nVidia Video Card BIOS volt-mod how-to

[Gizmo]

Samuknow has written us a nice BIOS volt-mod guide:

Over-clockers are always looking for a way to squeeze every last drop of performance out of their hardware. This has been going on for years. Today’s Video Cards are great candidates for over-clocking. Many have high-end capabilities just waiting to be released.

As any over-clocker knows, an increase in voltage can sometimes net a moderate to great increase in the overall over-clock, but there is no guarantee that this mod will offer any increase in your over-clock. With that in mind, we will be showing you how to perform a bios volt mod to your 6 or 7 series card.

Read more on the Front Page:
http://www.aoaforums.com/frontpage/c.../view/1190/30/

[QSDT]

Great work Samuknow, I'll give it ago on my 6600GT.

[Strongwolf]

Try it but didn't work. I think I get it right until the MS DOS prompt:type a:\nvflash volt mod.rom and get a "Error Firmware image file name must have a *.rom* or *nvr* extension. Download both utilities from AOA files, format the floppy with DOS, also try writing *.rom* in the file name at the floppy, same thing. What I do wrong?

[Gizmo]

You can't use long files names in MS-DOS. They must adhere to the 8.3 convention, and cannot contain spaces.

[Redroar]

Can you not put quotes around it? That's the usual way of circumventing filenames with spaces. I am unfamiliar with MS-DOS however, so I may be totally out of my mind.

[danbfree]

I just used nvflash voltmo~1.rom BUT THEN I get ERROR: ID not valid (7103 or whatever) Recommend using a newer version of NVflash. Nvidia card not found. I have a new MSI 7900 GT and it is not found and I am using the latest 5.13. UGH!

[danbfree]

OK, the NVflash version provided here is OLD! Google search nvflash and download the 5.36 version if you have a newer card. This is a very important oversight on the authors behalf unless it is an old article (which it isn't, right?) However the new voltages aren't showing up and I get some weird error in German when I try to switch tabs on the voltage page...hmmm

[Samuknow]

This is the version that i have been using and it works everytime...

I will run through it again to make sure all is well...

Thanks for the info...I want to make sure this is accurate.

I am also working an a CD boot/flash. I should have it up soon...if it works that is.

Gizmo,

I listed the .rom file as volt mod with a space. We may need to edit that to voltmod.rom.

If you could, could you also update the NVflash version...?

Thanks

[Samuknow]

Originally Posted by danbfree

OK, the NVflash version provided here is OLD! Google search nvflash and download the 5.36 version if you have a newer card. This is a very important oversight on the authors behalf unless it is an old article (which it isn't, right?) However the new voltages aren't showing up and I get some weird error in German when I try to switch tabs on the voltage page...hmmm

If you would, go ahead and upload the newer version to AOA files.

I appreciate this. I did not check to see if the version of nvflash I used worked on newer cards...

Thanks for the catch..

[Strongwolf]

Try it again (with the old nvflash) and worked fine. Correct the space problem (volt mod.rom) that's all.
The bad news is that I go from 4,469 to 2,696 3D Mark 06.
Any thoughts?

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=501345

[NarkotikBuzz]

OK guys, here is my problem. i have followed all the directions exactly, but when i boot from the floppy drive here is what it says:

Type the name of the command interpreter(e.g.,C:\windows\command.com)
A>

That is all i get. No matter what i type in, it keeps repeating this, and no flash gets done. Anyone know what is going on so i can fix this wierd problem? I am getting really angry about this.

[Strongwolf]

hhmmmm.....I belive I screw things up. Forget that SLI mode was enable and flash only one card (that's the reason for the lower mark06 score). Now I can't get it to boot dual pci-e. Flash the card back to 2.37 (default) but now it only read one bios (sli disable). If I enable sli them it won't boot, try in safe mode and get "cant start driver: 1084.

Hey no sweat, I'm still having fun learning. I'll keep you posted.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by Samuknow

I listed the .rom file as volt mod with a space. We may need to edit that to voltmod.rom.

I have modified the instructions in the article, however you will need to change the screen shot for the 'Save As' dialog.

[Strongwolf]

Update.
Still can use sli mode. Find out that when you are in sli mode and change the voltages you do it in both at the same time automatically. When you boot up it use a single VC (already OC) and NIBITor will show the change (the oc) but also only one VC. I'm not giving up yet.

[danbfree]

K, guys with the file name problem: simply use a short name of your own. Easy solution, I used vm1.rom

K, For my results I went all the way from 1.2 to 1.5 on a 7900 GT with an Arctic cooler (NO raise in temps and amazingly I only got about 15MHz more on the core (515 to 530, not a great overclocker) but went from 800 to 860 on the memory! Strange! (stock 500/765 MSI card)

BTW, came over from link in HardOCP and love the site! Will be in the forums from now on!

[Samuknow]

Gizmo,

I will take care of the screenshot...

danbfree,

As I stated in the article there is no guarantee of an gain. + 15/60 is not bad.

Matt,

did you format the floppy and check the box to create bootable?
Try reformat and then create bootable. Tehn copy files to floppy. You should get a C: prompt at boot up. then type "nvflash (filename.rom)"
I'll check back with you...

[Strongwolf]

I give up for today. Finally get both cards @1.38 ov(0.01) and boot up using dual cards(in the bios). Still having problems when enabling the SLI mode @ the nVidia control panel (hangs, freeze or crash). Nevertheless learn a lot today. Thanks for the lesson Sam. Later..

[Gizmo]

NVFlash 5.36 is now available in AOAFiles here.

Thanks to danbfree for uploading it.

The file failed one of our virus scanners on upload, but passed the other one. Once I updated the engine for the first scanner, it was also happy.