Is Rivatunner dangerous ?

**Is Rivatunner dangerous ? -** 01-24-2005, 10:35 | posts: n/a

Hi all,

I got a Galaxy 6800 graphic card. So i'm very insterested in activating full vertex and pipeline.

But, i read here and there that it is possible to crash the CG using rivatuner that way...

So i have some questions for Guru users

:

* What are the REAL dangers using this feature ?
* Is it ALWAYS possible to go back if it doesn't work ?

Thanks.

PS : excuse for my poor english, i'm french

Unwinder · 01-24-2005, 14:12 | posts: 10,363 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Yes, it is dangerous if you use it without understanding of your own actions.

GeForceOfCourse · 01-24-2005, 23:48 | posts: 340

I would also like to know if there is any harm to unlocking pipes even if you do it right. And can you go back? Could it permanently mess it up even if you do it the way you are supposed too? (like getting permanent artifacts with ocing)

Thanks.

01-25-2005, 08:27 | posts: n/a

Yes that's what i'll like to know...

AlecRyben · 01-25-2005, 12:18 | posts: 7,781 | Location: Utopia Planitia, Mars

Nobody knows for sure. As we all know, overclocking & modding is pushing the hardware to it's limits - and that can mean that the hardware is going to brake down sooner than the manufacturer expects it to do.
So, it's your risk. If you are willing to take it, it can bring you more performance for less money. If you are one of the "sure thing" people (like me), i suggest you go for the real thing and pay a little more for peace of mind.

01-25-2005, 12:47 | posts: n/a

Yes, i know that any modification include risk.

And that's exactly why i ask for more information : i won't take a risk if i can't evaluate this risk !

I know that sometimes activate missing pipes can lead to flash the bios, and that's ok for me ( not cool , but ok

).

But a red that about 5% of modified card are permanantly damaged after trying to activate pipes (no more boot or permanants artifacts).

So i ask again to Unwinder (or anyone who got more information) about this :

Is it true ?
Do you have any statistics or feedback ?

Thanks

GeForceOfCourse · 01-26-2005, 22:37 | posts: 340

bump

01-28-2005, 09:08 | posts: n/a

Well let's try a UP !

GeForceOfCourse · 01-28-2005, 23:24 | posts: 340

Sorry for the rebump but really want to know the answer if there is one

thanks

02-02-2005, 08:14 | posts: n/a

Well, i don't anderstand why it is so difficult to tell your experience about possibles damages...

Unwinder, you said :

Quote:

it is dangerous if you use it without understanding of your own actions.

It's not a answer ! Just a way to ignore legitimate question about YOUR software.

Your software is a really good one and my purpose is not to say that we should not use it. But maybe some reader here will crash down it's graphique card without even knowing that's a possibility !

So PLEASE, just tell us if you have any feedback on the question and don't suppose that we are too stupid to anderstand your answer !

Thanks.

02-02-2005, 13:56 | posts: n/a

RivaTuner can be used for many things besides unlocking pipes. What Alec said about that is all that is known at this time.

You could use RT to burn up your card if you really wanted to, I guess. If you did all the wrong things at once, and your card had a weak junction in it someplace, then who knows? That's why there is a PowerUser section.

One thing I know for sure is that 6800's go bad sooner if they are overclocked too much for too long. With 5900's you could find a "sweet spot" for the clocks and leave it there and have no problems. But I've taken notice of quite a few instances where users swear their cards were still running at reasonable temps but they died from extended overclocking anyway.

As far as after you unlock the pipes, I believe that your card will use more power with the pipes unlocked, and the GPU will probably work harder, too. So if you have a card where the GPU came from the bottom of the speed bin then that COULD make the GPU crap out sooner. But that's not RT's fault, there is variability in the quality of GPU's these days so, to a large exent, it's a crap shoot.

Unwinder · 02-02-2005, 14:07 | posts: 10,363 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Quote:

Originally posted by HeadShot
It's not a answer ! Just a way to ignore legitimate question about YOUR software.

Sorry, but it is the only answer, which can be given in the context of this thread.
Even considering that everything done by RT is not permanent and can be undone, considering I don't know any examples of GPU died because of pipeline modding, I can not and will not give you 100% safety warranties. Pushing hardware beyond the limits is always a risk, especially if you activate some parts of GPU, which were purposely locked by the manufacturer. So there are no rules. And no warranties. So I repeat again: yes, it is dangerous. And it is twice dangerous, if you don't understand the basics and follow modding guides blindly without understanding your actions.

02-02-2005, 16:24 | posts: n/a

Ok, thanks very much for your answers.

@JDr1st :
My 6800 is a galaxy one, so the cooling system is a good one (VGASilencer).
In fact, with no overclocking (i mean no more then the little overclocking made by Galaxy), the temp is about 41° (after several hours playing FarCry 1.3, 1600*1200, all features max).
I hope this will be good enough to deal with the pipeline activation...

@Unwinder :
Don't worry, i won't take your answer as a warrantie and i never meant to do so...

But it's a good news to know that you have never seen or heard about crashing due to a pipeline modding.

Thank again for your answer and, of course, for your very nice software.

Unwinder · 02-03-2005, 07:13 | posts: 10,363 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Quote:

Originally posted by HeadShot
But it's a good news to know that you have never seen or heard about crashing due to a pipeline modding.

Just remember that it doesn't mean that it cannot happend.

02-04-2005, 04:26 | posts: n/a

hey i am apparenty one of the 5% that has fried a 6800
computer boots to black screen then freezes

tried to open pipes usuing rivatuner and card just stopped working

Unwinder · 02-04-2005, 06:58 | posts: 10,363 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

I'm afraid that next RT will come with "Lamers not allowed" logo. If you can select OS booting mode (safe / normal), see no problems in DOS and the OS hangs just after unlocking pipelines (which are simply bad and refuse to work on your system), it doesn't mean that your hardware is fired.
I've already provided you instructions on manual driver uninstalling in your own thread.