Quadro 4 980 XGL - Can you flash bios to a make it Geforce base card

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iczelion74

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Quadro 4 980 XGL - Can you flash the bios to a make it Geforce based card? I have a Quadro card and I dont have any use for it unless it can play games. And yes I realize that a Quadro card is worth much more than a geforce card so Im guessing the flash is reversible right?
 
I dont know about the flash, but I'm sure its possible... The 980XGL is based off the ti4600 I believe. You could just sell that card on Ebay or something and get a nice FX5950 or 9800XT. I was looking for a 980XGL a while back, and the prices are still high. A used PNY version of it sells for over $450. A new one on newegg is $540. I ended up getting a broken one for $100, I sent it back to PNY and got a replacement :)
 
Use Rivatuner to mess with the PCI ID in Windows rather than flash.
Much simpler.
Check da box and reboot.

I don't really see the reason for flashing a Quad to a Geforce tho, the Quad has a few features enabled that the Geforce doesn't for openGL, aside from that, there really aren't many differences.

When I softmodded my Geforce 2 MX to a Quadro 2 MXR I gained about 33% in openGL performance and stayed constant in DX apps.

Honestly, I'm probably going to play with my Ti4200 tonight, I don't think I ever tried it as a Quadro...
 
I hope you mean 4600 bios. 5600 is an entirely different line of cards.

Also, why change the bios, like 0ldman said, just play with the PCI ID
 
the quadro series of cards can use the same drivers as the regular nvidia cards. In fact, with the exception of the application specific drivers like the maxtreme driver, you ARE using regular nvidia drivers (i.e. OGL). Those drivers are just able to detect what it is and enable a couple additional function in OGL.

Now granted, their official recommended drivers are usually behind the times because of their release schedule for things like maxtreme. But really, you should be able to just go to NVIDIA and download the latest drivers and install them and be on your way with the full gaming ability that you would have if your computer thought it was not a quadro.

Unless they radically changed things since they went from detonators to forceware.

the only thing that will happen is that if you had detonator 4X.XX and you put in 5X.XX to play your games. Your maxtreme drivers might not work anymore. That's about it.
 
What would be the advantage?

Shouldn't you be able to do anything that a ti4600 can do and more?

-dB
 
there is a silicon difference in the gf4s between quadros and desktop cards, so a flash or softmod wouldn't be perfect, If I were you I would stand pat as you have nothing to gain by this change and you will loose some performance.
 
I heard there may have been a difference in the core, but that theory was knocked down in that disussion. Dunno for sure.

I wouldn't mess with it except for with software fixes myself.
Quadro's are better in openGL and about the same in DX, so why mess with it?

The only reason I can come up with is my Quadro's, softmodded of course, wouldn't upload to Futuremark.
Hardly a reason to flash the BIOS...
 
ok, took a minute to pull this from a cobweb infested part of my memory...
The Inspiron 8100 and 8200 could use the same card as the Latitude C840 and workstation C840 laptop.
The workstation version was available with the Quadro 500, Geforce 4 MX Quadro, then the Quadro 700, Ti4200 based Quadro.
Someone did the softmod to make it a Ti4200 and had no problems in an 8200.
He didn't do alot of detailed benches, but published 3dmark2001 scores. Did pretty well, but I still maintain there really is no reason to change it.

Its kind of like pulling the trim from a Mercury Grand Marquis so it will look like a Ford Crown Vic. You take away the reason it costs more.
 
Ok, every card before gf4/quadro 4 is the same, the gf4 gen cards are different between the pro cores and desktop. the NV30 (fx5800/quadrofx 1000/2000) is the GL or pro core in both so the desktop cards are the pro core and are the same. all other quadro fxs are different between pro and desktop
 
Man, I wish I had a Quadro and you wish you had a gaming card. I only wish I had one of decent quality to trade you. :-/
 
Its kind of like pulling the trim from a Mercury Grand Marquis so it will look like a Ford Crown Vic. You take away the reason it costs more.
Click to expand...
<-- great quote :) !!!!!

So from what everyones saying here, just use the Quadro with the latest Dets and I should get the exact same performance as a 4600ti?? If I take this route how do I make adjustments like AA and V-sync, will the standard nvidia control panel still be available??? Thanks everyone for the help....
 
I use Rivatuner for tweaking whether I use the softmod or not.
More detailed control than in the Nvidia control panel, but the Nvidia panel is about the same between the Quadro and Geforce anway, least on older drivers.
 
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