ATI Radeon 9500 Pro Overclocking

<B>Overclocking</B>:

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You probably have this type of memory above, 3.6ns. The speed that it is rated for is 277Mhz. So I'm basically overclocking out of spec. Anything above it is gravy.

Let me just tell you that flashing your BIOS can destroy your card. Don't come crying to me if you break it! Use the tools that I give you at your own risk! If you are going to start flashing your card and stuff, make sure to read all the steps first! I'll also say that if you don't understand what I'm saying, maybe you shouldn't be flashing your card! This is ONLY for the Radeon 9500 Pro! I'll also say that flashing a video card isn't new to me. I did it with my <a href="/articles.php?id=13">Radeon 8500</a> as well.

<B>Step 1</B>: Download flasher tools

I have included all the flashing tools needed into one zip files. It also has a bootdisk maker from <a href="http://www.bootdisk.com">Bootdisk.com</a> (with permission). I also had permission from warp11 to include his things in it also. You will not need anything else besides a floppy disk. <a href="/downloads/flash.zip">Grab the only zip file you'll need here</a>. Please don't leech this file! Link to this article.

<B>Step 2</B>: Create a bootdisk

With the included drdflash.exe, run it. It will prompt you for the floppy. The entire floppy will be wiped and made into a CLEAN bootdisk with no drivers. This is always how you should flash any BIOS.

<B>Step 3</B>: Copy the files onto the floppy

Once the bootdisk is ready, copy the contents of the flash directory on to the floppy drive's root directory (don't copy the folder, just the contents).

<B>Step 4</B>: Insert the floppy and reboot

Make sure that your computer is set to boot off a floppy first. If it isn't, go into your motherboard BIOS and change it.

<B>Step 5</B>: A:\ prompt, time to flash

Included in the zip is the original BIOS from my card. If you want to be extra safe, you can save your BIOS as well. But you really shouldn't need to as they are all the same.

<B>5a</B>: Save your BIOS if you want

Type this in if you want to save your BIOS.

<tt>A:\> atiflash -s 0 mybios.bin</tt>

And if you want to revert back to this BIOS.

<tt>A:\> atiflash -f -p 0 mybios.bin</tt>

<B>5b</B>: Time to flash

It should do some stuff and then it will place the file mybios.bin on your floppy. That's your BIOS. Now it is time to flash the new BIOS. DO NOT TURN OFF THE COMPUTER WHILE FLASHING!

Type this into DOS:

<tt>A:\> atiflash -p 0 oc9500.bin</tt>

If it doesn't flash you'll need to force it.

<tt>A:\> atiflash -f -p 0 oc9500.bin</tt>

<b>5c</b>: Didn't make a copy of your original BIOS and want to go back to the original.
<tt>A:\> atiflash -f -p 0 original.bin</tt>

<B>Step 6</B>: Stability and Overclocking testing

After it goes back to the prompt, it is time to restart. If you see stuff when you restarted (like the normal bootup things) then your flash didn't go bad! Good, now when you get into Windows/Linux/Whatever, use any overclocking thing you want to see if you can raise the speeds. If you can, good! If not, redo step 5b and remember to force the flash. Stability testing is for another article entirely .

Well, now we got the benchmarks and stuff.