Video Card Modifications

[RichM499]

I'd like some information on buying a mid-range graphics accelerator (Nvidia or ATI.. doesnt make a difference) and modifying it to unlock some pipes or features. The main reason for this is i want to have some fun modifying some computer hardware. I tried to modify my radeon 9000 by adding ramsinks and a better cooler and then overclocking it by a good percent but it seemed to be clock-locked and then for no apparent reason i took off the ram sinks and busted up something (get a crazy picture now and i cant tell what its doing). Word of advice---DONT USE CRAZY GLUE FOR HEAT SINKS!---. As i've said in other posts, any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[woot7800GT]

Like, actually modifying the GPU hardware? You can get an aftermarked fan for the GPU, and the heatsinks and stuff.

 

[RichM499]

Im talking about softmod or hardware modifications it doesnt matter.

 

[Trifid]

If you get a 6800nu than you can softmod it to have 16 pipelines (4 of them are locked on the card,) and then overclock it to gt/ultra speeds.

 

[Sh0r_ty]

how?

 

[Trifid]

How to unlock those extra pipes to get the Ultra's 16. First of all, if you get artifacts or any obvious mess', there is a "set to default" setting on the following program you can simply click. Now, this is not my original work, I forget who sent it to me, but here it is:

first u need rivatuner 15.2 which can be downloaded here

http://downloads.guru3d.com/downloa...2d49e3dcfc0e6aa

scroll down and click "I Agree"
the download should start
after its finished, install it
once it is installed, click Start, Programs, Rivatuner, Rivatuner
under Target Adapter click Customize, then click on the Graphic Card
Click NVStrap Driver
Click Install
At the Bottom Check Allow enabling hardware masked units
Click customize
Then Checkmark the 2 Bit xx that say disabled
ok.....ur done...restart windows and run a 3D intense program........if it has a lot of artifacts......it didnt work and u have to change back.....

From Ohgrfreak.


I know the link doesn't work, so here is a newer version: http://www.guru3d.com/rivatuner/

 

[RichM499]

Awesome, i kinda want to buy a 6800nu card now just so i can see if i am one of the lucky ones that has 2 extra working pipelines for a fraction of the cost.. kinda like playing the lottery.
Also if your a value-oriented customer and you cant fork up 150-200 dollars for a new video card, but you still want decent performance, try this. http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/107
Thats an article on how you can softmod a 9550 to a 9600, there are also articles on how to unlock pipelines and such with 9000 series radeon cards but some of those involve lots of tedious soldering on the PCB, and thats risky as hell. Any more info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Him]

Sorry to HiJack your thread, but I got the 6600GT, are there any locked pipes on that that i could unlock? Either through soft mods or hard mods?

 

[woot7800GT]

I'd like to know that as well.

 

[Him]

I'd like to know that as well.

I'm not surpised, as your handle is based soley around that card.