GTX 285, able to flash to GTX 280? If so, how?

[neatfeatguy]

Here's my problem.

I had 2 GTX 280 cards from BFG. One of them crapped out, I RAM'd it. I was sent a GTX 285.

So now I have two different cards and I don't have the money to spend on getting new GPUs for a good long while.

The GTX 285 I was sent, is an overclocked card (factory overclocked), but it doesn't run stable at the default settings so I have to turn down the clock speeds a tiny bit. No big deal. However, now I've got 1 GTX 280 and 1 GTX 285.

I hear it's not possible to flash a GTX 280 to a 285, but you can take a GTX 285 and flash it to a GTX 280....

I'd like to run two cards in SLI again, which was why I had 2 GTX 280s. If it can be done....could someone please walk me through the steps?

I've gotten as far as downloading NiBitor 5.7 (though it doesn't like reading the BIOS on Vista 64) so I pulled the BIOS from GPU-Z and saved the GTX 280 and the GTX 285 BIOS as a .bin

I've even made a copy of each BIOS for backup purposes. However, now I'm stuck at how to flash the GTX 285 BIOS with the GTX 280 BIOS. I've got the zip file for nvflash, but having never done this before I'm not sure what steps are needed to progress from here on out.

Any sites I've found listing steps either a) don't load under Chrome, Firefox and IE or b) are very simplified steps that don't make a lot of sense to me since I've never done this before, plus the fact the help steps were written from using NiBitor versions 3.2 or 3.3. I'm not sure if things have changed since then and I don't want to royally screw something up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sneekypeet]

I think the real issue here is not that the card will flash to a 280, but rather if the drivers will SLI with two cards with different dies on them.

 

[neatfeatguy]

I think the real issue here is not that the card will flash to a 280, but rather if the drivers will SLI with two cards with different dies on them.

I couldn't tell if it would work or not.

If it did, great! If it doesn't, then I just live with it and can always flash the GTX 285 back.

 

[aCid888*]

Sell them both?

 

[sneekypeet]

280s in SLI is a strong pairing for gaming still.

IF you are flashing do so via boot up/dos, dont flash in windows

Selling them isnt that bad of a call either though. you could still get good money for them and grab something new in a single card solution.

 

[JrRacinFan]

@peet

I'm smelling both cards being sold and going gtx470. What you think?

I think that's the best option right now.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

if you do sell them, might I suggest a 5870 to replace them. I replaced a pair of 280 I ran in SLI with a 5870 and didnt notice any performance difference. Sure my max FPS were higher with the pair of GTX280, but my min FPS were higher with the 5870, and that's what really matters.

 

[sneekypeet]

I agree with either of them above. a 470 or 5870 would be a good replacement.

 

[Bjorn_Of_Iceland]

sell them both, get a new and customer supported card.

 

[Mussels]

if you do sell them, might I suggest a 5870 to replace them. I replaced a pair of 280 I ran in SLI with a 5870 and didnt notice any performance difference. Sure my max FPS were higher with the pair of GTX280, but my min FPS were higher with the 5870, and that's what really matters.

from personal experience, i've found that SLI and crossfire seem to raise how much CPU power is required to feed the cards, above what it does to run a single GPU (even if overall performance levels is the same) - thus giving the same effect you noticed, with lower max FPS (low CPU intensive games) but higher min (where your CPU was the bottleneck)

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Well I hear you stop seeing gaming improvements past 3.8 GHz, so maybe going to 4 GHz, pointless for single gpu, may be the 3.8 GHz equivalent for a multicard setup. Side note, given how much bitching I see in every thread about a new ati driver release, maybe stick with nvidia.

 

[neatfeatguy]

Thank you for all the suggestions on upgrading (believe me, it's not like I haven't thought of it).

After a lot of searching and digging, I found my answers for flashing the BIOS. I've went from a GTX 285 to a GTX 280 BIOS and I haven't experienced any problems.

Before the BIOS flash, the GTX 285 would constantly end up screwing up and would have issues with nvlddmkm stopped responding. It always happened once I left the computer alone and the screen saver kicked on, sometimes the problem was avoided for a bit with turning down clock speeds.....though not always. I have yet to get this error with the GTX 280 BIOS that I flashed it with.

When I get more time I'm going to see if I can run my 280 and my flashed 285 in SLI. I'll let you know my results.

 

[sneekypeet]

cool, the flashing is the worst part, I hope it runs to make it worth the effort

 

[neatfeatguy]

I think the real issue here is not that the card will flash to a 280, but rather if the drivers will SLI with two cards with different dies on them.

As you know, I've flashed the GTX 285 with my GTX 280 BIOS. Now the GTX 285 runs stable, I haven't come across any errors (hopefully I won't anytime in the future) and it works just as well as my GTX 280.

I've got both of the cards in my computer now, they both take the GTX 280 drivers and I've got them set to run in SLI.

I turned on the SLI Visual Indicator under the Nvidia Control Panel and upon running 3DMark06 (which doesn't do that great utilizing multiple GPUs), but the SLI Indicator was moving. I also ran 3DMark Vantage and the SLI Indicator was going like crazy.

Seems that turning a GTX 285 into a GTX 280 will allow you to run the 285 in SLI with another GTX 280. I tried doing some PrintScreen captures so I could post some pics up here, but it didn't work in 3DMark06 or Vantage.

 

[claylomax]

As you know, I've flashed the GTX 285 with my GTX 280 BIOS. Now the GTX 285 runs stable, I haven't come across any errors (hopefully I won't anytime in the future) and it works just as well as my GTX 280.

I've got both of the cards in my computer now, they both take the GTX 280 drivers and I've got them set to run in SLI.

I turned on the SLI Visual Indicator under the Nvidia Control Panel and upon running 3DMark06 (which doesn't do that great utilizing multiple GPUs), but the SLI Indicator was moving. I also ran 3DMark Vantage and the SLI Indicator was going like crazy.

Seems that turning a GTX 285 into a GTX 280 will allow you to run the 285 in SLI with another GTX 280. I tried doing some PrintScreen captures so I could post some pics up here, but it didn't work in 3DMark06 or Vantage.

Good for you!

 

[JrRacinFan]

@neatfeatguy

try out TPUcapture. Its a good screenshot utility.

 

[neatfeatguy]

@neatfeatguy

try out TPUcapture. Its a good screenshot utility.

Thanks for info. It never ceases to amaze me how many useful programs you can find and download from TPU.

 

[DaMulta]

Did you you try to flash the 280 to the 285? Might be worth a shot.

 

[neatfeatguy]

Did you you try to flash the 280 to the 285? Might be worth a shot.

That's what I did. Everything is working great now. The GTX 285 is now a 280.

 

[overclocking101]

wait a minute, how the hell would that work?? they use 2 very different voltage regulators and configurations. they are 2 different manufacturing processes and are very different cards. i have a hard time beliveing it worked. pics and screen shots please??

 

[Bo$$]

wait a minute, how the hell would that work?? they use 2 very different voltage regulators and configurations. they are 2 different manufacturing processes and are very different cards. i have a hard time beliveing it worked. pics and screen shots please??

just one of the mysterys of this wonderful world

 

[neatfeatguy]

wait a minute, how the hell would that work?? they use 2 very different voltage regulators and configurations. they are 2 different manufacturing processes and are very different cards. i have a hard time beliveing it worked. pics and screen shots please??

I'd love to post some pics, but I can't find the damn battery charger for my digital camera....I bet it's hiding in the wife's car since our last trip out of town a few months back. She won't be home for another 4 hours or so.

I wasn't sure the whole thing would even work, but it did. I'm just as surprised as anyone else.

I'll do my best to get some pics up, but if I can't find the battery charger for my digital camera.....well, it'll be some time before I can get a new one (without having a job and all, I gots no monies).

 

[JrRacinFan]

Tricking drivers at bios level is the only way its working. Think 8800gt & 9800gt in sli.

 

[MomentoMoir]

I'd love to post some pics, but I can't find the damn battery charger for my digital camera....I bet it's hiding in the wife's car since our last trip out of town a few months back. She won't be home for another 4 hours or so.

I wasn't sure the whole thing would even work, but it did. I'm just as surprised as anyone else.

I'll do my best to get some pics up, but if I can't find the battery charger for my digital camera.....well, it'll be some time before I can get a new one (without having a job and all, I gots no monies).

You dont even need a camera really. Just take a screen shot of GPU-Z running for each card.

 

[DaMulta]

That's what I did. Everything is working great now. The GTX 285 is now a 280.

No, turn your 280 into a 285 to match the new card you were sent