RivaTuner + SoftR9700 (R9500 into R9700) !!

What are the differences between R9500 128-bit and R9500 256-bit? I haven't noticed different versions anywhere. The only difference is 128mb version and 64mb version. Can somebody please explain?
And also I think Ati will soon see this trick and modify the cards so it can't be done.

 

These are great news. Hardly 12.1 if you asked me, more like 13, but it's not my call.

@dzhedah

9500 64 mb has 128 bit mem.
9500 128 mb has 256 bit mem.

 

Will this work with all 9500pros (the 128 to 256bit) or are there only some specific brands on wich it can be enabled.?

 

It won't work with 9500 pros full stop. It will only turn a 9500 into a 9500 pro or a 9700 if you have a 128mb 9500 on a 9700 PCB.

Good work Unwinder, looks like your gonna be saving alot of people alot of hassle!

Can we not download the Soft9700 script to use for the time being until you the new version of RivaTuner is ready? I've just got my 128meg 9500 siting here now ready to be turned into a 9700 but don't want to try the hardware mod as it will invalidate the warranty.

Is there any chance you could email me the script to test Unwinder?

 

"Do any of you know if this would also work for the 9500PRO?"

Nope. Pro's allready have 8 pipelines, and they come with a different layout, they simply don't have the same 256 bit supporting "traces" to the rams on their boards.





"Now which is the 256 bit 9500?"

128mb version is 256 bit and can be transformed to a 9700, 64mb version is 128 bit and can be transformed to a 9500 Pro.






"Which brand should I buy ?"

Apparently all of them are built by Ati and sent to the companies for now (Just check the pics, they are all the same, and look identical to the 9700s). And all of them are based on the 9700's layout. It seems like they are 9700 with one little change.


All you need is a Radeon 9500 equiped with 128 mb of ram


"I have a 64mb 9500, will the trick work with my card ?

The 64mb versions simply don't have the required hdw to turn to a 9700. 64 mb 9500s are convertible to 9500 Pro, as the trick enables the additionnal 4 pipelines.

They are right about the following: "128MB versions of RADEON 9500 based solutions feature 256bit memory bus, since they have all 8 memory chips installed"

256 bit seems to be the default value for those 128 mb 9500s, they just can't use it because they are fill rate limited (only 4 pipelines)

I've also found this on tomshardware, in an early review with early samples:


"ATI sent us a 9500 PRO, which is still at a prototype stage. The final board design is not yet ready, so the chip of the test card runs on a 9700 board, which in turn accesses the memory through a 256-bit bus. Because the 9500 chip can only access memory via 128-bit, the prototype card is equipped with only 64 MB instead of 128 MB memory. The performance of the chip and memory correspond to the card when it reaches the production stage"

So it seems like this is the reason why they have changes the layout for the 9500 Pro's. Don't buy a 9500 Pro, buy a 9500 with 128 mb of ram.





This is A LOT better than the old Celeron 300A trick, or the softquadro patch, a software worth 200$. It's gonna become a Tweaking Legend!

Unwinder, you're the greatest.

 

Please hurry!

I'm also sitting here with my 9500 ready but I dont want to test the hardware-mod if this thing works (you really sure?)?

Bad thing is that I got a refund time of just 10 days. I intend to return my 9500 if this mod doesn't work. It would therefore be great if you could release this software mod as soon as you can as it would make it possible for me to get my money back in case of failure. I'm dont think I'm the only one having this problem.

Well anyway: GOOD JOB!
(if it works)

/ PowerSupply

 

Unwinder doesn't disappoint.

Don't try the hdw-mod, wait a few days. Don't void your warranty for nothing.

Hey Unwinder, check this:



I bet that's the next thing you'll be doing.

(In software of course)

 

Will a 9700 Bios flash still be needed or not?

If not, will we be able to overclock them to 9700 pro levels like we can if we do the hardware mod and flash the bios?

cheers

 

How do I know wich 9500 use the 9700 PCB? A friend told me that only the ones sold by ATi don't use the 9700 PCB, and that the other companies do...

 

btw, I was checking a store and it said this:

ATI OEM RADEON 9500 128MB DDR BULK
Chipset: ATI RADEON 9500
Memory:128MB 128-bit DDR memory
is this the right one that you can change to 9700?

 

You need the ones with 2 memory chips horizontal to the GPU and to vertical to it.

You DON'T want the ones with all the chips above the GPU, they can only be turned into 9500 pros rather than 9700s cause they only have 128bit memory bus

You need to look at it, or ask the place your buying it from to look at it to be sure

 

Saphire doesnt seem to have the 9500 that everyone is talking about and showing pictures...
this is the only one on their site, a black one with different heatsink:
http://www.sapphiretech.com/media/9500/9500boardshot.jpg

 

Thats the one. the colour does'nt matter, just the RAM arrangement.

 

I haven't heard of another layout for the 9500s. To my understanding the boards are all the same.

Look it's the 9700 Pro:

http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/video/ati/radeon9700pro/cardfront.jpg

And it's the same as the sapphiretech 9500. Just a change of color, not layout.

"You need the ones with 2 memory chips horizontal to the GPU and to vertical to it.

You DON'T want the ones with all the chips above the GPU, they can only be turned into 9500 pros rather than 9700s cause they only have 128bit memory bus"

I think the boards you're talking about are te new 9500 Pros. I haven't seen a 9500 with 4 rams above the gpu.

 

How likely (%) is this gonna work? I'd hate to buy a radeon 9500 and be disapointed.......

 

GREAT NEWS!!!!!

I think Ill sell this TI 4200 and buy my self a radeon 9500 128 MB and turn it in a radeon 9700.

I want to know to...

 

When can we see some benchmarks with Radeon 9500 modified by software into a Radeon 9700?

 

Holy ****, Unwinder,

that´s great news for the gamer community. You will get a whole new crowd of friends

As you can tell I bet that next is coming something with 9700 to X1 or similar stuff.

regards

 

they look exactly like a 9700

the other have all there ram in one single row