f1
i'm sure you ll ve your 16 pipes after that and default pro frequency; it's better to test if your card can have 520/560 before flash to XT PE (with flashrom).
I m able to desactivate the 4 pipes when i want with the gvf11 and the original powercolor bios.

Why is everybody still using the bad lod gigabyte bios mod?

It's much better to use W1zzards new flashrom and an original ATi bios!

[phobos]

For those who still care about overdrive:
AFAIK it's only a bios issue. I just got a new club 3d x800 pro vivo and before flashing the x800xt bios I had no overdrive tab. After flashing back to the pro bios (unfortunately the card can not handle the xt speeds) the overdrive tab disappeared again.
Well I need the overdrive tab to read the temps because ati tool craps my DVI output.

[pre]

Dont know if you know if this is relevant but if you disable one of the ATI Hotkey Poller Service the overdrive tab disappears - just in case some of you disabled the service during a bench or something...

[WiCKeD]

Not following this thread, but just bought a Powercolor ViVo which I flashed to 16 pipes, and sold to craig588. No problems here.