soft modding a 9500

RobH · Jul 15, 2003, 05:13 AM

I hear a lot about soft modding non pros (9500).What exactly is it that is done??TIA

~~DriveEuro~~ · Jul 15, 2003, 11:20 AM

You are basically using a modified file in your drivers. I just makes your card work as a 9700np would...8 pipelines, and 256bit memory interface.

RobH · Jul 15, 2003, 05:03 PM

And where can this file be found?? Any other forum that has info on this mod??tia

~~DriveEuro~~ · Jul 15, 2003, 05:37 PM

http://www.ocfaq.com/softmod/

bETAbILLY · Jul 22, 2003, 07:11 PM

The R9500np IS a R9700np that couldnt handle all 8 pipelines in use. So 4 of the 8 pipelines are turned off, taking a big load off the R300 gpu.

I just bought a 131 dollar Sapphire R9500np, having the same 128megs memory and PCB as a R9700np, installed Omega drivers, selected hacked file install, and bingo, a R9700np performing card. But after a few minutes operation, it began producing artifacts, the longer it ran, more artifacts were produced. I thought it was a heat issue so I changed out that big black waffle iron heatsink with a Vantec Copper Iceberq and no more artifacts now.

No telling how many R9700's were knocked down to R9500 status just because of a crappy heatsink but current opinions claim a 40% success rate in softmodding back to R9700 status. Perhaps that 40% could be improved by installing a really decent gpu/chipset cooler.

Yep, demoting a failing R9700 to R9500 status is better than throwing the card away, at least it could still be marketed but continuing to use that crappy heatsink is half their problem. The other half is probably the lack of ramsinks.

Right now I am extremely satisfied, after using the modded file 3DMark2001se fill rate bechmarks jumped from 1001.6 single texels to 1711 single texels and from 1184.2 multi texels to 2405.9 multi texels.

RobH · Jul 22, 2003, 08:53 PM

I read the info at the website I was given,my problem is I can figure out where the file I need to remove is located.what folder is it located in in win98se and in 2000? I have a dual boot. The directory explained is 2KXP_INF\Bxxxxx hell I dont even have a directory name that..

eyeguy616 · Jul 22, 2003, 09:12 PM

Just use Omega's drivers to install the driver hack. It has it built-in and works just fine. I too have a Sapphire 9500np that is successfully softmodded. The performance gain is there for the taking!

~eyeguy616

RobH · Jul 22, 2003, 11:03 PM

is that the site referred to by Drive Euro??tia

eyeguy616 · Jul 23, 2003, 11:29 AM

No, Omega's drivers are at http://www.omegacorner.com/ . The link to his page is on the front page of this site just for future referrence.

Happy modding!
~eyeguy616

RobH · Jul 23, 2003, 05:18 PM

Not just to keep this thread alive.but which one is the one I would want for 2k and 98se??

Shadow Lady · Jul 23, 2003, 05:38 PM

ehr...

in OmegaDrive's Site it says wich one is for each one, isnt it?

RobH · Jul 23, 2003, 06:28 PM

What im refering to the the revision-is one better than the others??

Chaos · Jul 23, 2003, 06:53 PM

IMHO the safest approach is the best approach unless $$$$$$$ is not an issue

.....Omega's drivers using the 9800 Hacked install work wonders on the 9500 and you don't have to flash your bios.

If you just want to OC the card; if your bios is not locked, you can use a tool like Riva Tuner or Power Strip to OC the card.

eyeguy616 · Jul 23, 2003, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RobH
What im refering to the the revision-is one better than the others??

You install the latest one that's for your OS. Which version of Windows do you have? 98se/me or 2k/XP? It should be extremely obvious which one you have. Also, I don't think you can install the 2k/XP version on 98/ME and vice-versa.

~eyeguy616

RobH · Jul 23, 2003, 08:40 PM

Thanks,this is a dual boot system.Ill give them a try.Also where can I go to find out how many pipes are opened??