No BIOS video chip?

Video, SCSI, modem, CDROM/CDR/CDRW, etc.
Post Reply
olexy
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Dec 23, 2002 9:00 am
Location: UKRAINE

Strange to say, but my new VideoCard "Radeon 9000" has no BIOS chip at all! The place for it is free with 2x(7+9)=32 pins. The same problem is for the following videocards:
GigaByte (Maya series): Radeon9000Pro/i
PowerColour: RV25XT, RV250, RV25A-B3, RV25A-C3.
Is it true? Where is the video BIOS is saved?

PS: ATI utility atiiprxx.exe shows the nesessary info about graphic chip.
Furthermore, RV250 & RV300 videocard are working well without BIOS chip.
raya
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

That empty space is not for BIOS. Most likely the BIOS is in a small 8-pin serial EEPROM device, interfaced through the GPU
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
olexy
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Dec 23, 2002 9:00 am
Location: UKRAINE

I saw only ATI site:
http://www.ati.com/support/identify/vis ... umber.html
where BIOS chipsets are presented (32 pins).
raya
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Yes, they used to be like that. It depends on the chipset.
olexy
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Dec 23, 2002 9:00 am
Location: UKRAINE

I downloaded ATMEL's pdf with ERROM list and find chips about 5x8 mm with 8 pins (128K- 1M). Furthermore, I saw similar size chip on my v-card, but I couldn't decifer it label.
So, the problem is solved. Thanks for reply.
My interest in that theme is due to the NONAME v-card, produced on RV250 VGU.
raya
Post Reply