X850 Pro MOD to X850XT/XT PE

jblade · *Last edited by jblade; 01-01-2006 at 00:40.*

This mod works just like the X800 one, (you gotta download the modded flashrom)
(My card has 1.6 NS memmory, and is AGP, from what I understand, PCI-E CAN't be flashed.

Completing this mod successfully will unlock all of the 16 pipelines your X850 Pro has.

In order to have a moddable card you just need to have the 1.6ns memmory (I do not think 2.0ns works) and the yellow VIVO thingy next to your purple power input.

All credit goes towards W1zzard from forums.techpowerup.com
all I did was change the guide from X800 to X850

Performing the Mod:

Download modified flashrom.
Download Bios from here.
I suggest the latest X850XT PE Bios.
A little sidenote: Many people complain that they get a "file not found" error when trying to flash the bios under DOS. The problem is that DOS does not know long filenames, so all files are truncated to some funky names like Powerco~1.bin. Either use the dir command, when in DOS, to find out the short filename or rename the file to something shorter while still in Windows.
Make sure the card can reliably run at the clock speeds of the new bios (with ATITool, for example).
Use the modified flashrom to flash the Bios to the card. More extensive flashing instructions can be found here. They talk about atiflash - you use the modified flashrom, usage is the same.
After bootup Windows should automatically install the X800 XT PE driver.
Verify the number of active pipelines using ATITool. Go to Settings -> Overclocking. The list there shows the number of pipelines the card is running with.

If you want to remove all traces of previous Bios flashes (for example if you flashed the Gigabyte Bios):
Use modified flashrom to flash empty.bin (use "Save as..." if weird characters appear when clicking the link) to your video card, then flash the new Bios without rebooting. Be careful - if you don't flash a real Bios after flashing the empty Bios, your card will not work properly.

Note:

If your going to use the stock cooler from the X850 Pro, I suggest that you downclock your card back to the 500 1000 speeds, or just dont do the mod , until you buy a cooler like this one, or this one. Otherwise you will certainly get errors and artifacts (The stock cooler on the XT's and XT PE's is a lot better then the Pro one

Extra Info:
The card I have is a X850 PRo AGP with the little yellow VIVO thingy. I am preaty sure that has a huge difference on the ability to flash or not. Since the core of the AGP is different from te PCI-E

Edit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by nOv1c3

Woot I flashed my card this morning with the CD-Rom Drive and atiflash, Took a bit of research but i figured it out hehe

Everything went fine on the first try

I used a moded x850 pro bios with the 16 pipes unlocked

So i have the 16 pipes with stock speeds on the ram and core and the fan controls

Now to bench this puppy and see what i have gained :p

I ziped and uploaded the moded bios and instruction on how to flash your card with a cd-rom

http://s11.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2...F02VY0UM4M68VN

I cant take credit for this , But i forget the original poster name that i got this off of at another board . so all credit goes to him but i Hope this helps a few

- I highly suggest this way of doing the mod, as far as the bios is concerned. As the X850 Pro AGP are not really supposed to be clocked higher then the default of 500/500, unless you have a custom fan, and even then the speeds exceeding that of a X850 XT are dangerous to your card. This bios is clocked at normal Pro speeds and thus ensures your cards safety.

gobbles · 08-21-2005, 06:08 | posts: 128

What is the benefit of flashing an x850 pro to xt pe?

scatman839 · 08-21-2005, 12:14 | posts: 8,823 | Location: Dundee, Scotland

faster speeds, and maybe a temp controlled fan

jblade · 08-21-2005, 13:11 | posts: 48 | Location: Columbia, MD

It enables all 16 pipelines, instead of just 12. Also, in The CCC Overdrive is enabled.

Trenchdog73 · 01-31-2006, 15:15 | posts: 394 | Location: Chicago

Quote:

Originally Posted by jblade

It enables all 16 pipelines, instead of just 12. Also, in The CCC Overdrive is enabled.

I know this was a while back in the posts but can anyone explain what CCC Overdrive is and what it does?

Ehecu · 08-21-2005, 13:12 | posts: 1,247 | Location: US

I was under the impression that X850 Pro cores were laser cut, making a soft-mod impossible...
The only proven case I've seen is an X800 Pro --> XT.

jblade · 08-22-2005, 04:00 | posts: 48 | Location: Columbia, MD

I have a X850 Pro and its flashed to a X850XT PE, although I am only running it at X850 Pro speeds until I get my Zalman VGA Cooler.

FreakyMe · 08-22-2005, 10:13 | posts: 23 | Location: England

I was wondering would this work with putting a 850xt to 850xt PE? for those of us who got a cheaper XT but want PE performance

jblade · 08-22-2005, 22:08 | posts: 48 | Location: Columbia, MD

Theres no difference that I know of, the BIOS might allow the RAM to run cooler, but yes it would work 100%. All XT's can be flashed to XT PE. Although I am not sure what it would do. The Pro only has 12 pipelines, while the XT and XT PE has 16, thats the reason I flashed.

reflex · 08-22-2005, 22:57 | posts: 2,051

Just OC the x850xt to x850xt pe speeds, its not a huge overclock at all, only a increase of 20mhz on the core and 40mhz on the memory or something

clawhamer · 08-23-2005, 05:18 | posts: 1,585 | Location: eastcoast.ca

I agree with reflex, if you have the xt, it already has 16 pipes so there really is no need to risk flashing it.

jblade · 08-23-2005, 18:35 | posts: 48 | Location: Columbia, MD

Well if someone has a X850XT and wants to test it out, go for it. The risk is very low. All you gotta do is OC it to PE, run the fan at a constant speed, record temps load and idle, then flash it, and do the same thing. i just know from experience with ATI, that the tend to have more then the just the OC, and its that it has a improved BIOS.

dedmonds12 · 08-23-2005, 18:57 | posts: 1

jblade, can you confirm this works with the x850 pro and it unlocks pipelines? I too was under the impression unlocking was impossible with the x850. Do you have an screenshots of this working? thanks

jblade · 08-23-2005, 19:34 | posts: 48 | Location: Columbia, MD

I dont have a screenshot, because my card was getting too hot (80degrees) cause I was using stock cooler. I will probally get my Zalman VGa fanheatsink by tomorrow, then I will take pics, or try to at least.

Just check if your memmory ends with a 16, and has the Yellow vivo thingy, and your good to go. However, I do not recommened doing this until you get a new cooler.

oh its important to know
My card is AGP and I think that is what cause the difference in flashability.

sean478 · 08-23-2005, 19:58 | posts: 65 | Location: Behind You

guys i stress dont get a x850 under the impression that it will unlock to 16 pipes jblade is the only one i have ever heard of who actualy did it and ive heard of at least 10 trying it personaly

its just best to asume that it wont mod

jblade · 08-25-2005, 00:13 | posts: 48 | Location: Columbia, MD

IS yours AGP? Does it have 1.6 ns memmory?

sean478 · 08-25-2005, 12:27 | posts: 65 | Location: Behind You

mine? its pcie with 1.6

but i bought it as a xt and flashed to a pe

not from a pro

Salem13 · 08-25-2005, 15:17 | posts: 305 | Location: Salem,MA USA

*boohoo*

Got the sucker flashed, running at XT speed no problem, only 12 pipes showing with ATITool.

sean478 · 08-25-2005, 21:23 | posts: 65 | Location: Behind You

Quote:

Originally posted by Salem13
*boohoo*

Got the sucker flashed, running at XT speed no problem, only 12 pipes showing with ATITool.

leave it like that it wont hurt it

ehren13 · 09-02-2005, 00:44 | posts: 2

I'd just like to state that this mod worked COMPLETED as described by the OP. I had an ATI x850 Pro, WITH the yellow VIVO connector, and 1.6ns Samsung Memory Modules.

After flashing the BIOS, ATITool reported 16 pipes, and I was off and running.

Now I just need to hook it into my water loop via my Maze4GPU block, and we'll see how high I can overclock this sucker ;D

Thanks!!!!

EDIT ---

Oops! Forgot to note that I had the AGP version of the card... =)

sean478 · 09-02-2005, 10:48 | posts: 65 | Location: Behind You

intersting... that makes 3 sucess stories... out of 4 this past week congrats dudes

all seem to be with the (agp) x850 pro (vivo)

ehren13 · 09-02-2005, 20:43 | posts: 2

Well, the card op was a success, but I screwed my board up...

I had gotten the waterblock attached to the video card, and everything was running smooth. Silly me decides to up my Northbridge cooler from my stock Abit fan/HS to a new ThermalTake. Long story short, the fan interfered with my waterblock mounting screws, and I ended up shorting out my AGP slot. ;'(

So, this awesome card will end up being returned to the store, from whence it came, cuz I'm getting a new SLi motherboard ;D

JstAnthrSquid · 09-04-2005, 18:56 | posts: 13

Hey all,

I found this thread thru Google (hooray Google) and just wanted to add another success story:

I have a retail ATI X850Pro AGP VIVO purchased from Best Buy. Flashed it following the directions above with the ATI X850PE bios and now have all 16 pipelines unlocked with no artifacts reported in ATITool. However, I've clocked it back to the standard X850Pro 500/1000 speeds as the stock cooler could not keep the card cool at PE speeds.

The extra pipelines are giving 10-20% higher benchmark numbers in the tests I've run so far. :thumbsup:

Thanks jblade for taking the time to post the instructions.

alpha1471 · 09-06-2005, 22:57 | posts: 1

I've had the same success on my ATI X850 Pro VIVO AGP with stock cooling at 500/500. My card has 1.6ns Samsung memory (K4J55323QF-GC16) and the yellow VIVO connector as well.

The stock cooler struggles to keep the card cool unless the fan is going at full speed. Maybe underclocking it a bit would help until I get a better cooler.

3dmark05 scores went from 5126 to 5727.

tylerim · **successful method -** 09-24-2005, 05:46 | posts: 1 | Location: Canada

I've a factory Ati x850PRO 256 w. VIVO and 1.6ns RAM...

I tried flashing with techpowerup.com's Ati x850XT bios with no results other than an increase in clocks speeds.

Then I tried flashing first with techpowerup's "empty.bin" bios followed directly by a second flash with the x850XT bios. Success at last.

Now my PRO has XT's core of 519.75 and memory of 540.00 with all 16 pipes reporting for duty (as reported by AtiTools). Flashing the empty.bin first was the key. Good luck and thanks for the direction all.