How to enable additional shaders on Radeon HD 6950

[f0d]

Anyone who got ram damage should know that's permanent and prevent you from using OpenCL applications.

just tested a few opencl tests without issue
maybe its not a ram problem then with the 6970 mod

 

[Whilhelm]

I figured it out now. I didn't realise you could flip the bios switch while the system was running and flash it right there

I thought it could only be flipped with the system turned off and I figured I would lose display by flipping the switch in windows.

All is well now, have both cards with unlocked shaders and the clocks at stock 6950 settings, well at the CCC overdrive limits of 840, 1325.

Thanks for the help, I was literally about to but my head through my window.

Also I had already flashed both cards with the full 6970 bios but crossfire would not work at all and after reading through this thread I decided it would be much safer to just unlock the shaders and leave the voltage, memory clocks and timings alone.

 

[itsdanny]

I figured it out now. I didn't realise you could flip the bios switch while the system was running and flash it right there

I thought it could only be flipped with the system turned off and I figured I would lose display by flipping the switch in windows.

All is well now, have both cards with unlocked shaders and the clocks at stock 6950 settings, well at the CCC overdrive limits of 840, 1325.

Thanks for the help, I was literally about to but my head through my window.

I was wondering the same thing as well earlier on! Glad it all worked out!!

 

[Whilhelm]

Yeah I am glad it is sorted and these things are pretty awesome.

They run far cooler without the 6970 bios and are quieter too plus it is nice that crossfire actually works

 

[bushwakko]

Started my computer up today, this time with unlocked 6950 bios OC to max. No artifacts at all, now I only wished someone would be able to mod the bios to allow it to clock further, and perhaps set voltage manually in the bios as well. Would be great for overclocking

 

[Wijkert]

Started my computer up today, this time with unlocked 6950 bios OC to max. No artifacts at all, now I only wished someone would be able to mod the bios to allow it to clock further, and perhaps set voltage manually in the bios as well. Would be great for overclocking

Have patience and wait untill a new version of afterburner with voltage control is released.

 

[Mark22]

Asus smartdoctor has an option to unlock further overclocking,,,,

With unlocked 6950 bios the sliders in ccc go to 1620 and 2500.

 

[itsdanny]

Asus smartdoctor has an option to unlock further overclocking,,,,

With unlocked 6950 bios the sliders in ccc go to 1620 and 2500.

This has been figured awhile ago in this thread.

 

[ac3]

just tried it then

and yes even as a 6950 and afterburner closed it still artifacts

f0d: I am getting the same black and white flashes in battlefield vietnam, I am hoping it's a game / driver problem. What drivers are you using?

 

[Mark22]

This has been figured awhile ago in this thread.

I'm aware of that, I've been running the modded asus bios from the start. Above several people seem to be stuck on lower ccc overdrive numbers. Just trying to help

 

[f0d]

f0d: I am getting the same black and white flashes in battlefield vietnam, I am hoping it's a game / driver problem. What drivers are you using?

cat 10.12

i wish it would be a driver problem but im fairly sure its a hardware failure

 

[bushwakko]

This has been figured awhile ago in this thread.

Can anyone use Asus Smartdoctor, if so, where can I get it?

 

[Mirmendis]

cat 10.12

i wish it would be a driver problem but im fairly sure its a hardware failure

I've the same glitch in 3dmark 2011 and Unigine Heaven(first glitch who flashes on the ground at the beginning) but too bad, i haven't bfbc2 to test .

 

[ac3]

I think it's only BFBC2 Vietnam as I played standard BFBC2 for about an hour and didn't notice it.

 

[Kaali]

Wait new drivers or game update ^^ , i have the same wierd stuff in BBC2 vietnam + crossfire bug like black lightning screen or black screen during short time , this game isn't realy optimised for 6950 crossfire because when i disable crossfire it's run fine without any trouble !

 

[Shrike]

Hey guys,

another question:
I modded my 6950 to full 6970 but it started crashing, so i switched to the modded 6950(free shaders) and its currently running @840, 1325 nicely.
So my vram couldnt stand the 6970 specs, as there are 1.175v and other timings(?)

When a new Afterburnerversion comes out with which i can rise the core clock and core voltages ect. and i change the voltage to 1.175 is my vram in dangern once again or does this voltagechange only affect the gpu?
Should i stay at lets say 1.125 and see how far i can rise the core clock?
Or can i go the full 1.175 or even more if the cooling is good enough without damaging my vram?

Thanks

Shrike

 

[Mirmendis]

I started out with 6970 bios @ 880/1375. Artifacts appaired within a copple of days so I flashed in the unlocked shader bios and kept the clocks at stock speeds (6950). The artifacts where less noticable, but still there so I flashed back my original bios, but still the artifacts remained. I agree that it is weird that this mod would cause these problems, but maybe those shader units where disabled for a reason. Either that or we somehow damaged the memory when we flashed the 6970 bios in and use't the card for a copple of days. I am seeing artifacts in both GTA4 and the Heaven benchmark. A screen of the GTA4 artifacts can be found a copple of posts back. If someone has a theory I would be happy to hear and/or test it.

I don't think your issue is flash related, look at this thread : http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=335460

Many users have the same problem, even with real 6970.

 

[Qed]

just tested a few opencl tests without issue
maybe its not a ram problem then with the 6970 mod

I didn't write it in the proper way.
You CAN execute OpneCL code on your card, but you can NoT trust the results. For example if you compute an SHA1 of a file you might get different result if the gpu is using one of the faulty memory bit.

I don't think your issue is flash related, look at this thread : http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=335460

Many users have the same problem, even with real 6970.

And the user wrote: "Solved, problem was a defective card, tried with another video card, problem disappeared, returned the card for RMA, received back, no problems now what so ever, confirmed the previous card which was causing these issues was defective, is anyone else has these issues your card may be faulty"

I'm not sure if they are gonna replace an 6950 modded with an 6970 bios.

 

[Shrike]

Someone should try and tell the others

 

[Nuppi]

Im getting the Asus 6950.
Which 6970 bios should i try?
The asus one or the sapphire one?

Thanks

 

[arroyo]

Don't use any HD6970 bios. Mod yours bios or use a bios from HD6950 with unlocked shaders.

 

[Nuppi]

Oh.
Ok.
Thanks for the hint arroyo.
So the tutorial here at: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/159
is something you should not do afterall?
Hows that?

Where to get bios for asus 6950 with unlocked shaders?
Im sure i dont know how to modify my own bios anyway.

 

[arroyo]

Somwhere in this thread, someone posted the tool for modification of oryginal HD6950 bios. And i'm 100% there was a modded Asus HD6950 bios.

I've send a email to W1zzard about his article that it needs to be rewrited, because this can made more harm than good.

 

[manofthem]

Oh.
Ok.
Thanks for the hint arroyo.
So the tutorial here at: http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/159
is something you should not do afterall?
Hows that?

Where to get bios for asus 6950 with unlocked shaders?
Im sure i dont know how to modify my own bios anyway.

http://www.techpowerup.com/wizzard/Mod_BIOS_HD_6950.zip
Download that, it'll let you modd your own bios. Save your original bios. I made a backup using atiwinflash.

wmblalock helped me do it already. he said
Put your original bios in the folder and call it original.bin then run the script to modify your stock bios. After that, use the other scrips in the first post on this thread to flash your card with the modded bios.
editriginal post #1043

 

[kronowolf]

I'd say count me as +1 to the Sapphire 6950->6970 group -- but I'm not sure.

I flashed the 6970 BIOS and set my clocks to 880/1375 (6970 speeds) and haven't had any artifacting or majorly noticeable visual defects. I had a couple of blue screens caused by switching between single- and dual-display setups, but I expect subsequent drivers will iron that issue out.

HOWEVER, I have been noticing some visual stuttering -- I'd almost call it judder. It's most noticeable when a game or benchmark is panning across a sweeping vista, like in Just Cause 2's Desert Sunrise benchmark. It's also immediately apparent when playing any 3D game in a window (i.e. not fullscreen). Even something as simple as ZDoom -- if it's running in a window -- will stutter every couple of seconds as a I move around.

I'm going to run my own battery of tests (change Power Control setting, drop clocks to 6950 speeds, switch to 6950 BIOS, etc.) but I wanted to check and see if anyone else has been having this issue. I really don't remember seeing this with my old card (a stalwart 5770).