Monitoring/Changing Voltage of 6970m

Hey guys,

Can anyone give me a tutorial on how to monitor/change the voltage of my 6970m? Through my many shutdowns while playing BF3 as well as browsing, I'm pretty confident that this is what I should be doing next to prevent shutdowns as my temperatures are all fine now. However, I've tried installing TriXX, MSI Afterburner, and I'm not able to even monitor my voltage (comes up as 0), let alone change it. I tried using ATI Tray Tools, but it says "Cannot detect low level driver, reinstall with admin settings and disabled UAC" but my UAC is disabled and still nothing works. I looked into AMD Overdrive and that just BSoD'd my laptop so I had to remove it through safe mode.

Is there something key that I am missing? I'm so sick of not being able to play BF3 without my comptuer dying on me

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...u-need-know-upgrading-problems-solutions.html


http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/621303-6970m-shutting-down.html

 

I've been through both of those threads; I feel like I need specific help though as compared to general go-to solutions since I'm at a roadblock.

 

You've gotta get ATT working, that is the only tool that has helped me.

 

I finally got ATT to work, tried disabling the antivirus instead of the firewall haha.

Now that I'm in, the voltage tab reads 0V, but there is also an option for 1100 I believe...? I'm not on my laptop atm, but should I select the 1100?

 

If you want to undervolt the card you have to make create a custom voltage first, then you can select and set it. Once you found a stable setting, modify the VBIOS, flash it and you won't need ATT anymore.

 

Could you explain how to make the custom voltage? I clicked to VDDC, but that only allows integers.

 

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For reasons unknown, GPU-Z and most other utilities have been unable to read the vbios voltage since Cat 11.9 or thereabouts, but there is not that much to know. Both the 6990M and 6970M use 1.1v for the 3d clocks and 0.9v for 2d clocks. There are a few other voltage settings for different states, but they are immaterial to most users and there is no reason to change them. You cannot increase the 3d voltage for either card; efforts to do will be rejected and voltage set to the default. You can reduce the 3d voltage by modifying the vbios with RBE (Radeon Bios Editor) and reflashing the card. I have successfully reflashed the 6970M in my M15x to 1.05v and 1.0v in prior times, but returned to 1.1v because the lower voltage restricts overclockability. Temps were reduced a bit, but not dramatically in my experience. If you think the voltage in your vbios is different, download RBE, open a copy of your vbios and look at the clock settings. It's very easy to do. Modifying video card voltage is rarely a magic cure for anything, except that increasing voltage, where allowable, will faciltate higher clock settings at the cost of somewhat higher temps.

 

the thing is we need to lower the voltage to keep the game going. lots of people here including me have shutdown issues when keeping the card at 1.1v, that's why we find ways to lower it down. we still can't find the reasons for the shutdown yet, may be you could give us more about your information why your laptop is stable.

thanks for clearing the GPU-Z unable to read the VDDC, and i was wondering why it doesn't show the VDDC at all.

 

I can post copies of the vbios for the Dell 6970M and for the Dell 6990M, each at both 1.0v and 1.05v if that would help. Those would work for Dell cards; I don't remember atm whether they are fully compatible with other versions of the 6900 series cards. Or I could do a guide that explains how to extract the vbios from your own card, edit it with RBE and then reflash your card with the modified vbios. In fact, I think I already have one for the 5850M somewhere in the forum, which I could find and update. Then you can modify as you wish and give the different settings a try. You're not going to break anything if you stay within existing limits. It's not at all hard; once you've done it once or twice, you're an expert. Or, if you're not comfortable with DIY, send me a copy of your vbios, I'll modify it as you wish and send it back. I've done that on numerous occasions for other forum members. I can't be much help otherwise; all of my shutdowns (excluding crashes clearly resulting from overly aggressive o/c'ing or caused by driver glitches) occur during extended idling. I think it's the video drivers. For me, it started with Cat 11.8, improved somewhat with 11.9 and is worse with 11.10. Never really had the problem before then, i.e., 11.7 or before. The Cat 11.11's are scheduled for release next week. Maybe there will be improvement. Perhaps I'm on the wrong track entirely. If you all find some other cause that can be addressed, I'll be your biggest fans. Let me know if I can help. Otherwise, I'll just track the thread for further developments.

 

@The Rev: If you're looking for your VBIOS modding/flashing guide, check here, that's probably the only nbr page I bookmarked

 

That's it! Thanks forty times over for the reference. I need to keep better track of some of this stuff. +Rep. (edit: when allowed)

 

Modifying and Flashing VBIOS for Dell 6970M/6990M graphics cards:

The boilerplate: Proceed at your own risk. Improper flashing or incompatible or improperly modified vbios files can result in damaging your graphics card or rendering it inoperable.

Step 1: Download the following files:

1. HP USB Key Utility: HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool - v2.1.8 Download - EXTREME Overclocking
2. Windows 98 system files: Windows 98 System Files Download - EXTREME Overclocking
3. ATIFlash files: Download ATIFlash 3.89 | techPowerUp
4. ATI Radeon Bios Editor (ATI RBE): Download TechPowerUp Radeon Bios Editor v1.28 | techPowerUp

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive

1. Install the HP USB Key Utility
2. Extract the Windows 98 System Files to a convenient location, i.e., c:\Utilities\Win98Files.
3. Launch the HP USB Key Utility and do the following:
- Insert your USB thumb drive.
- Select File system as "FAT32"
- Select Format Option as "Create a DOS bootable Disk..."
- Check "Quick Format"
- Specify the folder/directory used for the Win98 files.
- Format the USB key using the Win98 files.
4. Extract files from atiflash_389.zip and copy to the USB stick.

Step 3: Retrieve Original VBIOS

1. Insert USB stick (Assure that system is on AC power.)
2. Reboot.
3. Tap on F12 key at the Boot/Alienware Logo screen.
4. Select "Boot from USB"
5. At the Command Prompt, type "atiflash -s 0 1stVbios.rom” (no quotes) to save a copy of your card's original vbios to the USB stick.
6. Reboot to Windows 7. (Ctrl+Alt+Del)

Step 4: Edit the VBIOS

1. Extract and launch RBE v1.28 (single file; no installation needed)
2. Click on Load Bios (bottom left), navigate to the USB stick and select 1stVbios.rom.
3. Click on Clock Setting tab (top).
4. Modify the settings in "Clock info 00" only. These are the boot/3d clocks used by your 6900 Series card. For example, type 750 into the GPU(Mhz) box and leave the RAM(Mhz) at 900 for a mild overclock or leave at existing settings if you want to modify voltage only. Modify Voltage(V) as desired, but not more than 1.1v (stock) and not less than 1.0v initially. It is highly recommended that voltage settings be limited to 1.0v, 1.05v or 1.1v.
5. Save the modified vbios to a new file on the USB stick. It is useful to use the clock settings in the file name, i.e. 750_900.rom or 680_105V.rom, to differentiate it from other vbios files. These are DOS files and must follow the DOS 8.3 naming convention - file name limited to not more than 8 characters with up to 3 character extension.
6. Exit RBE.

Step 5: Flash the new VBIOS

1. Reboot from the USB stick. (Assure that system is on AC power.)
2. At the DOS prompt, type "atiflash -p 0 750_900.rom" (no quotes), or such other filename used, and press Enter.
3. Allow time for the flash -- DO NOTHING until instructed to reboot to complete the flash and returned to the DOS prompt.
4. Remove USB stick and reboot into Windows. (Ctrl+Alt+Del to reboot)
5. You're done. Use GPU-Z to confirm the new Default Clocks.

Props to Mandrake, Quadzilla, DR650SE, Inap, svl7 and others who came before.

 

And +rep to The Rev for another outstanding tutorial! (Edit: As soon as allowed)

 

Thanks, I'll look into that. Could you explain what is flashing though, just so I know what I'm doing ?

 

How do you view voltage in GPU-Z? Right now mine is not displaying it

Also, the only thing I did so far was drop the voltage from 1.1 to 1.05.

 

Did the voltage get displayed previously? Try to restart GPU-Z.

Are your idling clocks always 250/900? Even if no external display is attached?
If make sure to choose only the internal display to be used, check the end of the first post here for details.

 

Nope, voltage was never displayed. And I'll check idling clocks without my display. It is showing 100/150.

And how do I determine stability? Should I just keep running BF3 with different settings until it stops crashing?

 

Hmm, try GPU-Z 0.5.4, it displays the voltage for me, and I'm using the latest drivers.

Yeah, BF3 will do for stability testing. It's also more fun than watching a benchmark run

 

Alright, thanks a lot svl7!

One last question: should I adjust voltage only, or should I lower/raise my other clocks as well during stability checks?

 

I flashed to 615/895/1.025V so I guess I'll see how that works out first.

 

The utility HWMonitor can be used to monitor graphics card voltage. CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting.

 

Thanks Rev, that's helping me cause I can finally see the voltage haha. I had another question; when I'm playing BF3, my GPU load is at 98-100%, does that factor in to why my laptop is crashing or is it normal? I just want to make sure

 

How did you go with those clocks and voltage in the end?

 

Well actually, I just reverted back to stock clocks and voltage in the end. I downloaded the new 11.11 driver, and so far BF3 has been running beautifully for me Gonna test it a bit more since I have classes later, but will probably post updates.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/625033-catalyst-11-11-whql-drivers.html

 

I changed my clocks to 664/893.75/1.05V and testing that out atm.

 

I have a quick question; I flashed my clocks to 664/893.75/1.05V as stated earlier, but when I look at my GPU-Z, my clocks are saying 664/900. Is there a reason for this?

 

893.75 is probably an invalid value.