# Video card keeps downclocking while folding!!



## Beertintedgoggles (Oct 31, 2009)

Ok, I need help.  Got my new Zotac 9800GT ECO and it keeps downclocking itself into 2d mode while folding.  Nothing seems to be able to get this thing to stay at 3d clocks while folding.  I've tried flahsing the 2d clocks to the 3d ones but I get extreme artifacting just on the windows logo during startup, must have lowered mem voltages in 2d mode (I changed the core voltage for the 3d values).  I've tried Rivatuner, expertool, flashing, Nvidia's control panel to set the power management mode to max. performance (which the option is not even there for me).  Have any clues???


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## sneekypeet (Oct 31, 2009)

tried just flahing to a non ECO bios?

I have no idea if the power setup is even similar, just throwing out an idea.

Perhaps this? http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/...urer=Zotac&model=9800+GT&interface=&memSize=0


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## Beertintedgoggles (Oct 31, 2009)

I thought about trying the Synergy card's bios.  The 1GB model looks to have the same PCB and no power connector.  I couldn't find them earlier.


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## sneekypeet (Oct 31, 2009)

I would think as long as the card can handle the clock speeds, and SP count is similar, there is a good chance of success.


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## Beertintedgoggles (Nov 2, 2009)

Well, tried flashing to another Zotac 9800GT bios and it worked just fine on the desktop.  Put it into the Poweredge 2950 server which I bought it for (it had to be shorter than 7.7 inches) and it won't boot into Windows with the regular 9800GT bios.  Don't know if it's a problem with the power or what.  I might try soldering to the rear 6 solder holes for the 6-pin power connector to see if it's a power thing.  The card will start up with the regular bios on it, it just takes almost 2 minutes or more before it will get to the windows start screen from the bootup screen (the screen just stays black with a blinking cursor in the top right corner the whole time).  I need a solution with the regular bios on the card and forcing the card to stay in 3d clocks!!  Everyone be useful for once....


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## Solaris17 (Nov 2, 2009)

thermal issue? make sure when modding the bios you set the fan to scale correctly at 100% an raise the core crit temp to 105C have it throttle to 100% after 75 or so.


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## Beertintedgoggles (Nov 2, 2009)

Thought that might be the problem too, left the bios at stock when folding on the server and the temps peaked at 60 C.  It still downclocked.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 2, 2009)

might be a memory timing issue what did you mod exactly in the bios?


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## Jstn7477 (Nov 2, 2009)

I believe in NiBiTor you can set how many performance levels you want there to be. If you can change it to 1 performance level (the 3D performance level), that should force the card to run at 3D clocks 100% of the time.


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## Beertintedgoggles (Nov 2, 2009)

Which time, at first when trying to mod the 2d clocks to the 3d clocks the only thing changed were the clocks.  So it could be timing issues rather than voltage there.  Once flashed with a regular 9800GT bios though it ran perfectly fine in the desktop (x8 v1.1 slot).


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## Beertintedgoggles (Nov 2, 2009)

Jstn7477 said:


> I believe in NiBiTor you can set how many performance levels you want there to be. If you can change it to 1 performance level (the 3D performance level), that should force the card to run at 3D clocks 100% of the time.



Haven't tried that yet, will get back to you in about 10 min.

Edit:  Set only one active performance level.  It only left the 3d clocks selection moddable, but gave me the 2d clock values in there.  I changed them to the normal 3d clocks for this card then flashed.  Got the same extreme mem. artifacting.  Flashed back now fine.  Still need 3d folding clocks.

Thinking it might still be the mem. timings.


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## hat (Nov 2, 2009)

You could edit the BIOS with NiBiTor and set all the clock values to the same amount so they never change.


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## Beertintedgoggles (Nov 2, 2009)

hat said:


> You could edit the BIOS with NiBiTor and set all the clock values to the same amount so they never change.



I've tried that already too.  I changed the 2d to match the 3d clocks, but I get an explosion of memory artifacting at the windows logo.  Editing the bios again to adjust the core voltage for the clock increase in 2d mode still doesn't chagne it so it's either not getting enough mem. voltage for those clocks or the timings are too tight.


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## oily_17 (Nov 2, 2009)

I have the same problem with one of my GTX260's anything over stock and it downclocks.Tried flashing mine and got the artifacts at log in.

Still not got to the bottom of the problem, running stock atm.

I believe there is a setting in vNidia control panel to force 3D clocks all the time.

EDIT: Read here for more info


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## Beertintedgoggles (Nov 2, 2009)

oily_17 said:


> I have the same problem with one of my GTX260's anything over stock and it downclocks.Tried flashing mine and got the artifacts at log in.
> 
> Still not got to the bottom of the problem, running stock atm.
> 
> ...



Well I'm running the latest drivers right now (191.07 I think) and that option is not in the nVidia control panel for me.  I actually checked that thread out a while ago too...  even using Rivatuner to force the card into 3d performance mode didn't work.

Edit:  I've even tried using the evga precision tool mentioned in that thread, there's also a batch file that some dude wrote to force the card into 3d mode on bootup that didn't do anything either.

Edit again:  Well I have a support ticket open with Zotac again to see if they can help at all.  I have one more idea I can try....  change the 2d clocks to the 3d values in the bios and try to find the mem timings for the 3d clocks and change the 2d timings to those.  If that doesn't work and Zotac doesn't give me anything useful I'm going to try to get newegg to take it back.


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## oily_17 (Nov 2, 2009)

I dont know why it's not showing for you in nVidia control panel, but it likely wont work, as it made no difference to mine either.

I think, I tried changing my 2D clocks to the same as the 3D clocks but faced the artifact problem at login as well.

If you find a fix for this let me know, I would be most interested in it as well.Which OS are you using?? I have tried Vista and W7 may just give XP and it's drivers a try.


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## Beertintedgoggles (Nov 3, 2009)

oily_17 said:


> I dont know why it's not showing for you in nVidia control panel, but it likely wont work, as it made no difference to mine either.
> 
> I think, I tried changing my 2D clocks to the same as the 3D clocks but faced the artifact problem at login as well.
> 
> If you find a fix for this let me know, I would be most interested in it as well.Which OS are you using?? I have tried Vista and W7 may just give XP and it's drivers a try.



Unfortunately I'm using XP right now so it's a no go here too.  I'm going to try to change the mem. timings tonight if I can figure out which set goes with the 2d clocks in nibitor.

Edit:  Ever have one of those problems that magically work themselves out!!??  Well right now I've folding all night at 550/1620/900 (core/shader/mem) and no downclocks.  More to come after work...


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