About unlocking the 9700NP

boghead · Apr 28, 2004, 07:48 PM

I know how to unlock the 9700np by flashing the BIOS, but I read somewhere that you don't need to flash the bios if you install the Omega drivers, is this true?

mkk · Apr 28, 2004, 08:35 PM

Yes. When you sue the Omega driver you can overclock using a regular Radeon overclocking tool, like for instance RadLinker/RadClocker that comes with the package.

boghead · Apr 28, 2004, 09:04 PM

Excellent. Really didnt want to flash anything.

Judas · Apr 28, 2004, 09:34 PM

if you don't need to flash... don't... Flash is something you don't want to go near enless it's a MUST

mkk · Apr 28, 2004, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Judas
if you don't need to flash... don't... Flash is something you don't want to go near enless it's a MUST

A very good piece of advice to flashing in general. I especially feel like supporting this recommendation since I see so many people flashing needlessly nowadays. It's not unusual to see forum threads elsewhere like "how do I flash this to that" without the person truly knowing what they are wanting to do or why.

It is very fortunate that the same flash craze hasn't hit on with motherboards, as we would see people losing their systems left and right. Although such accidents could of course be very sobering experiences.

Judas · Apr 28, 2004, 10:10 PM

i've encountered some machines that i've been asked to look at.... only to find out that they flashed the wrong bios onto the mobo or flashed the mobo or video card.... but failed for some reason... the video card is sometimes saveable.... the mobo is a different story usually.... and to have to get a person to sit down and find out that they have to replace the mobo... can somtimes be a pain .. as some of these idoits somehow start to blame me....

boghead · Apr 28, 2004, 10:20 PM

I see all over the place how OC'in is well worth it and you can gain alot from it, then I read about having to flash the bios to unlock the 9700. Its all very confusing to a beginner like myself. But after alot of searching around i'm comfatable with ho to OC and test it for artifacts an all that. But flashing is somewhere I never want to venture.

Judas · Apr 28, 2004, 10:26 PM

Boghead, no worries... It's always good idea to ask before attempting if you not 90% sure.... when it comes to flashing.... always ask.... you have to be 110% + Sure andeven then.. i myself have encountered problems....... I highly suggest that you take a look at "ATI TOOL" .... it's EXCELLENT for running an automatic Overclocking of the video card... it will detect when errors start to occure....

boghead · Apr 29, 2004, 08:13 AM

heh i'm actually running ATItool at this very moment, so far the memory is upto 332 with no errors. I have a VGA artic cooler on it too so hopefully that will help out alot.

**Asmoday** · Apr 29, 2004, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Judas
i've encountered some machines that i've been asked to look at.... only to find out that they flashed the wrong bios onto the mobo or flashed the mobo or video card.... but failed for some reason... the video card is sometimes saveable.... the mobo is a different story usually.... and to have to get a person to sit down and find out that they have to replace the mobo... can somtimes be a pain .. as some of these idoits somehow start to blame me....

Well...if you have a same brand/model of a mobo handy, it isn't very hard to do a "hotswap", im sure you've heard about it....i've done it meself a couple of times actually..

Danhill · Apr 29, 2004, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cartman
Well...if you have a same brand/model of a mobo handy, it isn't very hard to do a "hotswap", im sure you've heard about it....i've done it meself a couple of times actually..

What's "hotswap"??

**Asmoday** · Apr 29, 2004, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Danhill
What's "hotswap"??

Check this out...its in Swedish..
http://www.sweclockers.com/html/arti...ide.php?page=2

Danhill · Apr 29, 2004, 08:37 AM

Now I know, thanks Cartman.

**Asmoday** · Apr 29, 2004, 08:40 AM

No problem...

boghead · Apr 29, 2004, 10:29 AM

hmm got a problem. I ran ATItool and the core and memory went to 320/340, but when I set my speeds to that and ran 3Dmark or ran a game my computer restarted. So i've kept lowering them but the computer keeps restarting even if its 1mhz above stock speed. I've installed the latest omega drivers, what can be wrong?