*GTX 260/280 Unofficial TPU! Thread*

[OnBoard]

Why would they always force to 3D? Or what is adaptive power mode exactly?

Some people were complaining about stutters, when drivers decided to use less features off the card (is it shaders or just clocks, don't know). But that was while back, I've never experienced that. So NVIDIA made those people happy and provided a mode to force the card to full speed.

Don't know if it still happens in some games, they've made a lot of improvements in the drivers with the clock switching. I would have been more happy if they'd made a force 2D mode, as it still doesn't work with both DVI ports in use.

 

[stinzza]

ey o..nvidia and ati uses different speed on objects in the 3d image and renders the angels of the 2d to the 3d in there own "feel" of the real world .. so have any one got an objective mind on what of the 2 cards got the most "reel" feeling of the real world at hand..?

 

[stinzza]

well speed of objects to the feel of distance to the 3d wall..

 

[Kursah]

TBH , I get what fits my performance needs (even if OC needed) within my budget either way...both do render differently, but IQ is pretty well even these days, not like the 6xxx/7xxx vs x8xx/x19xx days. They will render the game how it has been programmed to be rendered as-far-as depth and design, but things like AA and AF to make the quality a little extra.

If you want to ask more generalized questions between NV and ATI products, please do them in a seperate thread, this thread is specific to the GTX260/280 and 2xx family, along with future GT3xx stuff, and their owners/future owners/past owners/even possible owners, this is a thread designed for those that own these cards to see what they can get, how far they can go, what is good and bad, what they've found a fix for, and for those looking into one to see how they've progressed since I started this thread over a year ago...but asking NV vs ATI questions doesn't fit here man (thread search and google could bring up answers to that question though ), please keep it in context with the topic. Both companies make excellent GPU's in all ranges, this current gen has been just kickass on both sides, and the next gen promises to keep that going with strong competition from both teams...that = WIN for the consumer.

 

[mlee49]

MKay guys Evga 275 reporting in for duty!

 

[newfellow]

Hmm, speaking of 275.. Club3D specifically..

I don't know if this is good spot to mention, but had unfortunate BIOS on Club3D 275GTX 1792 the BIOS 62.00.60.00.1D. It's a new BIOS from this Club3D card. None of other drivers wanted to install above NVIDIA v182.50 and even these detected the BIOS as 62.00.60.00.01, so, anyway, just saying might consider twice before updating. (if someone happens to add the BIOS it will be newer than the .01), but according to my testing bad by two machines.

 

[mojo_jojo_mark]

I just figured out how to force 2D Low power and Performance mode without a system restart with the GTX series using dual monitors. I have it working on my GTX 280

Is anyone still after the method 2 force any mode with dual screens and without restarting? let me know ill go through it

 

[OnBoard]

I just figured out how to force 2D Low power and Performance mode without a system restart with the GTX series using dual monitors. I have it working on my GTX 280

Is anyone still after the method 2 force any mode with dual screens and without restarting? let me know ill go through it

Would be nice if you'd post it here. I have another graphics card in just so I don't need to use both monitors on GTX 280 and get 2D clocks. Though this "method" works automatically.

 

[mojo_jojo_mark]

Your method works bets but for those who cant use 2 GPU's, I only been doing this for a couple of days, dont know of the effect it will have on the card itself but it 100% works for me, changes to low clocks volts etc. At your own risk, would like to know if it works for anyone else.....

1.
Install Rivatuner, under power user tab>Rivatuner\NVIDIA\Overclocking - EnablePerfLevelForcing (select the tick then right click and click the bulb)

2. Overclocking tab - Set force constant to whatever you want 2d, 3d etc

3. click apply it will ask for restart but DONT

4.Goto device manager right click your GTX and select DISABLE, the screen will go into low res, straight away right click the disabled GTX and ENABLE

5. Power mode should be activated, repeat to change your mode

 

[OnBoard]

mojo_jojo_mark: thanks for that. Seems a bit too complicated for me to use regularly and last I checked rivaturner didn't work on x64. Probably has signed drivers now, but I like EVGA Precision better.

 

[mojo_jojo_mark]

No prob Onboard, does the evga let you force 2d mode with 2 screens? ever since i bought this 280 its been stuck in 3d mode unless i disable a screen, its not an evga card. running at 3d mode 24/7 is not exactly power saving and the only way i can do it is to force a mode

 

[mojo_jojo_mark]

p.s im on rivatuner on a 64bit system just in case your thinking of rivatuner

 

[Kursah]

Well you don't gotta have an EVGA card to use precision, I first used it on my Palit 9600GT. Made by the same creator of Rivatuner so it's just as potent in the OC department...frankly I prefer Precision because it doesn't have a bunch of BS you don't need and is much easier to navigate...though in the same instance it's not nearly as tweakable...so give and take. I figured I have a gpu that doesn't need tweaked beyond fan speeds and OC's...so I could use the simpler program.

I haven't had a 3d/2d clock issue in Vista x64 and now 7 x64 in a looooong time, using new whql drivers when they're released...iirc the last time I had issues was the 185 whql drivers. Since then it's been easy going with no complaints. But like someone said before, dunno if it was in this thread, the difference between 2d and 3d clocks at idle is about 20W-ish...not massive, but still something I suppose. For the longest time, if I wasn't gaming my card was folding. But really when I stopped doing that, dropping clocks to 2d while idle never seemed to have issues...sometimes it'd take longer to get to 2d from 3d(movie), but it'd always drop to 3d from Extra (gaming) clocks quickly. These newer 191 whql's seem to work much faster at getting the clocks down to 2d idle clocks.

 

[OnBoard]

No prob Onboard, does the evga let you force 2d mode with 2 screens? ever since i bought this 280 its been stuck in 3d mode unless i disable a screen, its not an evga card. running at 3d mode 24/7 is not exactly power saving and the only way i can do it is to force a mode

Nope it doesn't. Tried DVI to VGA adapters and anything else possible that could help, but disabling other display was only option. Would have been nice if they added force 2D on the drivers, when they added the force 3D option last.

And for Kursah, 2 screens is the issue they haven't figured out how to fix. 3D clocks because of browser, steam or closed game hasn't been an issue for a while. That they have worked on alot, because it affects so many people.

Us with 2 screens seem to be too small group for them to care 27W for GTX 285 (was in drivers thread) difference isn't that much, but it's 0.24 megawatts in a year for nothing. I might get half of that back with my 8500GT idling there

 

[Laurijan]

I just ordered an ASUS 275 http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=BfSAh52Gi44cG8uQ&templete=2 and wanted to know if i can change the vGPU voltage in the bios with it or is it locked somehow?

 

[Kursah]

Irrc the 55nm GTX series have a different voltage control chip that does not allow live software voltage modifacation, you might have to dig through this thread...but since I never went any further than my current 65nm 216 core GTX260 (which allows software voltage change) I could be wrong.

Even if you can't adjust voltage beyond bios, that card should still clock well and perform pretty damn good.

 

[Assassin48]

I just got an EVGA Super Clocked 260 and its installed with the latest drivers, which program should i use to overclock rivatuner or Precision ?

 

[mlee49]

I use Precision, it's simple and straight from Evga.

 

[johnspack]

Don't know if you guys have seen this before- MSI Afterburner. It's precision and voltage tuner in one! http://downloads.guru3d.com/MSI-AfterBurner-1.20-download-2404.html#download Won't work on all cards, but here it is running with my Palit gtx280:

 

[Kursah]

Yep it's a nice utility, made by the same creator of EVGA Precision and Rivatuner fwir.

 

[Triton.se]

Let's compare two 3DMark Vantage runs


A) EVGA 750i SLI FTW (2x 16x PCI-e 2.0@SLI), E8400 @ 3.97GHz, Mem 884MHz, SLI GTX260 @ 729/1512/1260@1.05v, Vista x64 - ran earlier this year

B) Gigabyte EP45 UD3P (2x 8x PCI-e 2.0@SLI), Q9650 @ 4.25GHz, Mem 1133MHz, SLI GTX260 @ 729/1512/1260@1.05v, Windows 7 x64 RC1 - SLI Hacked

 

[fury88]

Hi Guys, wondered if any one had this problem.......dunno if its too late to come in with GTX 260 volt mod talk...:S

can n e 1 help me??

 

[Kursah]

What are you trying to do? I'm assuming since you're on 192 core you have a 65nm card. AFAIK the 65nm's are the only variety of 260's you can mod the bios, use evga's volt mod utilty or gputool to modify voltages on. I have detailed in the original post how to volt mod via bios, or you can use the other tools. Feel free to donate and ask away for help, that's what this thread is about. And welcome to TPU.

 

[phanbuey]

What are you trying to do? I'm assuming since you're on 192 core you have a 65nm card. AFAIK the 65nm's are the only variety of 260's you can mod the bios, use evga's volt mod utilty or gputool to modify voltages on. I have detailed in the original post how to volt mod via bios, or you can use the other tools. Feel free to donate and ask away for help, that's what this thread is about. And welcome to TPU.

yes that is true... 192's are the best clocking 260's, but any 65nm 260 can use voltage adjust.

I got mine up to 839 (850 in gpu-z but 839 is the stepping) with a little voltage bump...

thats run with an e8500 at 4Ghz flat. 857Mhz ram at 5-5-5-15 (nvidia chipsets blow)

I can help you mod your voltage in your bios... ive found 1.215 to be the best for me... I can also give you a fan profile that will kick your card up to 100% after 57C. I gave it to AlexP and he's had a good run with it.

Shoot me a PM, or I can post here if you guys want... these cards are still good, why not get a little life out of them no? Use the voltage register editing function in NiBiTor.

 

[fury88]

What are you trying to do? I'm assuming since you're on 192 core you have a 65nm card. AFAIK the 65nm's are the only variety of 260's you can mod the bios, use evga's volt mod utilty or gputool to modify voltages on. I have detailed in the original post how to volt mod via bios, or you can use the other tools. Feel free to donate and ask away for help, that's what this thread is about. And welcome to TPU.

Hi Kursah, chiz 4 de welcome....yh, ...i have already vmodded the card through the bios using nibitor, im not a full blown noob lol, .. i bumped it up to 1.18v and i was getting some insane clocks...850mhz + on core ..2:1 ratio on the shader but i went even higher anyway and the memory..i cnt memba, something stupid like 1400 - 1600..crzy stuff...BUT i noticed NO performance gain in terms of FPS whatsoever not even 1 frikin frame (using crysis benchmark tool) it actually made my card run slower!!! by an average of 5ps. so thought i'll hard clock the new speeds into my bios using nibitor (not 850+mhz etc) i thought id go in lower than that as a sort of safety precaution.....didnt turn out too well...my system would not post and no display...so i rebboted and finally got it to post and reflashed the BIOS back to stock stright away and it booted up fine.....only one thing though......since this little vmod endeavour, i can no longer Overclock it AT ALL! not one little change..it dosent like anything at all i throw at it, if i clock the memory up my screen gets artifacts all over it on the desktop and hen it just turns off.....but it runs perfectly fine and no problems whatsoever if i leave evrything at stock.....but being an overclocker, im sure you can appreciate that it kills me a lil inside lol!......anyway, i just wanted to get into this thread as i have read and learnt a few tings on here and i just wanted to chat with some like minded people about O'Cing new hardware etc etc these days.

Oh Yeah and another thing....has any of you had the memory_management BSOD with windows 7 x64 RTM??? i use to be able to O'C my CPU to 3.8Ghz easy on XP x64 and as soon as i even ran the installation CD for win 7 it came up with this BSOD...it absolutley will not let me go over 3.6Ghz now (which again is realllly annoying for me) I would just go back to XP but me WLAN PCI Card dont suport 64-bit...which sucks!!...roll on the day when x86 gets phased out lol !!!!