This is big. A new software is doing rounds on the forumscape, with lets you check exactly which GCN compute units (CUs) were disabled by AMD to carve out your "Pro" SKU graphics card (eg: R9 Fury non-X, R9 390, R9 285, etc.), and if you're lucky, re-enable some of those disabled CUs via a good old fashioned soft-mod. Called CUINFO , developed by OCN Forums member tx12, the tool has seen some success in unlocking disabled CUs in graphics cards based on "Fiji," "Hawaii," and "Tonga" chips.The success is limited probably because AMD appears to be using two methods to disable CUs - laser-cutting them, and through firmware. Even in chips that let you unlock, you may not unlock all CUs, since some are genuinely damaged and disabled as part of the harvesting process, to maximize yield. There are no telltale signs of which chips let you unlock and which don't, and so you'll be playing a lottery. Cards with re-enabled CUs have shown increased performance, confirming that the soft-mod is real.

43 Comments on Some AMD GCN GPU Disabled Stream Processors Unlockable via Software

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#1 Sony Xperia S

Very good. :)



It is easier to say only R9 Fury, without that non X, people are not that confused in order not to differentiate Fury and Fury X. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 7:48 Reply

#2 zsolt_93

I think it is clear which cards is about. In the Fury thread i predicted this will happen, noone really noticed it, it was the only cheap solution for AMD to increase profits and survive this period instead of going bust. Probably the R9 3xx series and the Fury is affected, and the R9 2xx was laser cut from the factory. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 7:49 Reply

#3 Marshall_lockjaw

Tahiti Support?? Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 8:03 Reply

#4 BiggieShady

With Fiji in low supply, it seems it's really hard to find Fury Air that unlocks to full Fury X without artifacting ... some had luck unlocking 4 CU out of 8 ... AMD is binning each and every good Fiji chip as Fury X. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 8:13 Reply

#5 Mussels

Moderprator been reading up on this for a few days, since people are working on/succeded in 290(x) to 390(x) upgrades as well, with regular to X upgrades unlocking shaders. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 8:20 Reply

#6 LightningJR

Pretty sweet. I wish I could unlock the extra shaders to get me to a 680 :) Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 8:40 Reply

#7 Relayer

zsolt_93 I think it is clear which cards is about. In the Fury thread i predicted this will happen, noone really noticed it, it was the only cheap solution for AMD to increase profits and survive this period instead of going bust. Probably the R9 3xx series and the Fury is affected, and the R9 2xx was laser cut from the factory. People unlocked 290's too. People unlocked 290's too. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 9:04 Reply

#8 FordGT90Concept

"I go fast!1!11!1!" Huh, so Fiji Pro software locks all chips to a lower standard while laser cutting still terminated the bad CUs. Seems kind of silly to have the firmware part at all. AMD should just market them as having at least x components then let it use them all it can.



I guess they can't because of power/cooling considerations. Time for a paradigm shift? Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 9:10 Reply

#9 Bansaku

Marshall_lockjaw Tahiti Support?? You can try and let me know! ;) You can try and let me know! ;) Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 9:23 Reply

#10 BadIronTree

Bansaku You can try and let me know! ;) T.A.H.I.T.I. " Is a T.A.H.I.T.I. " Is a Magical Place Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 9:45 Reply

#11 NC37

Not surprised. AMD has a history of doing this with not only their GPUs but also their CPUs. One of the perks of going AMD. Sometimes you get little presents like this. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 10:04 Reply

#12 MadsMagnus

Well I mean, its awesome to have software with direct acces to HW like this - but some of us already tried unlocking our Hawaii cards back in late 13. Dual BIOS was a blessing for that. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 10:17 Reply

#13 RejZoR

Now they make it when I switched the camps. Shuuu. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 11:51 Reply

#14 TheButcherNL

Of course too good to be true, says not possible to unlock them, grrr... Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 11:59 Reply

#15 Aquinus

Resident Wat-man I remember when I could turn on/off pixel and vertex pipelines simply by clicking checkboxes in RivaTuner back in the day. Too bad things aren't so simple anymore. :p Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 12:01 Reply

#16 AsRock

TPU addict NC37 Not surprised. AMD has a history of doing this with not only their GPUs but also their CPUs. One of the perks of going AMD. Sometimes you get little presents like this. Yup like the Amd 555 which i have hear with 2 unlock and usable cores Yup like the Amd 555 which i have hear with 2 unlock and usable cores Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 13:05 Reply

#17 KainXS

there seems to be no support at all for tahiti and pitcairn, . . . . . . yet.



" this ASIC is not supported" Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 13:36 Reply

#18 EarthDog

Mussels been reading up on this for a few days, since people are working on/succeded in 290(x) to 390(x) upgrades as well, with regular to X upgrades unlocking shaders. lol upgrade...? Its the same card with 8GB of ram and oveclocked. Like the 290x Tri X 8GB... if you want to risk bios flashing for a name change and clocks you can set with software... have at it.



It doesn't appear that success rates are very high in looking at the OCN thread. lol upgrade...? Its the same card with 8GB of ram and oveclocked. Like the 290x Tri X 8GB... if you want to risk bios flashing for a name change and clocks you can set with software... have at it.It doesn't appear that success rates are very high in looking at the OCN thread. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 13:36 Reply

#19 Mussels

Moderprator EarthDog lol upgrade...? Its the same card with 8GB of ram and oveclocked. Like the 290x Tri X 8GB... if you want to risk bios flashing for a name change and clocks you can set with software... have at it.



It doesn't appear that success rates are very high in looking at the OCN thread. if you unlock shaders on a 290, its an upgrade. people are reporting higher FPS, with issues. Still, it's interesting. if you unlock shaders on a 290, its an upgrade. people are reporting higher FPS, with issues. Still, it's interesting. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 13:39 Reply

#20 EarthDog

Indeed. But your post said 290x to 390x... which is the same card but overclocked. Don't risk it for nothing. :) Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 13:47 Reply

#21 Mussels

Moderprator EarthDog Indeed. But your post said 290x to 390x... which is the same card but overclocked. Don't risk it for nothing. :) some cards can do it, some cant. in the thread they've got 290->390x bioses with 290 clocks. they'll nail down a range most cards can unlock to over time. some cards can do it, some cant. in the thread they've got 290->390x bioses with 290 clocks. they'll nail down a range most cards can unlock to over time. Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 13:55 Reply

#22 KomanderKain

Thoughts on trying this out on a FX 7500 Notebook APU? Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 14:22 Reply

#23 DoomDoomDoom

KomanderKain Thoughts on trying this out on a FX 7500 Notebook APU? Thought: "lol no" Thought: "lol no" Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 15:27 Reply

#24 GhostRyder

Aquinus I remember when I could turn on/off pixel and vertex pipelines simply by clicking checkboxes in RivaTuner back in the day. Too bad things aren't so simple anymore. :p You should give it a whirl and see if you can enable anything on your card! You should give it a whirl and see if you can enable anything on your card! Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 15:51 Reply

#25 Aquinus

Resident Wat-man GhostRyder You should give it a whirl and see if you can enable anything on your card! I don't think the 390 GAMING has a BIOS switch and I'm not prepared to brick it when I'm not even running it 100% in most cases. I tend to be more cautious however I've read some interesting posts on updating not only to unlock CUs but to enforce lower timings at higher frequencies on the VRAM. Of course this all sounds interesting but, I'm not prepared to potentially brick my new toy just yet. :) I don't think the 390 GAMING has a BIOS switch and I'm not prepared to brick it when I'm not even running it 100% in most cases. I tend to be more cautious however I've read some interesting posts on updating not only to unlock CUs but to enforce lower timings at higher frequencies on the VRAM. Of course this all sounds interesting but, I'm not prepared to potentially brick my new toy just yet. :) Posted on Aug 6th 2015, 16:02 Reply