Is it possible to ID Gainward 7800s by UPC or S/N?

[trunk]

I've noticed that on every Gainward 7800GS card that I have seen, there are no firmware stickers like on other brands. They all look like Steve's pictures.

The model number and p/n do not seem to be determinative of the chipset. I've seen both g70 and g71 varieties with the same ones.

I have seen a number of UPCs, but have not found exactly what some of them mean, or if they're chip determinative.

However, what I have noticed is that what seem to be revision numbers in the s/n indicate which chipset the card has.

For instance, Steve's G70 says:
NA/780GS+T352V306######

The G71 GS+ cards that I have seen have NA/780GS+T352V406 or 506.

Does anyone know if this a reliable way of determining the chipset, absent a more obvious firmware sticker? Or maybe I'm crazy and overlooking them. Everyone says they're on the back. I see a UPC, model/pn/sn label, and a bunch of inspection stickers. Where is everyone's Gainward 7800GS firmware stickers?

(I'll post this over at Mac Elite too, I guess, but if anything definite comes up, I'll edit this post with it.)

[aquamac]

Hi Trunk,

Welcome to aquamac forums! Thanks for this info, I had not noticed that particular info before. The stickers on the back are not always reliable anyway, I knew someone whose card said 7800+ but it was still a G70. Maybe there is a case that the lower the number as you have pointed out, the earlier the card, which would make sense, as the early cards were all G70 at least until the chips ran out. The actual chip itself does carry identification, but obviously removing the heatsink is a pain. However, it is still worth doing just to double check before flashing a card.

[trunk]

Thanks a bunch. You're setups, especially the MDDs, have been an inspiration to me. I've still got my old 9000 Pro in my MDD and it's been starting to get on my nerves lately. I'd like to give my machine some umph, and I think a new card would be just the ticket. I've picked up an R120 as well, but that's for another thread.

I suspected that some GS+ cards were actually g70 chips when I looked at the back of your card and noticed GS+ in the p/n and s/n. I may have wrongly suspected it, because I don't know Gainward names its other cards in the p/n and s/n. Maybe all of their cards say 5x0GS+, 6x0GT+, etc. Either way, you've confirmed my suspicion, and I'll be sure to keep my eyes peeled.

It seems like there is no rhyme or reason for this stuff. In fact, I've just come across two cards labeled "GS+" with the same exact UPC code (4718462008255), but each with a different heatsink (the round one you had, and the squared off one which I've seen on the Goes Like Hell cards). The round cooler card was advertised as having a p/n of XNA/780GS+T352-PM8370-GS. I think the X may have been a typo. Or maybe it indicates the black squared off cooler. Unfortunately I didn't see the round cooler's p/n, but I think we can rest assured it's the same as all the others I've seen,s NA/780GS+T352-PM8370-GS.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up. I will certainly be taking off the heatsink, if for nothing other than just checking out what's what on the card. While in there, I'll check the chip before going wild with the ROMs.

Edit: Also, it's weird that it seems that some + models had G70 chips like you say, and then some regular models had G71 (or so they're advertised, which is frustrating. Everyone advertises their 7800 + or not as a g71). I wonder if they ran out of G70s, and then came across some more during the production of the + cards. So far, it sounds like there are at least three versions of the GS+, not counting heat sinks. There are GS+ cards with the G70, some with the complained about crippled G71 (maybe this was actually a G70, and people were wrong, and then the real 24 pipe G71.

[aquamac]

Hi Trunk,

I remember when these cards came out, Overclockers.co.uk were selling both cards along side each other, the + costing more. They were about the only people that seemed to bother distinguishing between the two. I bought 4 of these cards during that period, 2 of which I still have, one in an MDD that has been running day after day (left on all day) by my wife, for the last year - still going strong. The other I am interested in selling, it has a 128 kb chip fitted and has been used in a mac before, but currently has the PC rom flashed onto it. To fit into a MDD, it does require the heat sink to be removed and a Gainward 6800 GS AGP one fitted or watercooling. There is no way the standard fan will fit as it hits the CD housing and the door cannot be closed.

[arkix]

HI Aquamac,
after a lot of searching around ebay, ecc, i haven't been able to find this Gainward for my trusty fw800 to replace my "little 6600gt 128mg"....
and then watching at your forum (+/-daily) to admire any new adventures of yours i have read that you still have one....!
The questions are...: do u still have it? If yes...are u still interested to sell it?

If not ;D ...my only(few) other chances that i'm founding around are BFG or eVGA (but with only 1 DVI..and with G70 ..of course);
...any answer or advice from you will be very appreciated (also in pvt if you want)
Thanks in advance
Ciaooo to all of you