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Guide: How to hardmod an X800 Pro into an XT

Thanks for the link. Looks very doable as long as the chip has "1" as the last digit. Here's hoping my Pro has the right chip when I get it tomorrow.

Doobie
 
Originally posted by: AndyD2k
Will this turn on the other 4 pipes on the Pro cards?
Click to expand...

Yes, what else would it do?
How can you go from an X800Pro to X800XT without the extra pipes?
 
As far as I know, this is pretty much the same as connecting the bridges on the old Palomino cpu's, but a lot easier because it is only one bridge. Google for connecting the Athlon XP bridges, and you should find a few sites that go into detail on how to do this.
 
Oops! Wrote *softmod* instead of *hardmod*, just fixed it.
Anyway, this guy didn't explain the role of each tool, anybody got a clue?
As for the bridges, when you connect them, you activate the remaining pipes? or what exactly happens?
I mean, what's a bridge?
 
Originally posted by: PrayForDeath
Oops! Wrote *softmod* instead of *hardmod*, just fixed it.
Anyway, this guy didn't explain the role of each tool, anybody got a clue?
As for the bridges, when you connect them, you activate the remaining pipes? or what exactly happens?
I mean, what's a bridge?
Click to expand...

By connecting the bridge all you're doing is completing a circuit. So that circuit now becomes "on" which enables the other 4 pipes. I'd be hesitant to do this mod for a couple reasons.

1) You're messing with a $400 piece of hardware, not a $60 XP1700
2) Some of these early cards will have those pipes disabled for a reason... maybe they couldn't pass the testing ATI does with all 16 pipes enabled
3) Your warranty is voided by doing this, what if later on you have a legitimate warranty claim, and when you send it to ATI to get it replaced, they send it back to you with a note saying your warranty is void because the product has been tampered with
 
You basically open the circuit... allow the lights to get turned on when you flip the lightswitch...

in a matter of speaking...


I can't see with my eyes and poor work monitor if there is an actual cut bridge or not.

Bridge is usually a gap cut by a laser to sever a connection.


Does anyone know if you are forced to fill the bridge with non conducting soln or not? What about doing a horseshoe "U" around the bridge...?

That way if you mess up you could remove it for RMA.... 🙂
 
Originally posted by: PrayForDeath
Oops! Wrote *softmod* instead of *hardmod*, just fixed it.
Anyway, this guy didn't explain the role of each tool, anybody got a clue?
As for the bridges, when you connect them, you activate the remaining pipes? or what exactly happens?
I mean, what's a bridge?
Click to expand...

A bridge is a lot like a jumper, except that a) it's built into a chip or flush with the surface of a circuit, and b) cutting it is 'permanent' (whereas with a jumper, you can switch it back and forth). However, you can 'uncut' bridges by electrically connecting the two sides again (usually done with conductive paint).

Presumably, the logic in the R420 GPU looks at the connection across this bridge to decide whether or not it is a 16-pipe card. If the two pins are connected, it thinks it is an X800XT (16 pipes). If they are not connected, it thinks it is an X800Pro (12 pipes). If the X800SE is built on the same GPU, there would probably be a further modification to make it think that it has only 8 pipes.
 
Originally posted by: DoctaZ
You basically open the circuit... allow the lights to get turned on when you flip the lightswitch...

in a matter of speaking...


I can't see with my eyes and poor work monitor if there is an actual cut bridge or not.

Bridge is usually a gap cut by a laser to sever a connection.


Does anyone know if you are forced to fill the bridge with non conducting soln or not? What about doing a horseshoe "U" around the bridge...?

That way if you mess up you could remove it for RMA.... 🙂
Click to expand...

It's called closing the circuit =) Not open. An open circuit has a break it in, which is how these "bridges" start. You close the gap by connecting the two contacts.

And no, there's no way around making perminant modifications because you have to scrape a layer of something off the contacts so they can be connected.
 
Originally posted by: DoctaZ
You basically open the circuit... allow the lights to get turned on when you flip the lightswitch...

in a matter of speaking...


I can't see with my eyes and poor work monitor if there is an actual cut bridge or not.

Bridge is usually a gap cut by a laser to sever a connection.


Does anyone know if you are forced to fill the bridge with non conducting soln or not? What about doing a horseshoe "U" around the bridge...?

That way if you mess up you could remove it for RMA.... 🙂
Click to expand...

i doubt anything unconductive will work, and prepare to be falmed for your RMA comment
 
lol the summer starts and my electrical engineering courses go out the window and I call closed circuits open...

There goes next years GPA... 🙂


Still no thoughts on a horseshoe method around the bridge connecting the two pins?
 
Originally posted by: DoctaZ
lol the summer starts and my electrical engineering courses go out the window and I call closed circuits open...

There goes next years GPA... 🙂


Still no thoughts on a horseshoe method around the bridge connecting the two pins?
Click to expand...

You can do it... but that won't prevent you from perminantly physically altering it. As I said, you must scrape/cut through layers of insulator to get to the metal contacts in order to connect them.
 
I don't think any scraping is needed. On PCunleash, there was no mention of scraping but rather just dabbing this some conductive media, then applying a layer of manicure to hold it. No scraping, I think the fails are due to the fact that some of the cards can't do it.
 
Originally posted by: James3shin
I don't think any scraping is needed. On PCunleash, there was no mention of scraping but rather just dabbing this some conductive media, then applying a layer of manicure to hold it. No scraping, I think the fails are due to the fact that some of the cards can't do it.
Click to expand...

All the ones I've read say you have to cut through a few layers to make a good electrical connection. Maybe things have changed in the past couple weeks 😕
 
some of the guys over at ocforums.com say scratching these pins actually damages it.


I don't know the validity of this but I'm not taking a chance...
 
in some uk forums they said you have to scrape off the top of the pins a little bt to expose the pins, then add the conductive material or whatever. I don't know if I would be willing to try this mod. Like someone said, I don't want to tamper with a card that cost me more than 400$.
 
Just save yourself a headache and spend the extra $50 to $80 and buy a X800XT. If you already decide to spend $400, you might as well go all out.

RMA are a pain in the A$$ anyway
 
Originally posted by: DoctaZ
Check this out...

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=303220

They say the UK mod is damaging and the non-scratching korean method is the proper method.


As far as I know, the only method that has worked sucessfully and completely is the korean method.. found here....

http://www.pcunleash.com/bbs/zboard.php?id=MyItemReview&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=26
Click to expand...


the uk mod doesn't damage anything.. unless i suppose you scrape ALL the copper off. some have made it work using the "scrape" method, but sounds like it's not required.

at this point there is no known explanation for why it works or why it doesn't - it's all a guess at this point.
 
i think the point of the ocforums link was to say, you don't have to scrape at all...i believe scraping is pointless.
 
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