Gigabyte HD 7950 bios update

[Krisius]

Hi guys, I am a bit confused about the BIOS releases for this particular GPU card.

The gigabyte HD7950  - Windforce (http://uk.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4121#bios), on the website at download area in Bios tab, gigabyte has posted for download two versions of BIOS which are F21 and F42. I read all the info available on the website and they say that I need to have the F20 bios for flashing to that F21 bios and on the other hand I need F40 bios to be able to flash to F42.

Well, my card has F2 Bios and none of the above available BIOS is within the range of my card and I cannot flash my BIOS. If there were available more models of HD 7950 from gigabyte then I would understand that these BIOS files were for other HD7950 cards with different specs. BUT there is only one HD 7950 from gigabyte! Why post BIOS files if there is no use of them?

Can anybody illuminate me?

Thank you.

[Sanjamal]

I can't do any illuminations, but I can add my own frustration to yours.  I'm also having this problem: my 7950, model GV-R795WF3-3GD, has the F10 bios on it.  I'm hoping that the BIOS update we're seeing is the one that adds the new features/performance that was announced by AMD for all reference design boards back in mid August.  I too, would like to know if this is that big update and if so why some of us are missing out, and if it's not the update when it will be arriving.  Really, it's not too big a deal since this thing overclocks so easily to those new specs anyway just by using EasyBoost, but I figure why not keep everything as up-to-date as possible.

Thanks!

[welshgrad]

hmm got the GV-R795WF3-3GD.F2 bios so i assumed i would need to use the f21 but it wont have it. Interestingly the name of this unrared bios is R795W3GD.F21 not quite the same as above. But even with 2 bios's i aint faffing about with that.

worth sending a message to tech for answers?

[BaKa1111]

If you have the F2 bios version do not update for the F21 or F42 it will brick your BIOS.If you want you can search for this """"" gigabyte-2xwindforce-7950-crossfired-bios-flashed-to-7970""""". It from overclockers froums and it a modded BIOS that overclocks the card to 7970 specs but you can find out more details on that page.

hope this helps

[welshgrad]

ok well the bios software just rejects the bios's from the gigabytes site so safe there.

Any idea why they got these useless bios's for d/l? This is my 1st anything from gigabyte and tbh putting bios updates that dont work or could brick ur card is rubbish tbh. Any 1 from gigabyte care to comment on this?

[BaKa1111]

I see that gigabyte has a version of F3 bios on their website. Did anyone tried this  revision or is still not compatible with F2 ??. I don't want to brick my card again.

[welshgrad]

yes it works with f2.

though when i updated i had an error code. i tried again and it worked. if u have 1 bios bricked then be carefull. Not sure what caused the 1st error some proccess on my pc but i though i would mention it.

edit

according to the notes its meant to go 1000mhz on boost? GPUZ report gpu clock 1000 and default clock 1000. Yet when used the sensor only shows it going to 900 under load.

edit* Oops i had enable graphics overdrive selected in ccc ^^ which was selected at the old settings hence the above.

Also the 2d voltage stays the same but vddc under load its goes to 1.207! from the previous 1.07. blimey. Quite a current increase for this oc considering many have got this clock on stock voltage. interesting

[yanakis]

Hi all.

I had the bad luck to buy an additional F42 version while having an F2 version. Updated both cards with F3 and they work just fine at 1000Mhz (Games, benchmarks, etc) but Gigabyte advised that is not recommended to update F3 over F42 due to differences in board components and that bios will get corrupted in the process   . So, I had to switch both cards on backup bios and they now run at 900Mhz as they have been advertised....I dont think I can run to the vendor and complain that I wanted a different BIOS...

I am not really a fan of playing with voltages so I liiked the idea of a "factory OC" so I only hope that Gigabyte will come up with an updated version of F42 that runs at 1000Mhz.

Please share your opinions.

Many thanks

[LordSeeps]

Ok I would like further information with respect to 7950's that come with the f42 bios ?

As mine did and I don't understand why we can't flash to the f3 bios ? Why would you have different PCBs for a card release with the same model ?

I would like to make use of the new bump in speed without having to overclock using software.

Will there be another bios released for the f42 cards or something ?

This is my first gigabyte product as well and will be updating my motherboard next month. I am considering the UD3 AM3+ board, but this situation with the bios on my 7950 is not making me feel "Warm and Fuzzy"

Please advise those of us with the f42 bios ...

[Exostenza]

It seems that the F3 BIOS has been pulled with no information why and I am concerned that the current users with F3 installed do not have information as to why it was pulled and if we should downflash to F2 and not be using the F3 BIOS.

I have tried to contact Gigabyte and so far had no response.

[thexfile]

I'm using F3 without any problems so far. But, I'm not over clocking.


Catalyst Software Suite 12.11 Beta 64x with .NET 4.0 Support.

[vekta]

F3 has been causing me blue-screen crashes

Im willing to bet this is why it was pulled

[welshgrad]

well I reverted back to f2 anyway.

the huge jump in voltage made the vrm temp really high and for the overclock didn't seem worth it, but I suppose it was a blanket voltage so all cards would get the speed. probably caused a few returns

[IOB]

Hello welshgrad,

pls can you explain how you got back to the F2 bios.
I'm very interested about this. F3 bios.
I tried all ways;
all Gigabyte official and a GB support hotline tool and ATI Winflash.
But nothing works. it seems there is look at a downgrade.
Excepted ATIFlash for DOS; I don't tried.

Many thanks in advance for some helpful details.
With best regards,
IOB.

[welshgrad]

well i used the back up bios option to make a back up. but saying that I have not tried to overwrite the f3 update.

I just clicked the bios switch so it would run the other (default) bios.