R9500np to R9700 "mod"

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PreservedSwine

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Just for kicks, I bought an R9500non-pro to toy around with for $144 from allstarshop.

I installed Omega's drivers, and PRESTO, I now have an R9700!!

I can't believe how potent this card is...handles FSAA and AF with liquidy smooth fps.

Anyway, here's a 3dM03 score:
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=896604

It was a gamble, but OH MAN am I happy!!!!:grinthumb
 
are you saying you used the available bio's flash to mod the board then installed the omega's or that installing the omega's alone unlocked the card?
 
Originally posted by iss
are you saying you used the available bio's flash to mod the board then installed the omega's or that installing the omega's alone unlocked the card?
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Omega's drivers include a "hack option."

Very noob freindly. During install, it asks if you wish to install regular, or 9500-->9700 drivers. No BIOS flash needed.

To undue the mod, all you need to do is unistall OMEGA's drivers. Very simple
:cool:
 
Woohoooo!!!!! what wonderful news for the kids! they are fixin to get a 9500 PRO in their machine soon as daddy gets a 9500 NP

hehe
 
Originally posted by aoj145
You can also hack the 9500 Pro as well to get the same results.
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Sorry, but that's not true. There is no mod for the R9500PRO, only the R9500non-pro..... And I'll tell you why:(

The R9500nonpro comes on two different PCB's (Printed Circuit Boards) Only R9500non-pros on R9700 PCB's are able to be modded into R9700's... R9500non-pro's than come on R9500PRO's PCB's only have a 128bitbus, and cannot be modded into R9700's...since they lack the actual bus size... R9500non-pros that come on R9500PROPCB's can be modded into R9500PRO's, but that's it.

You can identify which PCB is moddable by looking at how the RAM chips are oriented on the PCB. If the (4) RAM chips are in a straight line---NOT MODDABLE into an R9700.

If the RAM chips are in in "L" pattern, yep, it's MODDABLE into an R9700. Be aware that the suces rate is around 50%, no guarantesss even if you recieve a moddable card that you won't be saddled w/ checkerboards or artifacts...

Good luck!!!:)
 
Originally posted by aoj145
Suit yourself. Mine ran great!

http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=33681382
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You know there's more of a difference than just clock speeds between the R9500PRO and R9700PRO, right?

The R9700 utilizes a 256bitDDR bus, while the R9500PRO only uses a 128 bit DDR bus. Even once you overclock the R9500PRO to R9700PRO clockspeeds, you're still just getting half the bandwidth....

There is only a 128bit bus on the PCB of the R9500PRO. There is simply no getting around it. You can't "mod" a bus into existence if the actual traces are NOT there...

Some R9500non-pro's, however, use an R9700PCB, and have access to the robust 256bitDDR bus.

Though an overclocked R9500PRO is a great card, still only 1/2 the bandwidth of an R9700...

Hope that helps:)
 
I use the Omega drivers too. I used the hack also, from 9700 to 9800. I really can't see much difference in mine. I lost a little in 3D Mark 03, but gaming is what's important and they work fine, although the regular 3.4 drivers did too. From what I hear, there will be a new set of drivers out in about two weeks. After that, ATi is going to release new ones on a one month cycle, or so they say.
 
Originally posted by olefarte
I use the Omega drivers too. I used the hack also, from 9700 to 9800. I really can't see much difference in mine. I lost a little in 3D Mark 03, but gaming is what's important and they work fine, although the regular 3.4 drivers did too. From what I hear, there will be a new set of drivers out in about two weeks. After that, ATi is going to release new ones on a one month cycle, or so they say.
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I read that interview as well. Not sure if we really need that many drivers, but hey, it can't hurt!

As far as the R9700PRO-->R9800PRO optimizations, those are included in the standard 3.4 CATS. Omega's 9700--->9800 "mod" is good for any driver previous to the 3.4's, and won't make any difference in the 3.4 release....

I can't get over how powerfull this card is. I'm running 4xFSAA in everything, I'm stoked at how great my flight sims are looking, with better fps with NO FSAA on my old R8500!:grinthumb

Not to mention what a blast BF1942 is......liquidy smooth:D
 
With the 3.4s, chip type is listed as 9700. Omega's hack, it says 9800 chip type. As far as Omega's hack already being in the 3.4s, I really can't argue that, because I don't see any improvement. Omega's are supposed to make for a better game experience, but like I said, I can't really tell much, if any difference. PS, I thought they were different, but maybe not.

Edit; At any rate, I am able to run all settings at max and I to get very smooth game play.
 
Originally posted by olefarte
With the 3.4s, chip type is listed as 9700. Omega's hack, it says 9800 chip type. As far as Omega's hack already being in the 3.4s, I really can't argue that, because I don't see any improvement. Omega's are supposed to make for a better game experience, but like I said, I can't really tell much, if any difference. PS, I thought they were different, but maybe not.

Edit; At any rate, I am able to run all settings at max and I to get very smooth game play.
Click to expand...

I hear the same thing as far as Omega's are made for gaming, not benching. Couldn't agree more. I dug up the info about the R9700--->R9800 hack, here's the quote:
Q: What is this Radeon 9500 -> 9800 thing?
A: During development of Radeon 9800 drivers ATI found a way to increase performance for 9500/9700 drivers too. However they decided not to include these improvements for the 9500/9700 series at this time. They will be included in Catalyst 3.3 if they prove to be stable.
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from http://www.maxdownloads.com/~ian/wizzard/

Anyway, they skipped the 3.3's, and went straight to the 3.4's. I heard on Rage3D that the optimizations were indeed included. I can't verify, however. I know that the hack includes the optimizations, and changes the inf file as well to read as a 9800, thoug re-naming of the inf files have nothing to do w/ performance, just a nice touch:)
 
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