9600 pro mystery

[Navid]

P4P800 deluxe MB
P4 2.6G, 800MHz FSB CPU
2x256 PC3200 RAM
Sapphire 9600 pro graphics card
XP pro
The CPU is not overclocked

Have done this several times with the same effects. Please help me
understand why it happens.

1- Restore XP pro partition (drive image).
2- 3DMark03 (Graphics not overclocked) score: 3370
3- Overclock the GPU (using Radlinker) too much to cause a crash running
3DMarck03.
4- Reset graphics core and memory back to defaults (not overclocked).
5- 3DMark03 score is now 2686! Nothing can change it back to 3370. The
only way I know to fix it is to restore the XP pro again.

What is reducing the performance (at default rates)? How can I restore it
without having to restore the XP pro again?

Thanks

 

[Augustus]

"

1- Restore XP pro partition (drive image).
2- 3DMark03 (Graphics not overclocked) score: 3370
3- Overclock the GPU (using Radlinker) too much to cause a crash running
3DMarck03.
4- Reset graphics core and memory back to defaults (not overclocked).
5- 3DMark03 score is now 2686! Nothing can change it back to 3370. The
only way I know to fix it is to restore the XP pro again.

What is reducing the performance (at default rates)? How can I restore it
without having to restore the XP pro again?

You're making the assumption that the first score after reimaging is the
valid one. An image is an image. Running a benchmark does not change OS,
hardware and driver settings. Repeated runs at default GPU clock speed would
be the valid results. So it's logical that the first run after imaging is
invalid. Does the same thing happen with 3DMark 2001?

 

[Navid]

"

You're making the assumption that the first score after reimaging is the
valid one. An image is an image. Running a benchmark does not change OS,
hardware and driver settings. Repeated runs at default GPU clock speed
would
be the valid results. So it's logical that the first run after imaging is
invalid. Does the same thing happen with 3DMark 2001?

Thanks for your reply.
I have not tried 3DMark 2001.
But, I have run multiple benchmarks (at default rates) after imaging and the
score does not change (maybe by 2 or 3) until I cause a crash. Then, the
score drops by 20%.

What you are saying is what I expect. That is why I cannot make sense of
what is going on. Hence, my post and request for help.

 

[Sham B]

What happens if you just reinstall the GfX drivers or reinstall the overclocking app?
Also, is the reduction in the speed the same as the increase that overclocking gives (sounds as if
it may be)... in which case it might be that your card is not allowing itself to be overclocked
because something gets corrupted (Im guessing either something to do with the overclocking app or
the GfX drivers).

Ive found in the past that a hard crash on my old 9500 pro sometimes caused a reset of the BIOS
settings, which wiped the overclock I had on the mobo. Might be worth checking on that as well; are
the motherboard and processor clocks as you expect them following the crash? Dont know how
resinstalling XP fixes this, but you might have reset it as part of the XP reinstall and forgot you
did this

S

 

[Augustus]

Thanks for your reply.

I have not tried 3DMark 2001.
But, I have run multiple benchmarks (at default rates) after imaging and the
score does not change (maybe by 2 or 3) until I cause a crash. Then, the
score drops by 20%.

What you are saying is what I expect. That is why I cannot make sense of
what is going on. Hence, my post and request for help.

Your 3DMark03 score seems on the low side for some reason. I run a Radeon
8500 128Mb at 310/600 on a XP Pro with Barton 3200 (actual 2200Mhz) and it
gets between 2550 and 2600 on '03. I'd expect a 9600 Pro on a 2.6Ghz P4
800FSB to be in the 3500 range at least.

 

[Navid]

Your 3DMark03 score seems on the low side for some reason. I run a Radeon
8500 128Mb at 310/600 on a XP Pro with Barton 3200 (actual 2200Mhz) and it
gets between 2550 and 2600 on '03. I'd expect a 9600 Pro on a 2.6Ghz P4
800FSB to be in the 3500 range at least.

And, it is!!
As I said, the repeated score is 3370 until I make it crash.

 

[Asestar]

Use omega drivers. ATI drivers are LOCKING clockrate for 9600 series afaik.

When using ATI catalyst 4.xx, if I overclock my 9600SE (325/210) to 375/225
with radlinker, it stays there as long as i don't run a 3d app!. Run any 3d
game, quit, and rad-clocker will show you someting like 135/135 or so. It
will not re-set to default rate unless reboot the pc.

I use omega drivers for that single reason! They allow overclocking,
Catalyst do not!

 

[Augustus]

Use omega drivers. ATI drivers are LOCKING clockrate for 9600 series afaik.

When using ATI catalyst 4.xx, if I overclock my 9600SE (325/210) to 375/225
with radlinker, it stays there as long as i don't run a 3d app!. Run any 3d
game, quit, and rad-clocker will show you someting like 135/135 or so. It
will not re-set to default rate unless reboot the pc.

I use omega drivers for that single reason! They allow overclocking,
Catalyst do not!

If that's true, then why does increasing your GPU core and memory speeds
result in higher fps rates in games and benchmarking? I've never seen my
core/clock settings change unless I change them.

 

[Asestar]

I guess not all radeon9600 are affected by this? I can not say anymore. My
laptop with mobility radeon 9600pro is NOT locked, it can be oc by using ATI
catalyst.

My desktop 9600se is however locked.
I ran "ATI tool" when using ati catalyst drivers 4.2, and got this pop-up
message telling me about locked drivers.

Core/mem speed is lowered automatically by drivers, ONLY if you try to
increase them manually. Otherwise it won't be affected, and always run at
stock rate.

 

[Navid]

I guess not all radeon9600 are affected by this? I can not say anymore. My
laptop with mobility radeon 9600pro is NOT locked, it can be oc by using
ATI
catalyst.

My desktop 9600se is however locked.
I ran "ATI tool" when using ati catalyst drivers 4.2, and got this pop-up
message telling me about locked drivers.

Core/mem speed is lowered automatically by drivers, ONLY if you try to
increase them manually. Otherwise it won't be affected, and always run at
stock rate.

This is interesting.
Is there a utility that would show the clock rates while playing a 3D
application (game)?

 

[Asestar]

This is interesting.
Is there a utility that would show the clock rates while playing a 3D
application (game)?

Not need one (powerstrip can setup to do that, by HUD display, yepp). You
don't need to do that ingame. Clock rates remain lowered untill you re-boot
pc. So after playing a game on OC settings, check rad-linker tab, it will
show you clock rate.
I can not confirm if this apply to non-SE cards or not, however.
As i only had a mobility 9600pro to test other than 9600SE.

 

[Navid]

Not need one (powerstrip can setup to do that, by HUD display, yepp). You
don't need to do that ingame. Clock rates remain lowered untill you
re-boot
pc. So after playing a game on OC settings, check rad-linker tab, it will
show you clock rate.
I can not confirm if this apply to non-SE cards or not, however.
As i only had a mobility 9600pro to test other than 9600SE.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.
I switched to using the overclock utility that came with the card (Redline)
instead of Radlinker and do not experience the problem anymore.