How-to: Pencil mod your HD 3870!

[Random Murderer]

Please forgive the cross post but I thought this thread was all but forgotten. Here is a shot of my successfully modded 3870 Diamond. I had to solder in an extra 100K in resistors for the mem. 250K trimpot would work nicely. 100K for GPU worked fine set at 75K~. Thank you again Random Murderer for the guide.

nice work. i like the halved molex connector as measurement points

 

[LaidLawJones]

Necessity

Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

Thank you for the reply. My case is very crammed and after sticking the probe in to obtain a reading, I decided that I was either, A, going to touch two points on the board with the probe and short out something, or B, push two of the wires together and short something out.

A Random question. You are running a 9800GTX. Is this for Physx? I have an empty pci-e slot and have read that it can be done.

Thanx Again.

 

[Random Murderer]

A Random question. You are running a 9800GTX. Is this for Physx? I have an empty pci-e slot and have read that it can be done.

Thanx Again.

no, the 9800gtx+ is the graphics card in my father's system.
ati+physics can be done, but it will only benefit you on windows 7.

 

[Wile E]

no, the 9800gtx+ is the graphics card in my father's system.
ati+physics can be done, but it will only benefit you on windows 7.

XP can do it too. Works well as long as you don't need DX10.

 

[Xanthe_]

Sapphire Radeon 3850 512mb shading with a pencil that what is on red (in picture) i got 1,42v in 2D and 1,48-1,49v in 3D if shade 1 upper than what is on red (that black thing) i got +2v [oops]

http://xanthe.vrk.cc/bgrziohgzi.GIF

Same card than kellottajaFIN has.

 

[thoughtdisorder]

XP can do it too. Works well as long as you don't need DX10.

Thanks for that Wiley! Did not know that!

 

[ViDER]

A very nice mod, but won't your electrical bill rise up by playing games? like Crysis?

I have a samll issue....

Gaming is not that much of an issue, I've got the 010.071 bios on my card and the reason I am here is that the darn fan drives me NUTS ! At Idle times (or light 2D) this card jumps from 25% to a whopping 70% fan speed. I can't, can't concentrate on work, can't watch x264 encoded material, can't listen to music without driving my neighbors nuts, can't do JACK ! I'm only more and more tempted to pull out either my old x300 or my trusty ol' 7800 GTX which was far more quiet than this monster.

What should I do ? ? Flash or not? and if so which one has the lowest spinning speed at idle (or light 2D usage)?

Thanks

*Fan spin speed has been monitored by Riva 2.24

Edit 4:
Ok, problem solved (almost) it's quiet easy. All any one has to do is just backup their own BIOS file (of the video card, if you have more then one then backup both of your video card bioses, or back all your video card bioses). Open RBE load those bioses, one at a time go to the FAN tab and press the magic button
"set all fan settings to recommended values" and you done. Works like a charm.

BUT once again FLASHING YOUR CARD MAY KILL IT if done improperly ! ! ! !

 

[Thrackan]

You could use Radeon Bios Editor to apply the fan fix or even change fan speeds.
That way you'll be using your own working BIOS, but you can also download one if you like.

Click for RBE

 

[ViDER]

Holly molly! Thrackan that was quiet fast!

I will give it a try now, as I've been up all night trying to get this thing solved (had a day of work yesterday as well so I'm dead tired, but this, I just can't hold it)

I'll stay here

Edit 4:
Ok, problem solved (almost) it's quiet easy. All any one has to do is just backup their own BIOS file (of the video card, if you have more then one then backup both of your video card bioses, or back all your video card bioses). Open RBE load those bioses, one at a time go to the FAN tab and press the magic button
"set all fan settings to recommended values" and you done. Works like a charm.

BUT once again FLASHING YOUR CARD MAY KILL IT if done improperly ! ! ! !

 

[Thrackan]

Just doublecheck everything, twice.
BIOS flashing is still not to be taken lightly.

 

[ViDER]

I know, I had freak ups in the past, had my lessons with Mobos that would die. Know what it is, will take the steps to first make a USB boot able device, reading RBE's FAQ now. Thanks again !

Edit 4:
Ok, problem solved (almost) it's quiet easy. All any one has to do is just backup their own BIOS file (of the video card, if you have more then one then backup both of your video card bioses, or back all your video card bioses). Open RBE load those bioses, one at a time go to the FAN tab and press the magic button
"set all fan settings to recommended values" and you done. Works like a charm.

BUT once again FLASHING YOUR CARD MAY KILL IT if done improperly ! ! ! !

 

[ViDER]

My God! What looked like a simple ATi car bought from kijiji, turns out to be a :
"DIAMOND EXTREME PC RADEON HD 3870 EXTREME XXX EDITION".

I don't like the XXX edition, reminds of GCube :S

Edit 4:
Ok, problem solved (almost) it's quiet easy. All any one has to do is just backup their own BIOS file (of the video card, if you have more then one then backup both of your video card bioses, or back all your video card bioses). Open RBE load those bioses, one at a time go to the FAN tab and press the magic button
"set all fan settings to recommended values" and you done. Works like a charm.

BUT once again FLASHING YOUR CARD MAY KILL IT if done improperly ! ! ! !

 

[Thrackan]

Reminds me of pr0n

Did you flash it?

 

[ViDER]

I just found something even better!

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=542620&page=2

The guy on the 2nd page has both of the bios es! but sendspace removed them!

Edit:
Need to dig out the file from send space or find the other MAXXX version, this one looks like something I could use

Edit 2:
There is another bios 010.079.000.005 this one seems to solve the noise issue and above all it's one of the recent ones : 3/3/2008

Edit 3:
Found the 010.079.000.005, it's here at techPower-Up : http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=58634 and it's an HIS HD 3870 IceQ 3 Turbo edition bios.

So should I mount it in? or try and get the MAXXX one?

Edit 4:
Ok, problem solved (almost) it's quiet easy. All any one has to do is just backup their own BIOS file (of the video card, if you have more then one then backup both of your video card bioses, or back all your video card bioses). Open RBE load those bioses, one at a time go to the FAN tab and press the magic button
"set all fan settings to recommended values" and you done. Works like a charm.

BUT once again FLASHING YOUR CARD MAY KILL IT if done improperly ! ! ! !

 

[Thrackan]

Personal opinion: better to use your own card's BIOS. Just dump it using GPU-Z or something.
At least you're sure you're using a correct version then.

 

[arroyo]

I just found something even better!

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=542620&page=2

The guy on the 2nd page has both of the bios es! but sendspace removed them!

Edit:
Need to dig out the file from send space or find the other MAXXX version, this one looks like something I could use

Edit 2:
There is another bios 010.079.000.005 this one seems to solve the noise issue and above all it's one of the recent ones : 3/3/2008

Edit 3:
Found the 010.079.000.005, it's here at techPower-Up : http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=58634 and it's an HIS HD 3870 IceQ 3 Turbo edition bios.

So should I mount it in? or try and get the MAXXX one?

arroyo - that's me
I have HD4850 but I've had HD3870 @ MAXXX. HIS HD 3870 IceQ 3 Turbo didn't work on reference HD3870, but MAXXX was great

Here you are... best bios for HD3870 !

 

[ViDER]

arroyo - that's me
I have HD4850 but I've had HD3870 @ MAXXX. HIS HD 3870 IceQ 3 Turbo didn't work on reference HD3870, but MAXXX was great

Here you are... best bios for HD3870 !

Thank you so much! Thank you so much! I hope this will solve that darn issue!

By the way, 03/03/2008 didn't work for you? what happened? Black screen?

The one you've posted the link to you sure it's the
"DIAMOND EXTREME PC RADEON HD 3870 EXTREME MAXXX EDITION"
and not
"DIAMOND EXTREME PC RADEON HD 3870 EXTREME XXX EDITION"

Edit:
Ok, problem solved (almost) it's quiet easy. All any one has to do is just backup their own BIOS file (of the video card, if you have more then one then backup both of your video card bioses, or back all your video card bioses). Open RBE load those bioses, one at a time go to the FAN tab and press the magic button
"set all fan settings to recommended values" and you done. Works like a charm.

BUT once again FLASHING YOUR CARD MAY KILL IT if done improperly ! ! ! !

 

[arroyo]

It's the DIAMOND EXTREME PC RADEON HD 3870 EXTREME XXX EDITION...sorry, but I will look on my HDD for the proper one.
Only difference between two of those is core clock.

 

[ViDER]

Doesn't the MAXXX edition has a less violent Fan speed switching mode, my fan jumps from 25% to 60% like crazy only because the fact that my card reads 60c.. it can't be my case is open and it's still going crazy. Thanks can't wait for the MAXXX file (Maybe you recall what was the version of that bios by any chance? :? )

Edit:
Ok, problem solved (almost) it's quiet easy. All any one has to do is just backup their own BIOS file (of the video card, if you have more then one then backup both of your video card bioses, or back all your video card bioses). Open RBE load those bioses, one at a time go to the FAN tab and press the magic button
"set all fan settings to recommended values" and you done. Works like a charm.

BUT once again FLASHING YOUR CARD MAY KILL IT if done improperly ! ! ! !

 

[arroyo]

Yes you are right. There was that kind of problem. MAXXX didn't had it. I bought Accelero S1, so the problem doesn't exist. If I only find MAXXX bios I will attach it here.

 

[d3v0]

Doing a SERIOUS thread necro, sorry guys.

But I am lost. I have a Visiontek HD3870 512MB GDDR4 with the non-ref Zero-therm copper heatsink cooler and I read this entire thread. The first two pics by the OP do not apply as this PCB does not have the R1222. Also, later posts by Cuboard where the OP said where to shade do not apply either, as my DMM (which works for my other 3870 reference w/ r1222) reads 0 ohms on the resistor he said to shade.

I shaded it anyway, about as much as I did my other 3870s to get ~1.41ish vcore, but the vcore read 1.31v under load after the pencil mod.

Here are some pics of my PCB, sorry if they arent great quality, the "macro" setting on my F100fd fails.

Please, any help will be greatly appreciated, I love these cards, they would respond so well to a pencil vmod since they run so cool! Also, one of them does 877/1287 stable on stock voltages....I cant imagine how high it would go with 1.45v.

 

[riggnix]

after 1 "SERIOUS thread necro" i'm sorry that i have to do another ;-)

first of all, great thread RM.

I'm owning a ASUS EAH 3870 TOP, which is a non reference board. as i saw in this thread there were some questions about this card but no mod. so i hope you can help me and the other 3870top owners to get a bit more volts.

there were some pictures of this card before i think, but if you need some high res pictures and resistor values just ask for it ;-)

i just need a clue what IC and what pin is my feedback pin to find the right resistor.

 

[Random Murderer]

maybe i can finally nail this mod down if you can actually provide clear, hi res shots of the card. i would like 4 of them: front bottom, back bottom, front top(sans cooler(s)), back top. if that's too much, then just take one shot of each side of the card and then i'll circle areas i need better shots of.
Thanks,
~RM~

 

[riggnix]

i don'T know if i'll get to it today, but tomorrow i'll try to load them up, be patient

 

[riggnix]

i finally got to make some shots and voltage measurements.
here is a .rar with it: http://rapidshare.com/files/304157778/3870TOP.rar

greetings