X1800 XT + Flash PE BIOS = -100 in 3DMark05?!?

[Makubex_GB]

So I flashed my Sapphire X1800 XT Rev. 2 with the PE BIOS Sapphire released. I used ATIFlash because the included WinFlash would crash my PC every time I ran the EXE (a bunch of artifacts would appear on screen and then reboot). After the flash I go to ATI Tools beta14 and see that my clocks are still the same. Then after opening Overclocker and clicking on 3D Clocks and seeing they are at 700/800 I realized ATI Tools only displays 2D Clocks (which are still at the same speed, is that normal?). Anyway, so after that I assumed everything went as planed, so I ran 3D Mark 05 and to my surprise the score I got was about 100 points less than before the flash! Before the flash I got 84xx, now I get 83xx. But I've only ran 3D Mark 05 once after the flash, so maybe if I run it again the scores will be around the same as before, but that's the problem. Why am I scoring the same if my card is suppose to be faster now? Am I doing something wrong? Did the flash did not go right? Need some help pliz. :confused:

Details on my situation:
-Cat 6.13 drivers
-ATI Tool and Overclocker (only related utilities installed)
-ATI Hotkey poller and ATI Smart Disabled

Thanks.

[don_vercetti]

i'm going to guess that because you opened Atitool, it disabled Ati2vexx, so your 2d clocks became your 3d clocks. So you ran 3dmark at 600/700, not 700/800.

That's just a hunch, mind.

[Makubex_GB]

So, how can I fix it?

[don_vercetti]

dont open atitool next time you run 3dmark, and see what score you get.

Or you can manually set atitool to run at your 3dclocks (700/800).

[Makubex_GB]

How do I access my 3D clocks in ATI Tool? I still l haven't found out how.

[don_vercetti]

you dont. When you open atitool, it removes 3d clocks, and your 2d clocks are the permanent clocks.

[Makubex_GB]

Oh, you mean setting my 2D clocks at 700/800 with ATI tool? Wouln't that be a too big of an OC? I'm on stock cooling for now.

[don_vercetti]

didn't you say you flashed it with the XT PE bios? The stock clocks for that ARE 700/800, which is surely the reason you flashed to it? So yes, set to 700/800, and it should work.

[Makubex_GB]

Oh, I thought 700/800 would be only for the 3D Clocks. You sure the stock soeed for 2D clocks is also 700/800? After the flash and before ATI Tools my 2D Clocks were still 600/700 and not 700/800. Only my 3D clocks were 700/800.

[alexio]

Oh, I thought 700/800 would be only for the 3D Clocks. You sure the stock soeed for 2D clocks is also 700/800? After the flash and before ATI Tools my 2D Clocks were still 600/700 and not 700/800. Only my 3D clocks were 700/800.

ATItool makes the 2D clocks the 3D clocks so that's why your score is lower. So don't open ATItool or DO open it and set your desired 2D clocks which will be 3D clocks.

[don_vercetti]

as i said earlier. Come on, just try it and see, and think about it as well.

[alexio]

as i said earlier. Come on, just try it and see, and think about it as well.

I first wanted to post "get a brain", but I figured that would be offensive, LOL :p:

[Makubex_GB]

I like using ATI Tool to control the video card fan, since it's the only program I know that let's me make a profile of fan speed vs temp. So I re-installed the Cat drivers and ATI Tools, but this time I selected not to disable Ati2vexx with ATI Tools, but it didn't work. So I uninstalled ATI Tools completely but it still didn't work. Then I re-installed the Cat drivers and didn't install ATI Tools and that did work. My 3D Mark 05 score jumped from 84xx (before the flash) to 86xx (8684 being the highest I've gotten yet). I'm a bit disappointed as I thought I would gain more than ~220 points, but hey it's still good.

It seems I won't be able to use ATI Tool's fan controlling profile... pity. So I went with the next best thing, now I use Overclocker to set a fixed fan speed when the card is going under heavy load. I don't like leaving the fan speed to be set automatically because the fan's speed stays too low unless the GPU gets really hot.

Thanks for your help guys. :)

[don_vercetti]

No worries. Sounds as if you're a bit cpu limited.

But you're missing the point. Just use Atitool, let it disable ati2vexx, and set the clocks at 700/800, and it will work, and you can still use nice profiles. It's incredibly simple.

[Makubex_GB]

No worries. Sounds as if you're a bit cpu limited.

But you're missing the point. Just use Atitool, let it disable ati2vexx, and set the clocks at 700/800, and it will work, and you can still use nice profiles. It's incredibly simple.
Oh, but I tried doing that with ATI Tool, and it messed it all up. As soon as I set those clocks to 700/800 the screen got full of artifacts and then my comp rebooted. I just won't use ATI Tool until a better version comes out.

[Jarrod1937]

Oh, but I tried doing that with ATI Tool, and it messed it all up. As soon as I set those clocks to 700/800 the screen got full of artifacts and then my comp rebooted. I just won't use ATI Tool until a better version comes out.
then are you sure the bios you flashed puts the clocks at 700/800?

[Makubex_GB]

Yes, it's working fine now. I just can't use ATI Tool. With Overclocker I can see that my 3D clocks are on 700/800, with Catalyst Overdrive it says requested 700/800 and my 3DMark05 Score went up like 220~250 points. Not much, but like you, I too think the CPU is definitely causing a bottleneck. :rolleyes:

[nn_step]

well you can use ATi tool but have it set the clocks as high as possible..

[Makubex_GB]

Even if I do that it won't reach 700/800 (cuz like I said b4, I tried and it wasn't pretty), so if I really want to get 700/800 I can't use ATI Tools yet.

[nn_step]

well you can force it to a highier setting.. but there can be artifacts.

[don_vercetti]

were these artifacts in the 3d detection box or what?

Cos that thing is seriously faulty, it artifacts even at stock, for myself.

[Makubex_GB]

No, all the screen went crazy and then the PC rebooted.