No magic tricks here. I'll be using KBT (Kepler BIOS Tweaker) to modify the BIOS. You can download this tool here:
View attachment KeplerBIOSTweaker1.27.zip
It can look a bit intimidating, so if you don't want to mess with any of the settings, post your BIOS here and I'll modify it accordingly.
The general modifications include a higher TDP, removal of GPU Boost and unlocked core voltage of 1.225V (Some restrictions apply).
Maxwell cards can typically be unlocked up to 1.28V. However, there are some cards that have locked down voltage modules and won't allow anything past 1.21V.
For Maxwell cards, I will be using the MBT (Maxwell BIOS Tweaker). You can download that from here: View attachment MaxwellBiosTweaker1.36.zip
To edit the BIOS of these NVidia cards, I will be using NiBiTor 6.06 which you can get from here: View attachment NiBiTor6.06.zip
I can unlock 1.21V for 500 and 400 cards (Risky if you don't have good cooling!). It's a bit different than 600 and 700 cards in that I can specify a range for the core voltage, i.e. 1.05 to 1.21 volts for 400 and 500 series cards. You can set the voltage to whatever it is that you're comfortable with. Voltage control for the Fermi cards is a lot more flexible than Kepler based GPUs.
For 200 Series cards, it may or may not be possible to change the voltage, but most of them go as high as 1.2 volts depending on what the vendor has set the limit to. These are much older cards so I don't expect a lot of people running them in this day and age. Still, nice to be able to get the most out of your old hardware.
Instructions
Remember that you're doing this on your own risk. I won't be held responsible for bricked or damaged hardware.
You can extract and save your graphics card's BIOS by using GPU-Z which can be downloaded from Here.
The link is constantly updated with the latest version of the program.
The BIOS file needs to be in .zip format if you want to upload it to the OCN forums, so use any compression program like 7-Zip, Winrar, Winzip, etc. to package the file and then upload it here. Again, it needs to be in .zip format not .rar, .7z, etc.
7-Zip is by far my favorite compression software. It can be obtained from Here.
The simplest way to upload and post your BIOS in this thread is to use the "Attachment" button which can be found in the toolbar section located on top of the "Reply" box. It is the 5th icon from the right.
The easiest way to flash the new BIOS to your card is with the Windows version of NVFlash. You can find the latest as well as archived versions of NVFlash, Here
Simply drag and drop your new BIOS on nvflash.exe and click "Y" when prompted. Restart your PC after the process is finished and your new BIOS will be in full effect.
For Maxwell cards, the process is a bit different. First, disable the GPU via device manager, then flash the new BIOS as explained above, re-enable your GPU and restart your PC.
FAQ
Q: Afterburner/PX/etc. is reporting X voltage while I asked for Y voltage. Why is that?
A: These programs can't always read the voltage correctly. Most of the time, the modified voltage is in effect but the program is unable to report it. For precise voltage measurements, you need a voltmeter.
Q: I can't seem to change the voltage, what happened?
A: With the modified BIOS, the card is set to hit maximum voltage under load, and as such, there is no need to change voltage manually via software as it doesn't do anything
Q: Can you overclock my card for me so it has higher performance?
A: I can remove Voltage and TDP limitations. Finding out how far the card overclocks is up to you as every card overclocks differently due to silicon lottery.
Q: Can you modify memory voltage for Kepler/Maxwell cards.
A: No.
Q: My card/drivers keep crashing after I applied your BIOS. What's going on?
A: Reset the overclock that you've done through Afterburner/PX/etc..
Q: Can you help me unlock my card?
A. Won't know till I have the BIOS, so just post the BIOS.
It can look a bit intimidating, so if you don't want to mess with any of the settings, post your BIOS here and I'll modify it accordingly.
The general modifications include a higher TDP, removal of GPU Boost and unlocked core voltage of 1.225V (Some restrictions apply).
Maxwell cards can typically be unlocked up to 1.28V. However, there are some cards that have locked down voltage modules and won't allow anything past 1.21V.
For Maxwell cards, I will be using the MBT (Maxwell BIOS Tweaker). You can download that from here: View attachment MaxwellBiosTweaker1.36.zip
To edit the BIOS of these NVidia cards, I will be using NiBiTor 6.06 which you can get from here: View attachment NiBiTor6.06.zip
I can unlock 1.21V for 500 and 400 cards (Risky if you don't have good cooling!). It's a bit different than 600 and 700 cards in that I can specify a range for the core voltage, i.e. 1.05 to 1.21 volts for 400 and 500 series cards. You can set the voltage to whatever it is that you're comfortable with. Voltage control for the Fermi cards is a lot more flexible than Kepler based GPUs.
For 200 Series cards, it may or may not be possible to change the voltage, but most of them go as high as 1.2 volts depending on what the vendor has set the limit to. These are much older cards so I don't expect a lot of people running them in this day and age. Still, nice to be able to get the most out of your old hardware.
Instructions
Remember that you're doing this on your own risk. I won't be held responsible for bricked or damaged hardware.
You can extract and save your graphics card's BIOS by using GPU-Z which can be downloaded from Here.
The link is constantly updated with the latest version of the program.
The BIOS file needs to be in .zip format if you want to upload it to the OCN forums, so use any compression program like 7-Zip, Winrar, Winzip, etc. to package the file and then upload it here. Again, it needs to be in .zip format not .rar, .7z, etc.
7-Zip is by far my favorite compression software. It can be obtained from Here.
The simplest way to upload and post your BIOS in this thread is to use the "Attachment" button which can be found in the toolbar section located on top of the "Reply" box. It is the 5th icon from the right.
The easiest way to flash the new BIOS to your card is with the Windows version of NVFlash. You can find the latest as well as archived versions of NVFlash, Here
Simply drag and drop your new BIOS on nvflash.exe and click "Y" when prompted. Restart your PC after the process is finished and your new BIOS will be in full effect.
For Maxwell cards, the process is a bit different. First, disable the GPU via device manager, then flash the new BIOS as explained above, re-enable your GPU and restart your PC.
FAQ
Q: Afterburner/PX/etc. is reporting X voltage while I asked for Y voltage. Why is that?
A: These programs can't always read the voltage correctly. Most of the time, the modified voltage is in effect but the program is unable to report it. For precise voltage measurements, you need a voltmeter.
Q: I can't seem to change the voltage, what happened?
A: With the modified BIOS, the card is set to hit maximum voltage under load, and as such, there is no need to change voltage manually via software as it doesn't do anything
Q: Can you overclock my card for me so it has higher performance?
A: I can remove Voltage and TDP limitations. Finding out how far the card overclocks is up to you as every card overclocks differently due to silicon lottery.
Q: Can you modify memory voltage for Kepler/Maxwell cards.
A: No.
Q: My card/drivers keep crashing after I applied your BIOS. What's going on?
A: Reset the overclock that you've done through Afterburner/PX/etc..
Q: Can you help me unlock my card?
A. Won't know till I have the BIOS, so just post the BIOS.