Im really hoping somebody can sort me out with this problem, im about to beat my system to a wrangled mess and chuck it out the window.

I recently bought a Sapphire X800GTO2 with the intention of flashing the BIOS to open up the extra four pipelines, which I did.

Turns out I did this wrong, and now, knowing how to do it properly, I can't.

I followed instructions about using an old PCI card to boot up, then correctly re-flashing the BIOS, but every time I try to re-flash the BIOS using ATI Flash, it tells me that the "adapter cannot be found".

I looked in device manager and discovered to my extreme annoyance that Windows was no longer regonising the X800GTO2 as a display adapter. Instead its just showing "Video Controller" and "Video Controller (VGA Compatible)" under Other.

Ive tried installing drivers for it, but every time I try the ATi setup tells me theres no hardware in my system to suport the drivers. Ive even tried updating the drivers manually from the Device Manager and even forcing it to load drivers for it, to no avail.

Im assuming ATi Flash is coming up with "adapter not found" because the system doesnt recognise it as a display adapter.

Anybody have any ideas?

Recently bought? Receipt? RMA?
-MF

Doesn't BIOS flashing invalidate any warrenty/RMA rights you would have had?

I dont think they would know.

To flash the card I tested I just left it in the PC and booted to DOS with an old Win98 CD. RAM the flash app from a cd I brined it on and was good to go. How did you first try to do it?

Quote: Originally Posted by GlitterKill I dont think they would know. To flash the card I tested I just left it in the PC and booted to DOS with an old Win98 CD. RAM the flash app from a cd I brined it on and was good to go. How did you first try to do it?

Ok, ill try to RMA it.

I used a DOS CD to boot with the ATi Flash utiliy on it, but i think I might have put the wrong BIOS on the disc

Quote: Originally Posted by ati warrentee ATI WILL NOT BE LIABLE UNDER THIS WARRANTY IF ITS TESTING AND EXAMINATION DISCLOSE THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION IN THE PRODUCT OR SOFTWARE DOES NOT EXIST OR WAS CAUSED BY CUSTOMERÂ’S OR ANY THIRD PARTYYÂ’S MISUSE, NEGLECT, IMPROPER INSTALLATION OR TESTING, UNAUTHORIZED ATTEMPTS TO OPEN, REPAIR OR MODIFY THE PRODUCT OR SOFTWARE,

so since you did alter software.....i dont think your covered by ati.

Quote: Originally Posted by ati warrentee WARRANTY IS ONLY APPLICABLE IF PRODUCT REGISTRATION IS RECEIVED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS WARRANTY, YOU MUST REGISTER AT www.ati.com/customercare/registration THE ORIGINAL SALES RECEIPT SHOWING THE DATE OF PURCHASE OF THE PRODUCT, IS PROOF OF THE DATE OF PURCHASE. ATI MAY REQUEST THE ORIGINAL SALES RECEIPT OR A COPY AS PROOF OF DATE OF PURCHASE.

have you registered it at least?

well if you want to read mor into it, LINKY

but like GK said....give it a shot..the worst thing that could happen is they send it back.

I did the same thing to my card. I RMA'ed no problems. That was the only anwser I could find to fix it. I guess once the cards bios is gone only ATI can fix it. Sorry about your misfortune.......been there Good luck with the new one.

I really hope you get a new card, Dex! Don't get your hopes up too high, though... if they really look into
it they might decide that it is not covered by the warranty... Really hope they don't, though!

TDR

Got an RMA confirmation email today, and have already received a full refund for the buggered card

Sweet! Congratz!

TDR