Seems you need more than just a r350 core to get the pro to an XT

-ADREN-

Info here at rojakpot

Cards with the following memory chips tend to have R360 cores. So far, these have all been found in Sapphire cards : Cards with the following memory chips tend to have R360 cores. So far, these have all been found in Sapphire cards : 2.8ns Samsung + 8E-GC2A batch 404

http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=3&var1=92&var2=0

This site also gives how to do the convert, and also states u must replace the Stock Fan for a better cooling option if you go for the convert.

VeVeX

Between me and u, the Artic VGA Silencer can be had in a certain shop in dublin, for less then €15. Cooling Problems solved!

Mac daddy

I have a 9800rpo when i first got it had to overclock it a bit core at 401 and memory at 389 without artifacts- started up generals played it solid for a hour at highest specs/detail temp inside the case were around 50+ i could feel the hot air, the next day webt down to peats and bought the artic cooler for around 15 quid.
temp now inside the case is 40-45 a hell of lot better.

It is only 15 quid great value if you own a 9800 get this cooler for it- standard stock cooler is crap! i had a sapphire one

-ADREN-

Looking over that mod there, why exactly do you flash the BIOS if you are to manually overclock the card to the XT core and mem speeds in the 1stl place.
What advantage has flashing the BIOS then, just so that it is renamed "XT" in your hardware settings?

Col_Loki

It activates the other XT features like the temp diode, i think the shaders are improved, the memory timings might be loosened to achieve higher speeds........

-ADREN-

I think he mentions somewhere in the article that you dont get the Temp Readers for the card from it, and you dont avail from the "Overdrive" whats this?

Mac daddy

Originally posted by -ADREN-
"Overdrive" whats this?

Taking advantage of the new thermal sensing setup on the 9800XT is OverDrive. OverDrive monitors and dynamically adjusts the 9800XT core speed based on the temperature reported by the sensor. If the temperature is between 0°C and 56°C OverDrive increases the core speed to 419MHz. ATI had originally planned for a little more respectable 20MHz overclock (up to 432MHz) but due to yields at that speed only the first stage is currently enabled. For a first try it's not all that bad, but hopefully future products using OverDrive will feature more aggressive upper clock limit.

taken from
http://www.rage3d.com/content/reviews/video/abit9800xt/?page=2

jozi

I'm really getting more tempted to buy a 9800pro after reading the article about flashing the bios!

Jozi

(wonders should i buy them fans for better cooling first or a 9800pro)

davkav

Originally posted by -ADREN-
Info here at rojakpot



http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=3&var1=92&var2=0

This site also gives how to do the convert, and also states u must replace the Stock Fan for a better cooling option if you go for the convert.

must say it looks pretty good if you do plan to buy 128meg 9800pro if you plan to flash the bios to XT. from the review most 128's are moddable good news for me:D

Adeptus Titanicus

Regarding the temp diode, afaik you're not guaranteed to have one of these on a 9800 Pro.

Have a look at this thread for a piccy of what it should look like so you can see if your 9800Pro has one.

Mine didn't

But it's a great overclock after the flash and an arctic silencer!

Mac daddy

But you could buy a Temp Probe place it under the heatsink and on top of the core to get a good read-

Stephen

I thought I already posted to this thread, but as I (think ) i said earlier...

I bought a Sapphire 9800 Pro from Komplett about a month ago - only an R350 core unfortunately, but that said it absolutely flies

beats the **** out of my Ti4200

CombatCow

On the x800 subject..does anyone know a place where to buy a XT...that will have them now or in the next 2 weeks.overclockers.co.uk are backorderd for a month.:mad:

CC

Mac daddy

^^ youre right even jes don't have them in stock
Jes Computers

VeVeX

My brother just got a 128mb 256bit Sapphire 9800Pro and it looks completely different to the reviews on the net we've seen. It has hynix memory and the fan is bigger....see attached pic. Dunno bout the core yet, wont know untill tomorrow when he fits the Artic Cooler.

Mac daddy

That is the same what i have/had hyinx memory- did you buy if of Jes-computers?

I'm nearly sure it has a 360 core- but you can only be sure by seeing it

Mac daddy

Originally posted by VeVeX
the Artic Cooler.

Good job youre getting that Cooler - that stack fan is crap i could feel the hot air blowing out of the case, installed the artic cooler no more hot air

Stephen

That's different to my sapphire one - it came with a tiny stock cooler. I slapped an arctic cooler on it -noticed the R350 core whilst I was installing that. It also has Hynix ram btw.

-ADREN-

I presume you can get rid of that metal cover with the picture on ti on that card that vevex has?

OfflerCrocGod

Originally posted by VeVeX
My brother just got a 128mb 256bit Sapphire 9800Pro and it looks completely different to the reviews on the net we've seen. It has hynix memory and the fan is bigger....see attached pic. Dunno bout the core yet, wont know untill tomorrow when he fits the Artic Cooler.

I'm practically certain that is an R360 core Gfx card - it looks like the pics on some of the websites which show the modable Pros.

Jammer

I found a way to check the core without removing the HSF.

See this link : http://www.sxtech.co.uk/cgi-bin/index.pl?starton=http://www.sxtech.co.uk/html/sectthr/flashxt.htm

VeVeX

We fitted the Arctic cooler last night and got confirmation that the core was a R360.

The card is now flashed to XT and running happily at 412/365 . The temp monitor does infact work in RivaTuner which is nice.

Not a bad buy €220 (komplett) = 9800xt

Sir Random

If your card has the samsung 2.8ns ram, then use the gigacube 128mb BIOS. It'll add 20+ Mhz to your ram clocks.
Mine did 430/380 with a sapphire XT BIOS, but I got it to 430/402 with the gigacube BIOS. Some other guys here got the same increase with this BIOS.

Jammer,
You do have to remove the hsf to see if it's an R360 core, any software check will only read what's in the BIOS.

Jammer

Well, before i flashed my card, the "Dump BIOS" in Ati Tool said it had R360 core. Like the link above says. My mate has a 1yr old 9800pro, and the Dump BIOS says r350....the dump bios was right on both occasions.

Mac daddy

Originally posted by Jammer
Well, before i flashed my card, the "Dump BIOS" in Ati Tool said it had R360 core. Like the link above says. My mate has a 1yr old 9800pro, and the Dump BIOS says r350....the dump bios was right on both occasions.

Erm from what i have seen the AIT tool checks the bios to see what type of core it is and if you have a 9800pro 350 it is not going to tell you that you have a 360 core in it even if you have. Because of the surplus of 360 cores they put them into the 9800pro- and flash to a 9800pro where it is written in the bios what core they are meant to have!
When i got my 9800pro the first thing that i did was installed the AIT tool and checked the core 350 remove the heatsink- cleaned the core and seen it was a 360 core.

ionapaul

I was in P**ts over the weekend - looked for that Arctic cooler (didn't ask though) but they didn't seem to have any left - anywhere else in Dublin I could get my hands on one?

Jammer

read the LINK i posted above. Ati tool tells u the TRUTH in the DUMP BIOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know the program GUI says R350 if its a 9800Pro but if u dump the bios using Ati Tool is says R360 with the RAM manufacturer and the serial of the RAM.

unklerosco

Worked a treat for me, pro now an xt and i have my 2.8p4 @ 3.64 stable Bliss

Loobz

If you're looking for an Artic Cooler - check out PC World.

I picked one up for 15 yo yos.

To be honest, im a little unsure about fitting mine to my Powercolor 9800 Pro. I tried once with a friends card with disastrous consequences. I know it looks straight forward.

When we fitted it, the PC would not boot. when we put the stock cooler back on - same thing. One dead 9800 Pro.

Jammer

Took me 15mins to throw mine on!

Unhook the stock fan pins, clean the VPU, apply thermal paste, screw on arctic cooler!