Turn The 9500 into a 9700!

scapegoat · 07-January-03, 03:37 AM

According to a Russian site, Overclockers.ru, It is possible to modify a 9500 to a 9700 simply by soldering a resistor.

"As you know that Radeon 9500 differs from Radeon 9700 series due to reduced number of pipelines to 4. However, it is now possible that you can transform it into a Radeon 9700 and overclockability can be improved by much. When you remove the cooler, you can see some resistors on the GPU package. Just re-solder resistor at position 2-3 to 1-2 and your Radeon 9500 will be modded into Radeon 9700. Flash the Radeon 9500 BIOS using the modified BIOS to unlock the core/mem frequency default locked by the ATi to prevent overclocking. The core clock can be pushed as much as to 370Mhz and as a result, it runs faster than the Radeon 9700 Pro."

This Mod is not for the faint of heart! But it looks exciting.

And if you russian is a bit rusty VR-Zone Has place a complete traslation on their site.

ZENNZZO · 07-January-03, 07:13 AM

I just recieved a new 9500pro after doing a little research and I could be wrong but I found the only difference between the 9700pro and the 9500pro was not the amount of piplines (8) but rather the 256bit vs128bit memory interface. I'm sure those two work together somehow but will sombody(lcpiper) please give me the straight dope...I got my soldering iron locked and loaded,
as always thanx...ZENNZZO...out

ZENNZZO · 07-January-03, 07:21 AM

After the research that I did at ATI technologies inc website, the only differences I found were not the amount of piplines(8) but rather the 128bit vs.256bit memory interface and price of course.
all this being new to me,the fact that my soldering iron is locked & loaded would sombody please give me the straight dope?
lcpiper where are you??? as always Thanx...ZENNZZO...out

ZENNZZO · 07-January-03, 07:25 AM

I must be studdering again,though I lost the first one?
a...a....a...I swear,...I thought my Dog ate it?OOPs sorry

abyssling · 07-January-03, 04:28 PM

You need to find an early 9500 non pro card for this to work, as they were constructed on the 9700 8 layer pcb.

newer 9500s and 9500 pros use a 6 layer pcb that will not work, as they do not have the sufficient traces for 256 bit memory pipeline. really its the pcb and the traces that differentiate these 2 cards

Also, you do need the 128 meg version, I believe the Sapphire OEM 9500s are your best bet, I know pcprogress has them in stock right now. many other large resellers are selling 9500s that have the newer pcb and will NOT work.

lcpiper · 07-January-03, 05:03 PM

Sorry guy, just saw this. Damn work keeps getting in the way

Abys is correct, the PCB Must be a 9700 8 layer board.

I do not know exactly how you can tell them apart visually though.

carbongraphite · 07-January-03, 07:48 PM

wait then in the first place why would ati release a cheaper card just by taking off two little SMD parts?

abyssling · 07-January-03, 10:10 PM

you can tell the older pcb by the way the bga chips are positioned on the board

they should be in 2 pairs, pointing in directions perpendicular to each other. Look up any review for a 9700 pro and you will see what i am talking about.

as for why ATI did it, i imagine they wanted the 9500s on the market fast and didnt waste time constructing the 9500 pcbs until after threy had been released. You may find some OEMs still using the 9700 pcb for awhile, depending on how much stock they had and their projected sales for 9700s

ZENNZZO · 08-January-03, 12:57 AM

Ok what I recieved is a 9500pro that has the memory moduels
just like the 9700pro. When the card is installed the edge away from the Mobo has 4 mods.2top and 2 bottom and then the edge closest to the drives has 4, 2top and 2 bottom also the aux 12vt. dc input is on the corner away from the mobo and opposite the slot end...Could this be....do you think?
Thanx1more time...ZENNZZO..out!

ZENNZZO · 08-January-03, 01:11 AM

If anyone cares to know...I got mine from "Xtreme Gear" I ordered it the 3rd of this month for $155.00 American total
to the front door

!!!.....ZENNZZO...out!

ZENNZZO · 08-January-03, 05:41 AM

Kudos to the Ruski who came up with the 9500pro~9700pro
modification!! That resistor is sooooo small,one blink and it's
lost forever.Talk about micro surgery...Thanx to all that made
this information available and had input, it fricken works. I am the proud owner of a RADEON 9700 PRO vRUSKI.0($155.00)
THANXZ again,Keep on Pimpn'..ZENNZZO...out

TiZakit · 08-January-03, 08:40 PM

Yet another thing that I wouldn't have the ballz to do... NEXT thing for me is going to be WC. Hey that rhymes!

Cyphre · 08-January-03, 11:08 PM

Damn, that's an awesome mod if you can be sure to find the older 9500 for cheap...
But I'll wait for my GeForceFX either way

ZENNZZO · 09-January-03, 12:35 AM

Yea! I lucked out by Santa loosing my first one...I was just thrilled when I found out that I had got the right one for modding
to a 9700 specs.It was listed at "pricewatch.com" as the cheapest 9500pro. After I had pulled the heat sink and saw the size of the resistor,Igot the biggest magnifying lamp i had and went to work, about 20 mins later and much cursing..
Thanxz...ZENNZZO ...out
maybe I have a future in "rice grain" carving

:

07-January-03, 03:37 AM		#1 (permalink)
scapegoat Apex Tech God	Turn The 9500 into a 9700! According to a Russian site, Overclockers.ru, It is possible to modify a 9500 to a 9700 simply by soldering a resistor. "As you know that Radeon 9500 differs from Radeon 9700 series due to reduced number of pipelines to 4. However, it is now possible that you can transform it into a Radeon 9700 and overclockability can be improved by much. When you remove the cooler, you can see some resistors on the GPU package. Just re-solder resistor at position 2-3 to 1-2 and your Radeon 9500 will be modded into Radeon 9700. Flash the Radeon 9500 BIOS using the modified BIOS to unlock the core/mem frequency default locked by the ATi to prevent overclocking. The core clock can be pushed as much as to 370Mhz and as a result, it runs faster than the Radeon 9700 Pro." This Mod is not for the faint of heart! But it looks exciting. And if you russian is a bit rusty VR-Zone Has place a complete traslation on their site. Last edited by scapegoat; 07-January-03 at 03:43 AM.

08-January-03, 01:11 AM		#10 (permalink)
ZENNZZO Direct Cool Hoe	If anyone cares to know...I got mine from "Xtreme Gear" I ordered it the 3rd of this month for $155.00 American total to the front door!!!.....ZENNZZO...out!

09-January-03, 12:35 AM		#14 (permalink)
ZENNZZO Direct Cool Hoe	Yea! I lucked out by Santa loosing my first one...I was just thrilled when I found out that I had got the right one for modding to a 9700 specs.It was listed at "pricewatch.com" as the cheapest 9500pro. After I had pulled the heat sink and saw the size of the resistor,Igot the biggest magnifying lamp i had and went to work, about 20 mins later and much cursing.. Thanxz...ZENNZZO ...out maybe I have a future in "rice grain" carving:

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07-January-03, 07:13 AM		#2 (permalink)
ZENNZZO Direct Cool Hoe	I just recieved a new 9500pro after doing a little research and I could be wrong but I found the only difference between the 9700pro and the 9500pro was not the amount of piplines (8) but rather the 256bit vs128bit memory interface. I'm sure those two work together somehow but will sombody(lcpiper) please give me the straight dope...I got my soldering iron locked and loaded, as always thanx...ZENNZZO...out

07-January-03, 07:21 AM		#3 (permalink)
ZENNZZO Direct Cool Hoe	After the research that I did at ATI technologies inc website, the only differences I found were not the amount of piplines(8) but rather the 128bit vs.256bit memory interface and price of course. all this being new to me,the fact that my soldering iron is locked & loaded would sombody please give me the straight dope? lcpiper where are you??? as always Thanx...ZENNZZO...out

07-January-03, 07:25 AM		#4 (permalink)
ZENNZZO Direct Cool Hoe	I must be studdering again,though I lost the first one? a...a....a...I swear,...I thought my Dog ate it?OOPs sorry

07-January-03, 04:28 PM		#5 (permalink)
abyssling Apex Tech Maniac Supreme	You need to find an early 9500 non pro card for this to work, as they were constructed on the 9700 8 layer pcb. newer 9500s and 9500 pros use a 6 layer pcb that will not work, as they do not have the sufficient traces for 256 bit memory pipeline. really its the pcb and the traces that differentiate these 2 cards Also, you do need the 128 meg version, I believe the Sapphire OEM 9500s are your best bet, I know pcprogress has them in stock right now. many other large resellers are selling 9500s that have the newer pcb and will NOT work.

07-January-03, 05:03 PM		#6 (permalink)
lcpiper H2-Hoe	Sorry guy, just saw this. Damn work keeps getting in the way Abys is correct, the PCB Must be a 9700 8 layer board. I do not know exactly how you can tell them apart visually though.

07-January-03, 07:48 PM		#7 (permalink)
carbongraphite Pow - Hoe playa	wait then in the first place why would ati release a cheaper card just by taking off two little SMD parts?

07-January-03, 10:10 PM		#8 (permalink)
abyssling Apex Tech Maniac Supreme	you can tell the older pcb by the way the bga chips are positioned on the board they should be in 2 pairs, pointing in directions perpendicular to each other. Look up any review for a 9700 pro and you will see what i am talking about. as for why ATI did it, i imagine they wanted the 9500s on the market fast and didnt waste time constructing the 9500 pcbs until after threy had been released. You may find some OEMs still using the 9700 pcb for awhile, depending on how much stock they had and their projected sales for 9700s

08-January-03, 12:57 AM		#9 (permalink)
ZENNZZO Direct Cool Hoe	Ok what I recieved is a 9500pro that has the memory moduels just like the 9700pro. When the card is installed the edge away from the Mobo has 4 mods.2top and 2 bottom and then the edge closest to the drives has 4, 2top and 2 bottom also the aux 12vt. dc input is on the corner away from the mobo and opposite the slot end...Could this be....do you think? Thanx1more time...ZENNZZO..out!

08-January-03, 05:41 AM		#11 (permalink)
ZENNZZO Direct Cool Hoe	Kudos to the Ruski who came up with the 9500pro~9700pro modification!! That resistor is sooooo small,one blink and it's lost forever.Talk about micro surgery...Thanx to all that made this information available and had input, it fricken works. I am the proud owner of a RADEON 9700 PRO vRUSKI.0($155.00) THANXZ again,Keep on Pimpn'..ZENNZZO...out

08-January-03, 08:40 PM		#12 (permalink)
TiZakit Apex Tech Demi-God	Yet another thing that I wouldn't have the ballz to do... NEXT thing for me is going to be WC. Hey that rhymes!

08-January-03, 11:08 PM		#13 (permalink)
Cyphre Apex Tech Maniac	Damn, that's an awesome mod if you can be sure to find the older 9500 for cheap... But I'll wait for my GeForceFX either way