Questions about my new bfg 8800gt

[big4x4]

My bfg 8800gt just came in and I installed it today. I have a couple questions:

1. Is rivatuner the best oc'ing program to use?
2. Are the 2d and 3d clocks supposed to be the same? If so is it advisable to lower the 2d clocks to save power and heat?
3. I have used ati tool to find max core/memory but upon doing that my core went over 2000mhz during testing (gpu-z verified)!!!!! I then aborted lol. Did I do anything wrong?
4. Under the testing for artifacts under atitool, how long should I wait to test for artifacts? I let it run 1 hour w/ no errors and I could not see any artifacts. Core temp went up to 81
5. I had ntune installed and it would not save my oc profiles. Anyone know how to do so?
6. Without ntune, what program can be used to monitor temps?
7. Would it be worth it to just alter the bios parameters or just keep rivatuner to maintain my clock and fan speedS?


Good luck! Lol

 

[error8]

1. Riva tuner is the best oc'ing program.

2. It doesn't make much of a difference if you keep them different.

3. Ati tool should not be used for increasing clocks!!!!!! It is used only to check if the card is stable. Increase clocks trough Riva Tuner and test them with artifact test in Ati Tool. ( You could have fried the card with what you've done )

4. One hour should be enough. If it doesn't give you artifacts during this time your card should be some 90% stable. After this test play some games to see if the card is perfectly stable.

5. Ntune is crap. Uninstall it and never use it again.

6. Riva tuner monitors your temperatures. Check trough the options and you will find it (Hardware Monitoring).

7. Use Riva Tuner for maintaining the clocks. Alter the bios only if you want to increase the voltage, but don't do it with the stock cooler.

Another advice is to also increase your fan speed with Riva Tuner if your BFG is with the stock cooler. You can either make some profiles, so that the fan will speed up only when the temperature increases, or you can just increase it to 45-50% constant. This is the percent where the fan doesn't make too much noise, above this value it becomes very noisy.

 

[big4x4]

RE #4: That is an option under atitool that is supposed to find your max stable core/memory clocks

 

[big4x4]

Update- Now when I test for max core/mem it freezes the computer. Any advice?

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: big4x4
Update- Now when I test for max core/mem it freezes the computer. Any advice?

I've told you. Don't use that option, because it's not safe. Ati tool will increase clocks sky high without keeping the card stable. Increase the clocks your self, 20 mhz at a time then take a quick 5 minutes artifact test in ati tool, if it pases increase it further until it will give artifacts. When it does, decrease the clock some 20-30 mhz and take a big one hour test. If it's stable, play some games and if you don't encounter any errors, you've found your maximum core clock. Repeat the process for the shader and memory clocks.

Edit: Always use Riva Tuner for increasing the clocks. Ati tool is ONLY for stability testing.

 

[big4x4]

Originally posted by: error8

Originally posted by: big4x4
Update- Now when I test for max core/mem it freezes the computer. Any advice?

I've told you. Don't use that option, because it's not safe. Ati tool will increase clocks sky high without keeping the card stable. Increase the clocks your self, 20 mhz at a time then take a quick 5 minutes artifact test in ati tool, if it pases increase it further until it will give artifacts. When it does, decrease the clock some 20-30 mhz and take a big one hour test. If it's stable, play some games and if you don't encounter any errors, you've found your maximum core clock. Repeat the process for the shader and memory clocks.

Edit: Always use Riva Tuner for increasing the clocks. Ati tool is ONLY for stability testing.

Ok, that's what I have always done in the past when I used to OC my video card. I'm just going to leave my 8800gt OC at OC2 specs since I already tested it at 700/2000 for an hour with no artifacts. Doesn't the core and shader increase proportionally together?

Why would ATItool have that option in the first place then?

Edit- I can see you can unlink the shader/core clocks

 

[error8]

It's better to overclock the core and the shader separately. This way you'll squeeze every last megahert out of them.

 

[big4x4]

I am not that crazy about speed lol But I tried to adjust the 2d and 3d separately but it seems like whenever I adjust the 2d the 3d also adjusts to the same level. Would I have to have 2 profiles for rivatuner - 1 for 2d and 1 for oc?

 

[big4x4]

Still trying to figure out this 2d / 3d thing. I know the older cards you could change both independently but I can't figure out how to do it now. Is it even worth it to have lower clocks in 2d?

 

[error8]

Well I have answered that in your second question. No, I don't see any reason to make separate clocks for 3d/2d. Even if the card sucks less power in non overclocked mode in 2d, it will be such a small difference that it doesn't worth the effort.

 

[big4x4]

Originally posted by: error8
Well I have answered that in your second question. No, I don't see any reason to make separate clocks for 3d/2d. Even if the card sucks less power in non overclocked mode in 2d, it will be such a small difference that it doesn't worth the effort.

Oh totally missed that. Well I am honestly worried about heat because it gets pretty hot in my room (mid 80's when its hot outside). Wouldn't lower clocks help that?

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: big4x4

Originally posted by: error8
Well I have answered that in your second question. No, I don't see any reason to make separate clocks for 3d/2d. Even if the card sucks less power in non overclocked mode in 2d, it will be such a small difference that it doesn't worth the effort.

Oh totally missed that. Well I am honestly worried about heat because it gets pretty hot in my room (mid 80's when its hot outside). Wouldn't lower clocks help that?

In 2d mode, even if the card is overclocked, it won't generate significantly more heat then it does at stock clocks. You would actually see 2-3 C more then at stock so no need to worry. I've had last summer a voltmoded 7600 GT that ran games on an incredible 100 F room temperature and it didn't made me any problems.

As long as you have good temperatures in 3d mode, 2d mode is not a problem at all.