[mRacic]

Check out: http://mapage.noos.fr/campahunta/rad...onversion.html

If anyone pulls this off, please report here with the impressions! I have a dual G5/2.0 w/ R9600 and would like to upgrade to R9800 if it'll bring me more speed to CAD apps like ArchiCAD and Cinema 4D.

And, it would be nice if successfull flashers posted what brand/type of Radeon cards did they flash (ATi, Sapphire, PowerColor etc).

[rocky2]

I have successfully flashed two Sapphire Radeon Pro 128 MB cards, one ATI and one by a Japanese maker. A PowerColor card failed because the RAM was Hynix and not Samsung.
It's is easy enought to do if you have the new ROMs and 0402 chip resistors and a steady hand. Just follow the instructions on the web site noted above. I may be able to supply some preflashed ROMs which does away with the need to move the chip resistors and makes the job much easier. Just be sure to make sure you gt the ATI reference card with 128 MB of Samsung RAM and a 256-Mbit wide memory bus. Some cards (Xia) appear to be OK but have a 128-Mbit memory bus and don't work.

[DeathToWindows]

very tempting... but I've got a 9600 which is fine for the moment

[Amacapart]

I have done MANY of these.

If RAM is in an L shape around back of card it is 256 Bit. If it is only along top edge, it is a 128 bit. 128 bit WILL NOT WORK !!! I tried a couple, half the screen gone, as you might have expected.

There is a reduced ROM available at cubeowner which allows you to flash without doing any soldering. You lose the power-on message and perhaps a few resolutions but allows ANYONE to do it. Don't get a re-furb and don't get a "SE".

If you are able to do soldering, is nice to be able to do full flash. Cards with PNC ROM chips are ALL 64K. Cards with STMicro ROM's are 50/50. You may get a 128 K chip, you may get a 64K.

Before doing any soldering, make sure card is solid. Run it as PC card in 3DMark2003 for several run throughs. Watch for any artifacts. Or flash using reduced Mac ROM. Using ATICcelerator I you can dump PC ROM on Mac and even re-flash PC Rom if need be. (OS 9 requ'd).

Using ATIccellerator II you can find best speeds, then hard flash in OS 9. All from same guy who figured out the 9800 in first place.

Once you see a Mac, even a G4, running with a 9800, everything else seems, well, rather crude.

And at $160 from Newegg, quite a deal.

dp

[Link]

Odd, the only 256-bit radeon 9800 I see on newegg is $197 (well what they start at), not $160...

Wanna link us? (yeah I already asked for the rom link, thanks very much for the quick reply!)...

[Amacapart]

No I remember why I quit posting here.

I am not "on staff"

I am trying to do you all a favor, you can have a working 9800 Pro in your Mac for under $200.

Instead of "Thank you" I get "prove it"

Fine.

ROM is at Cubeowner in FAQ's.

ATIccelerator I you can find yourself.

But, I was wrong about one thing. Radeon 9800's aren't $160 on Newegg.


They're $154.

The "search" function is very useful.

dp

[MaxPower]

Originally posted by Amacapart:

I am trying to do you all a favor, you can have a working 9800 Pro in your Mac for under $200.

I, for one, welcome our 'on staff' overlords. Seriously though, I was just looking for this info and here it is! Thanks a bunch for posting.

[Lateralus]

Originally posted by Amacapart:
But, I was wrong about one thing. Radeon 9800's aren't $160 on Newegg.
They're $154.

Nobody wants a refurbished video card.

[Amacapart]

I have purchased 100 + cards from Newegg. Some were re-furbs. Of the re-furbs 20% or so were no good. Beauty of this smaller rom & flasher is, you can test the card in your Mac, if it's no good, Newegg is VERY good about RMA, you can request online. You flash it back with PC ROM and return. No harm, no foul. You don't have to physically mod card at all.

If you saw one side by side with an 8500, you would be able to see why I would recommend this. For $160 and a LITTLE work, you have a top-notch card, easily capable of DOUBLE the fps of an 8500, while looking better. 8500's are still going for $135 on ebay. For $25 more dollars it is a WORLD of difference.

It is also possible to flash a 9800 XT. I sold mine, you can read of it now on xlr8, "Lord Vader" has it. I never tried the smaller rom on it, but it runs on same 9800 Pro ROM just fine. (128 megs only though) I have received email from someone who used reduced ROM on an XT and it worked for them.

Even on my "CPU Bound" 867 Quiksilver, where I can back to back MANY cards, there is only 1 I would use to play games with.

I am not going to link to flasher, ROM's, nothing. I have told you were it is. Perhaps a daring soul with Hosting space will slap the flasher together and post a link?

Have at it.

[Link]

Heh, Thanks again!

[Lancer409]

me + soldering iron doesnt mix

good luck though =P ... i'll keep my game playing to pc's

[Amacapart]

Read it again, ace.

I'm saying that THERE IS NO SOLDERING NECESSARY !!!!

Perhaps you see the scotch tape as being difficult ?

[macgfx]

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
Nobody wants a refurbished video card.

I do.

What's wrong with a refurb? Lots of folks buy refurb Mac's. As long as there is a Warranty and it comes form a reputable seller like Newegg. Sure it is not new ,but the price is lower.

[Lateralus]

You wouldn't say that if you had ever bought a refurbished video card from NewEgg.

I have personally bought two refurbished video cards from NewEgg. One of which arrived with a dead fan, the other arrived dead. It's replacement had it's fan die within weeks. My friend's first refurbished video card purchase from NewEgg was also his last as his arrived DOA as well.

[macgfx]

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
You wouldn't say that if you had ever bought a refurbished video card from NewEgg.

I have personally bought two refurbished video cards from NewEgg. One of which arrived with a dead fan, the other arrived dead. It's replacement had it's fan die within weeks. My friend's first refurbished video card purchase from NewEgg was also his last as his arrived DOA as well.

I see your piont