bifflog wrote on 2023-07-20, 18:06:

Does the lesser memory bus kneecap the performance? I would say what I am seeing thus far falls short of benchmarks...

Yep. And the pictures confirm that your TNT2 Pro is chinese made clone with 64bit memory bus, similar to mine dead cheapo TNT2 "half Pro" card.

bifflog wrote on 2023-07-20, 17:48:

https://i.ibb.co/QHN01cN/1.png https://i.ibb.co/18CXmhB/2.png […]
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Tetrium wrote on 2023-07-20, 07:00:

bifflog wrote on 2023-07-20, 01:04:

Display is working now, after installing drivers I find that despite being advertised as a TNT2 Pro it shows as a TNT2 M64 according to nVidia settings panel (classic eBay!).

Pic of the card?

That definitely looks like a M64. However, that heatsink looks a bit too modern or something to be on such a card. It looks more like a heatsink that was to be found on graphics cards a few generations later, interesting...
Also I don't think I've ever seen a M64 with such a large heatsink before. I don't think it will actually need such a large heatsink but better too big than too small I'd say.

EDIT:
PCB date code 0149, end of 2001 so it's definitely a late M64. By that time TNT2 M64 was basically a budget card (bottom of the barrel card), it had 32MB which helped sell it because at that time the idea was sold that more graphics RAM was always better...which at that time was definitely not the case by default. Also sellers could say it could do 3D. Yes, it could...in theory. By the end of 2001 the TNT2 M64 had mostly run its course, things were going so fast during that era!
The late date would also xplain the heatsink.

If you want a sure thing TNT2 Pro then try finding the Elsa Erazor III Pro 32MB like this one:

I made the mistake of buying the same card. It appears to be an OEM card for Compaq.
The stickers branding the card say "G4000 Pro" but it's not a TNT2 Pro, it's an M64.
The driver and GPU-Z give the name "Model 64 / Model 64 Pro" like those are both valid names. Maybe this is a "TNT2 M64 Pro", if that exists.
Did NVidia seriously define an M64 variant that's called "M64 Pro", marketed alongside the full "TNT2 Pro"?
Looks like I was fooled by NVidia's tricky naming practices from over 20 years ago, lol.

I noticed these cards only have 4 RAM chips but I guessed they were late production cards with 32-bit chips. They're not, they're 16-bit.
After paying closer attention I've realized it's the same PCB as many other TNT2 M64 cards. If those cards have 16MB memory then they use 2 RAM positions with 32-bit chips, if they have 32MB memory then they use 4 of them with 16-bit chips. The positions for installing 16 or 32-bit RAM chips are slightly different. There's also no provision for a fan.

GPU-Z shows the GPU clock as 133MHz, memory 143MHz. According to the internet the standard M64 is 125MHz GPU, so this monster gives an extra 8MHz. I guess that's what makes it a Pro.
My RAM chips are -7 rated, so 143MHz should be the limit for them on paper. I haven't tried overclocking it yet. Mine does work fine though, I ran 3DMark99 on it with v45.23 (the test machine previously had a much later card).

shamino wrote on 2023-07-25, 10:56:

I made the mistake of buying the same card. It appears to be an OEM card for Compaq. The stickers branding the card say "G4000 […]
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I made the mistake of buying the same card. It appears to be an OEM card for Compaq.
The stickers branding the card say "G4000 Pro" but it's not a TNT2 Pro, it's an M64.
The driver and GPU-Z give the name "Model 64 / Model 64 Pro" like those are both valid names. Maybe this is a "TNT2 M64 Pro", if that exists.
Did NVidia seriously define an M64 variant that's called "M64 Pro", marketed alongside the full "TNT2 Pro"?
Looks like I was fooled by NVidia's tricky naming practices from over 20 years ago, 🤣.

I noticed these cards only have 4 RAM chips but I guessed they were late production cards with 32-bit chips. They're not, they're 16-bit.
After paying closer attention I've realized it's the same PCB as many other TNT2 M64 cards. If those cards have 16MB memory then they use 2 RAM positions with 32-bit chips, if they have 32MB memory then they use 4 of them with 16-bit chips. The positions for installing 16 or 32-bit RAM chips are slightly different. There's also no provision for a fan.

GPU-Z shows the GPU clock as 133MHz, memory 143MHz. According to the internet the standard M64 is 125MHz GPU, so this monster gives an extra 8MHz. I guess that's what makes it a Pro.
My RAM chips are -7 rated, so 143MHz should be the limit for them on paper. I haven't tried overclocking it yet. Mine does work fine though, I ran 3DMark99 on it with v45.23 (the test machine previously had a much later card).

AFAIK there's no official "M64 Pro" TNT2 model. These are some china-made engineering "marbles" and I have one such card with dead OTA EPROM BIOS chip. I can't find suitable BIOS dump file for it and I can't read the contents of the original OTA EPROM chip, so I'm asking you, if you can, please, share a BIOS dump of your card. I think you're on topic about my dead TNT2 "Pro" videocard. Thanks!

I tried to dump the firmware from what I think is the same card that bifflog has posted about.
This is the info from the back of the card:
G4000Pro 32MB W/O
NVidia: 180-P0009-0000-C03
PWA-G4000PRO/GRAPHIC CARD

The sticker on the Flash ROM is obscured by the heatsink, but I think it says this:
G4000Pro
32M W/O
2.05.19.03.22

I've never used nvflash before, so I don't know what I'm doing with it.
I tried 2 versions (5.278.0 and 5.398.0 running under WinXP) but both keep giving the same error on every command I've tried:
"Error attempting to map adapter (0x000001e7)
Detailed: Attempt to access invalid address."

This happens with the --list command and even the --version command.

I've attached a ROM file that came from GPU-Z, but the file size is strange so I don't trust it.

This is the GPU-Z info:

One benefit of being a very late produced card - this card maxed out the overclocking sliders in PowerStrip at 177MHz core, 190MHz RAM and there's still no artifacting. I'm not so surprised about the core but I am surprised the RAM can go that fast. It's only -7 rated.

At this time overclocking was possible in higher ranges that you can do it today.
For me it is no wonder that you can reach these ratings.
However, you run them out of spec and this may shorten life. Especially when you do not care about extra cooling.

shamino wrote on 2023-07-30, 00:30:

I tried to dump the firmware from what I think is the same card that bifflog has posted about. This is the info from the back of […]
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I tried to dump the firmware from what I think is the same card that bifflog has posted about.
This is the info from the back of the card:
G4000Pro 32MB W/O
NVidia: 180-P0009-0000-C03
PWA-G4000PRO/GRAPHIC CARD

The sticker on the Flash ROM is obscured by the heatsink, but I think it says this:
G4000Pro
32M W/O
2.05.19.03.22

I've never used nvflash before, so I don't know what I'm doing with it.
I tried 2 versions (5.278.0 and 5.398.0 running under WinXP) but both keep giving the same error on every command I've tried:
"Error attempting to map adapter (0x000001e7)
Detailed: Attempt to access invalid address."

This happens with the --list command and even the --version command.

I've attached a ROM file that came from GPU-Z, but the file size is strange so I don't trust it.

This is the GPU-Z info:
tnt2M64Pro-driver40.72.gif

One benefit of being a very late produced card - this card maxed out the overclocking sliders in PowerStrip at 177MHz core, 190MHz RAM and there's still no artifacting. I'm not so surprised about the core but I am surprised the RAM can go that fast. It's only -7 rated.

Thank you very much for the info and the BIOS dump, shamino! It seems that attached BIOS dump file is OK - the last two bytes after the "field with FFs" are checksum for the BIOS.

So, from the picture from GPU-Z it is now clear that this strange TNT2 cards are actually M64 variants with 32MB RAM and 64bit bus with GPU frequency as of regular TNT2.
Mine card is similar, but on the sticker on it's back it's written:
"nVidia TNT2 PRO/32M
(barcode+serial number)
QC PASSED Oct. 2001"

And the sticker on its faulty OTA EPROM (I'm still keeping it):
"RIVA TNT2 PROtm
Copyright(c)99"

The SDRAM chips are some chinese "brand" of which I can't find any datasheets or info:
"VT3664164T-6"
I suppose they're 6ns, but who knows for sure?

I'm still waiting for the shipping of new suitable EEPROM chip from China... Also I have to repair my old FSP ATX-350PNF PSU with now too low 5V lines (~4.6V) and too high 12V lines (~13.3V) - already well known problem due to bad core material and strangely separated windings of its power inductor and 4 or 5 badly aged electrolytic filter caps. When I got it fixed and receive the new EEPROM chip I'll try if my TNT2 card will come back from the dead with some freshly programmed BIOS.

analog_programmer wrote on 2023-07-30, 18:35:

The SDRAM chips are some chinese "brand" of which I can't find any datasheets or info:
"VT3664164T-6"
I suppose they're 6ns, but who knows for sure?

Apparently those are made by "Kreton" who I've never heard of. There's a datasheet here:
http://www.datasheetwiki.com/PDF/616429/VT3664164T-pdf.html
It does give the max clock of the "-6" marked version as 166MHz.

shamino wrote on 2023-07-30, 18:51:

Apparently those are made by "Kreton" who I've never heard of. There's a datasheet here:
http://www.datasheetwiki.com/PDF/616429/VT3664164T-pdf.html
It does give the max clock of the "-6" marked version as 166MHz.

Kreton... never heard of 😀 Thanks for this info. So the RAM has some potential for overclock too.

Disruptor wrote on 2023-07-30, 17:33:

At this time overclocking was possible in higher ranges that you can do it today.
For me it is no wonder that you can reach these ratings.
However, you run them out of spec and this may shorten life. Especially when you do not care about extra cooling.

I found out how to expand the range of the sliders in Powerstrip. The max seems to be roughly 184MHz core, 194MHz RAM. Give or take a couple MHz, it was hard to tell precisely when it starts to have flickers of artifacting. 180/190 definitely works fine, and close enough to the limit.
I had a fan pointed at the card. If I had it in a case and used it for hours, maybe it would start to have issues.
I don't expect to use this card much. But it will be handy whenever I'm curious to benchmark something against an M64.