ATI Overclocking Utility

[brelkl]

Hey--I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 (x64), and when I try to change any settings with atioc (1.05) I get "Error setting overdrive parameter, error:-1". I have the requisite qt libs installed and have a HD3870 that supports overdrive (as far as I know)--does any one know what this error means?

[sabby]

Hey--I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 (x64), and when I try to change any settings with atioc (1.05) I get "Error setting overdrive parameter, error:-1". I have the requisite qt libs installed and have a HD3870 that supports overdrive (as far as I know)--does any one know what this error means?

Unfortunately the -1 error is a generic error returned by the API which in this case most likely indicates that overdrive 5 is not supported. What ati catalyst version are you running? Some users with the latest catalyst 10.4 beta reported that overdrive 5 was now working on their HD2600 when before it wasn't. So you might want to try the latest driver. I don't remember the catalyst release note mentioning new OD5 support but maybe they don't put that in the release notes, someone else can comment on that. You can always verify if it's something wrong with my application by using aticonfig to see if OD5 support is working

aticonfig --od-getclocks

I believe the command line utility aticonfig also use the amd adl sdk api.

[brelkl]

Thanks for the reply sabby--I'm running Catalyst 10.3. When I run aticonfig this is what I get:

$ aticonfig --od-getclocks

Default Adapter - ATI Radeon HD 3870
                            Core (MHz)    Memory (MHz)
           Current Clocks :    300           1152
             Current Peak :    800           1152
  Configurable Peak Range : [300-885]     [1152-1387]
                 GPU load :    0%

Does this mean OD5 support is active? Or do I need to try the latest Catalyst?

Thanks again!

[sabby]

Thanks for the reply sabby--I'm running Catalyst 10.3. When I run aticonfig this is what I get:

$ aticonfig --od-getclocks

Default Adapter - ATI Radeon HD 3870
                            Core (MHz)    Memory (MHz)
           Current Clocks :    300           1152
             Current Peak :    800           1152
  Configurable Peak Range : [300-885]     [1152-1387]
                 GPU load :    0%

Does this mean OD5 support is active? Or do I need to try the latest Catalyst?

Thanks again!

That means that at least the major part of OD5 is supported, you should be seeing those value also in the GUI? Does the app contains those value when you start it or is it all blank? If it does contain those value then I'm assuming the error is probably related to fan speed throttling not being supported, I have seen that many time so far. It would show up as the fan control area being grayed out.

[brelkl]

That means that at least the major part of OD5 is supported, you should be seeing those value also in the GUI? Does the app contains those value when you start it or is it all blank? If it does contain those value then I'm assuming the error is probably related to fan speed throttling not being supported, I have seen that many time so far. It would show up as the fan control area being grayed out.

I can see the values correctly in the 'Info' tab, and in the 'Overdrive' tab everything looks normal except the voltage, which shows as being set to it's maximum of 1300mV (instead of 1258mV shown in 'Info'). The fan speed is grayed out, but I can activate it by clicking the check box to the left.

Here's some screenshots of the tabs:

[sabby]

I can see the values correctly in the 'Info' tab, and in the 'Overdrive' tab everything looks normal except the voltage, which shows as being set to it's maximum of 1300mV (instead of 1258mV shown in 'Info'). The fan speed is grayed out, but I can activate it by clicking the check box to the left.

Let's put aside the voltage difference since it might happen because the voltage would be throttled after the app started. However try putting the voltage a little bit lower than the max value, try say 1258mv since that's what it was in the info that. Do you still have the error when you click ok? If so verify with aticonfig if any of the new value shows up.

[brelkl]

Let's put aside the voltage difference since it might happen because the voltage would be throttled after the app started. However try putting the voltage a little bit lower than the max value, try say 1258mv since that's what it was in the info that. Do you still have the error when you click ok? If so verify with aticonfig if any of the new value shows up.

So I did some tests, and this is what I found:

• I can set the GPU clock lower or higher with atioc, and verify it with 'aticonfig --od-getclocks'
• I can set the memory clock higher, but not lower (lower gives the "error:-1", and is unchanged in aticonfig)
• The voltage is the same as the memory--I can go higher (or the same value) but not lower without the "error:-1"; however, even when I set it higher it doesn't show the change on the info tab
• Also, after I get an "error:-1" I can't change anything any more unless I click "restore defaults"

[sabby]

So I did some tests, and this is what I found:

• I can set the GPU clock lower or higher with atioc, and verify it with 'aticonfig --od-getclocks'
• I can set the memory clock higher, but not lower (lower gives the "error:-1", and is unchanged in aticonfig)
• The voltage is the same as the memory--I can go higher (or the same value) but not lower without the "error:-1"; however, even when I set it higher it doesn't show the change on the info tab
• Also, after I get an "error:-1" I can't change anything any more unless I click "restore defaults"

Just a few more test I would like you to run try with aticonfig to set the memory clock lower at the same value that cause the app to have a -1 error. I don't have the at the aticonfig utility here but I believe it should be something like that

aticonfig --od-setclocks=0,1100

I suspect that your card might have a gpu bios with wrong values, as in it report min/max range that it won't accept as input value it will only accept value that it reports in its peak range. This would fit what the test result you have seen.

[brelkl]

Just a few more test I would like you to run try with aticonfig to set the memory clock lower at the same value that cause the app to have a -1 error. I don't have the at the aticonfig utility here but I believe it should be something like that

aticonfig --od-setclocks=0,1100

I suspect that your card might have a gpu bios with wrong values, as in it report min/max range that it won't accept as input value it will only accept value that it reports in its peak range. This would fit what the test result you have seen.

Hi sabby, I tried applying the memory clock value above (1100) via cl and got an error:

ERROR - Set clocks failed for Default Adapter - ATI Radeon HD 3870
        Please check that input values were valid

Then I ran 'aticonfig --odgc' again and realized that the results I'm getting are totally consistent with the ranges it reports (I'm not sure if this is what you mean in your comment):

Configurable Peak Range : [300-885]     [1152-1387]

So I can change the clock values within those ranges--which is ok--but what I'd really like to do if it's possible is change the voltage (undervolt) a little. Do you think my lack of voltage control is a bios limitation/issue?

[elect]

How can you set the voltage with "aticonfig"?