X800 Pro VIVO to XT PE Bios Mod

[whyteo]

FINALLY! - Opened up the 16 pipes (X850 Pro AGP)

Sapphire X850 Pro AGP with yellow VIVO thingy.

It took a long time. I thought I was defeated. :shadedshu But alas I triumphed!

What I did was go for the modify the existing card BIOS using the HEX editior.
(Change the 0000070 and A to 60 from 61)

When you save it and boot up into DOS, and flash this new16.bin you get an invalid file error.
"atiflash -p 0 new16.bin"

Now, If you force the flash with the "-f" parameter it should work.
"atiflash -f -p 0 new16.bin"

Before I did this I also flashed the empty.bin bios - got (another) error message - so I'm not sure if this opened the way for flashing to succeed.

Finally the ATI Tools showed up the yummy 16 pipelines!


Summary:

Requirements:

1) ATiTools - to see if card is flashable, to make backup of existing BIOS, and finally to see if 16 pipelines are open.

2) Hex Editor to modify existing BIOS

3) ATiFlash to flash the new modified BIOS

4) Optional - Nero Burning ROM 6 - To create Bootable CD (Can use other methods)


a) Get copy of card BIOS using ATiTools
b) Make a copy on the desktop and rename new16 (leave out .bin - it will be there auto)
c) Open new16.bin in HexEditor and change 61 to 60 {six-zero}
d) Make bootable CD with ATiflash progam file and new16.bin
e) Restart computer (may have to enter main motherboard bios to boot from CD first)
f) change to CD drive (eg. "d:" )
g) enter: "atiflash -f -p 0 new16.bin" {that is a zero not a o}
(Not sure if you may need to flash with the empty.bin found on this site first)
h) restart computer (without bootable CD) and check pipelines in ATiTool

i) Ta-da!

Hope this helps - It took me AGES to get it right.

Ollie.

 

[nicus]

Hi all..

I want to flash my HIS Excalibur x800 Pro VIVO to a x800 XT PE.
A short Question, do the BootCD.iso works with this card? Or should i download the Excalibur x800XT PE Bios from the techpowerup Site?

Does the BootCD.iso increase the Clock? I think my Card can handle it, there is a Silencer installed.

Thanks for answers and sorry if my Question already answered somewhere in this Thread.

nicus

 

[eon007]

I recently tried to mod my AGP vivo ATI x850 pro to unlock the 16 pipes. I couldn't get the 16 pipes to stay unlocked no matter what bios I used. ATItool would report the 16 pipes prior to loading the Catalyst drivers. After the the drivers intalled...bam... back to 12 pipes. The flash does change the clock speed. I was wondering if anybody had this happen as well. ATITool reports 16 active pipes until the Catalyst drivers are installed. Any help?

 

[puntarenas]

Hi,

I ordered my first ATI-Card ever (ASUS EAX850PRO/HTVD) and want to try if I can unlock it as soon as it will arrive.

Just one question, it's suggested to use the latest x850XT bios for x850PRO boards to unlock the additional quad, but will it also be possible to use a x800XT bios?

The idea is to have the card slightly uderclocked (507/520 to 500/500) and keep it cool and silent that way. I wonder if there are any drawbacks because of internal changes from R423 to R481 gpu's that demand special bios settings.

Kind regards

puntarenas

Edit: Unfortunately the card was not moddable to 16P, so my question is obsolete!

 

[HellSy]

Sapphire X850 Pro AGP with yellow VIVO thingy.

It took a long time. I thought I was defeated. :shadedshu But alas I triumphed!

What I did was go for the modify the existing card BIOS using the HEX editior.
(Change the 0000070 and A to 60 from 61)

When you save it and boot up into DOS, and flash this new16.bin you get an invalid file error.
"atiflash -p 0 new16.bin"

Now, If you force the flash with the "-f" parameter it should work.
"atiflash -f -p 0 new16.bin"

Before I did this I also flashed the empty.bin bios - got (another) error message - so I'm not sure if this opened the way for flashing to succeed.

Finally the ATI Tools showed up the yummy 16 pipelines!


Summary:

Requirements:

1) ATiTools - to see if card is flashable, to make backup of existing BIOS, and finally to see if 16 pipelines are open.

2) Hex Editor to modify existing BIOS

3) ATiFlash to flash the new modified BIOS

4) Optional - Nero Burning ROM 6 - To create Bootable CD (Can use other methods)


a) Get copy of card BIOS using ATiTools
b) Make a copy on the desktop and rename new16 (leave out .bin - it will be there auto)
c) Open new16.bin in HexEditor and change 61 to 60 {six-zero}
d) Make bootable CD with ATiflash progam file and new16.bin
e) Restart computer (may have to enter main motherboard bios to boot from CD first)
f) change to CD drive (eg. "d:" )
g) enter: "atiflash -f -p 0 new16.bin" {that is a zero not a o}
(Not sure if you may need to flash with the empty.bin found on this site first)
h) restart computer (without bootable CD) and check pipelines in ATiTool

i) Ta-da!

Hope this helps - It took me AGES to get it right.

Ollie.

I just got the same card, and according to the ATiTools i think i can unlock the pipes..

What hex editor did you use? Because i can't find that 0000070 column.. i tried Hex Workshow and everything that is listed there but couldn't find the 0000070. I just want to unlock the pipes.. i don't want my core speed to jump up that much.. i'll increase that manually.

Since you got the Sapphire X850 Pro ViVo [2.0ns], can you give me your bios?

Just in case i'm gonna upload my bios..

 

[Radont]

Hey, great post W1zard. I flashed the bios to an X800 XT PE and my system detected it as such but tray tools still told me I had 12 pipelines instead of 16. Is this because I use the omega drivers or could it be because I used the winflash program?

EDIT: Nevermind, it was because I used the winflash app instead of the DOS one. I have all 16 now and my cock speeds are up. Stock fan and heatsink too.

 

[jaffers]

Hello All,

I have a Sapphire X800 Pro VIVO PCI-e card purchased in mid 2005. I tried the softmod using Sapphire, ATI, Gigabyte and Powercolor bioses for XT and XT PE of PCI-e flavor Everything failed and after the mod my card becomes GT because of the ASIC ID.

There is no laser cut I checked that and tried, ATIflash with -newbios and flashrom with -p -f 0 flags. No matter what the pipes are 12.

My questions are:

1. Are the newer cards that is summer 2005 and onwards are locked differently after all this softmodding in 2004 well known?

2. The process mentioned by Whyteo is applicable to X800 Pro VIVO. If so then can anyone help me with address offset and value in the *.bin file?

3. Shall I burn empty.bin before burning the target bios in the same session (before reboot)

4. Is the serial ROM locked by the manufacturer as reported by atiflash?

Who can help me? Greatly appreciate help. Thanks

 

[jaffers]

Hi, This may have already been addressed but i dont feel like reading 93 pages of a thread. I am trying to flashmod my x800pro vivo pci-e card to an x800xt pci-e. Apparently the platinum edition does not exist for pci-e. I tried all four bios' that were listed in the link for this card, and each time windows detected it as an x800 gt, which actually diabled 4 pipelines and lowered the clocks. The one bios that was the x800pro but with 16 pipes was corrupted, and i had to reverse the flash blind. Has anyone had success flash modding a pci-e card? if so, could you post and give me a link to download the bios, or i can give you my email and you can email it to me, thanks.

Hi DrunkenMonkey, I have the same problem. My X800 Pro Vivo PCI-e simply won't unlock the pipes no matter which bios I tried. You are right I also was unable to find any PCI-e platinum edition bios for X800 pro Vivo. Further with each effort My card becomes GT in windows. ALthough when i forced bios my original it was normal again. It looks like there has to be some change in the bios file at some address offset to mention 16 instead of 12. Bye.

 

[jaffers]

Hi. Finally got the answer from the post of SHY (thanks to him) using below link
h**p://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Video_Card#How_to_check_if_an_X800.2FX850_series_card_can_be_unlocked

Unfortunately my Sapphire X800 Pro VIVO PCI-e is die-level locked. So can not open it to 16. Although atitool runs it reliably at 550/560 for some time and no heat since I have removed the junk compound and have replace it with artic silver compound with the stock fan. So have to be content with the OC only.

 

[Minko]

Hi,

I have problemes after flashing my Asus X800pro to XT. Flashing was no problem, and for a while it workt great. But after updating my drivers (Cat 6.8).... my screen turned in to a blur. Whit stripes etc etc.
I have tried a different XT bios files and Cat drivers (6.8), now it only happens while running atitool and sometimes at startup i have these blury white stripes. After a reboot its gone (sometimes), what to do?

 

[threeflies]

Just a thank you. Using the modified flashrom I have now transformed my 850pro to 16 pipes and running at xt speeds.

Great article, v happy

 

[bobyjo]

Hi,

I have problemes after flashing my Asus X800pro to XT. Flashing was no problem, and for a while it workt great. But after updating my drivers (Cat 6.8).... my screen turned in to a blur. Whit stripes etc etc.
I have tried a different XT bios files and Cat drivers (6.8), now it only happens while running atitool and sometimes at startup i have these blury white stripes. After a reboot its gone (sometimes), what to do?

If you sucessfully flashed to XTpe bios.
You do not need to be running ATITool, unless you just want to keep track of the temps.

 

[dapumprula]

dont work on my x850pro vivio

hi, got big problem,
1. this is my second ati x850pro vivio, the first one are unlocked, but the second x850pro vivio dont work on 16pipelines, ati tool show only 12 pipes,

help plz

 

[Mocho]

Just received my x850 Pro and unlocked it to 16 pipes. Immediately I noticed the checkard rasters flashing, like it was mentioned in this thread, I have defective pipelines.

However I have tried the empty.bin and my backup bios as well as 10 other bios's, I'm stuck with the defective piplines. With only 12 piplelines it's not as bad as with 16 but I can't seem to fix it anymore.

Any suggestion on what to do? I don't want to RMA the card due to the costs involved. Please help me out! :shadedshu

 

[Xipher]

Hey, I think I need some help here... I've got an issue with the CD ISO to flash to the X800 pro VIVO with 16 pipes

The program "runs out of memory" and gives a DOS error when I select option 2 (flash the bios, make with the fun!)

The system is, an X800 Pro AGP (VIVO, its got the right chip on the back, and the yellow connector under the molex) K8W, 4gb wintec, 2gb buffalo (6gb total) on two 848 opterons

Whats the issue here? Does having over 4096mb of installed memory cause issues like this with the dos program?

Can I just use the floppy based flash tool, the X800 pro VIVO 16 pipe bios and it will enable the pipes without using a trigger to force it to write over the 12 pipes? Will I be able to go back to 12 without issue since I have backed up my bios?

 

[patton45]

X850pro vivo problem

ok so ive read like almost all the post here and cant find the exact problem im having. I downloaded the edited flashrom and flashed my ati x850pro to both xt and xtpe both work for the clock speeds but not the pipelines i then flashed to the empty.bin and reflashed to ati850xt everything runs fine but i still am not getting the pipelines i have tried reinstalling the drivers and catalyst. does anyone know what the problem is i think it has to do with the rom reset thing but i dont know how to fix that what the command is to change the preserve rom if u can help let me know

 

[diepgamer]

HELP ME, W1zzard

Anyone can halp me, I has set wrong BIOS for my card x800 pro AGP with PCI-ex bios. And now, my monitor cannot display.

 

[juniorandac]

thank you

 

[involver]

HELP ME, W1zzard

diepgamer you can flash it back to the original bios , even if your monitor is dead . Put the flashrom and the original bios into a folder that you need to remeber . Boot from floppy , wait like 1 min or the time you think your os will boot up , then follow the bios flash procedure u did before .

 

[patton45]

so i decided to give it another go even though i dont use my x850 for gaming anymore its just a folding comp i want to try and unlock the pipes anyone know of that pen sodder stuff and where to get it. i have to resoder my pipes cause after taking the stock cooling off i noticed i do have the lazer cut i know some dude here awhile back did the sodder mod but i cant find his post anyone who know about what im talking about give me a holla thanks

 

[Rohey89]

I thought the chance of it working is so small its not worth worrying about?

 

[ktuly]

Please guys help me:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=67801
Sry for link i didnt saw this discussion when i opened my post.

thanks

 

[ArkanHell]

I just so the article link on the side and I decided to post here, cuz its brings me so many good memories.
Couples of years later of founding this article, about the "trasnformation" of the X800, I signed to TPU.
As an owner of one, I got shocked. In those days I had started already to do some cpu overclock and I was an user of the glorius AtiTool.
But a bios mode on my VGA? With 20 years and with a mid time job, risking to damage the vga was such a bomb of adrenaline, but, I couldnt resist to get a little more points in 3dmark03.
So I done it.
Wow, that fealing... I just got something like that the time that I made a Hot Bios Chip Swap on my mother board many years later.
And there I got, on the reboot, the beep! of the mainboard, and on SO, the new recognized model X800 XT PE!
Later in time I sold the VGA, I dont remember, prolly I bought a 1800XL something like that, And like 2 years later I saw a guy with my VGA on a LANPARTY, with the fan changed.
And finally, in 2006, It was back to my hands, damaged. Another guy brought it to me, for repair in my shop. It was busted, and the guy just gave it away to me.
And, since then. The X800 XT PE 256mb y hanging on the wall of my shop, reminding my passion, my way of live.

 

[rockit00]

Hey, I have fond memories of the X800-X850 series also. My first bios flash was the 9550 to 9600Pro and was a success. The next card was the X850 Pro. The X850 Pro was a Great card for flashing because of so many options. First flash to unlock the pipes. Second flash to XT. Third flash to XT PE. I had to get the Arctic Cooling ATI Silencer 5.2 to keep the beast cool! I owned 3 of the X850's in all and they were built like tanks. I only sold them to get the X1950 Pro. I think the X800-X850's were the most exciting cards that I ever owned.