RE: Asus Strix 980 Ti rev 2 Bios chip location?

[RETROKOMODO]

Hi there,

Does anyone know where the bios chip is on the board of a Strix 980 Ti rev 2? I've got it in bits and checked both sides and cannot identify the location of the chip!

The card works in Windows. Sort of. It installs drivers and is seen in HWMonitor etc but I have to go in using another primary GPU as the Ti has no output. I suspect it to be a flashed mining card. I have tried all manner of nvflash versions and different options to force a bios update but it keeps complaining about the EEPROM. So what I plan on doing is getting one of those usb connected programmer boards with a ribbon cable and clip to attach to the chip to program it that way. Only I can't find the chip

I've tried the Google and YouTube route but have found absolutely nothing! Lots of videos showing where the mosfets and memory modules etc are, but none indicating the location of the bios chip. Nothing on my Strix looks like the bios chips on other gpu's!

The reason for this, is this 980 Ti is for my Windows XP machine. I've got in a 950, 960, 970, 980, this borked 980 Ti, and an HD 7970 for benchmarking out XP performance in a video - but the Ti has stalled my progress. Everything else is benchmarked.. So if anyone could point me to an image or article i've missed I can get back on track!

When I opened it up I found the blue tissue paper over the die as seen in the last pic. Apparently this indicates someone tried fixing it already, then popped that in to protect the gpu when re-attaching the cooler.. so i'm hoping to succeed where they gave up! I have also indicated in pic 7 three locations that look like they should mount the correct chip.. but there is nothing there. Surely it must be somewhere else then? as otherwise it wouldn't register in windows as pics 1, 2 & 3 show it does? So confused..

EDIT:

I have found a pic here which has a bios chip (i think) between the dvi port and memory chips:

and on the TPU page here: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/asus-gtx-980-ti-strix-gaming/3.html I find that this image is of a rev 1 board. Mine is a rev 2, but wouldn't it be in the same place or close to? So does this mean that my chip is.. missing??

Irritatingly I can only find tear-downs of the initially released card. not the second version. Any assistance gratefully received!

EDIT #2: Some more internet sleuthing found this video of a rev 2 teardown:

so yes. My chip is missing. That'll teach me to buy from eBay!

Ok.. Is it a standard chip I can get online? or might anyone know if it is something specific?

 

[eidairaman1]

Next time return the non working card. It is not worth fighting for it.

There are plenty of pcb repairers on youtube now, krisfix.de is 1, you may shoot them an email about ID'ing your firmware chip.

 

[RETROKOMODO]

wonderful - thanks for the info!

 

[Regeneration]

Your BIOS chip is missing. If you know someone capable of soldering, try to obtain Winbond 25X20CLNIG, flash it with SPI programmer and then solder it.

 

[RETROKOMODO]

That is precisely the info I needed. Many thanks!

View attachment 249458

Your BIOS chip is missing. If you know someone capable of soldering, try to obtain Winbond 25X20CLNIG, flash it with SPI programmer and then solder it.

Perhaps a silly follow-up question, but if the chip is missing.. how is Windows recognizing it and installing the drivers?

It also looks like I'm missing whatever this is

 

[eidairaman1]

Looks like it was modded

 

[RETROKOMODO]

Next time return the non working card. It is not worth fighting for it.

There are plenty of pcb repairers on youtube now, krisfix.de is 1, you may shoot them an email about ID'ing your firmware chip.

I emailed krisfix and he came back saying I need a GigaDevice GD25Q21BTIG

View attachment 249458

Your BIOS chip is missing. If you know someone capable of soldering, try to obtain Winbond 25X20CLNIG, flash it with SPI programmer and then solder it.

Hi Regeneration, is it the GigaDevice GD25Q21BTIG or the Winbond 25X20CLNIG do you think? as I now have two answers! Also might you have any idea as to what is missing from the back in the pic from a few posts up? A capacitor of some sort? As a follow-up follow-up question.. once both chips are replaced, am I likely to get video output back do you think? Or am I chasing a dream? This card cost me £90 so a lot less than a 'functioning' card - if spending £10 on chips and £10 on the programmer setup gets it up and running I feel it is worth trying!

 

[Regeneration]

Both chips will work, but your card is missing some other SMDs.

I suggest you return it to the seller. Repairing it doesn't worth it, its like 4 gens old.

 

[buildzoid]

your oscillator crystal is also missing. Honestly I'd think the card was being used as a donor card or someone already failed at fixing it.

EDIT: Have you checked any resistances on the card? It's possible the person who pulled parts of it came to the conclusion that the core is dead(low Vcore or low PEX resistance).

 

[RETROKOMODO]

your oscillator crystal is also missing. Honestly I'd think the card was being used as a donor card or someone already failed at fixing it.

EDIT: Have you checked any resistances on the card? It's possible the person who pulled parts of it came to the conclusion that the core is dead(low Vcore or low PEX resistance).

Sorry - don't have the kit for doing that. I'm more a system builder than tinkerer! I know it's an older card but I think it's worth a try at getting it running. It's to go in my XP machine with modded drivers, so although long in the tooth for windows 10/11, I'm happy to have a play with it for my XP rig. The solder points look big enough for me to be able to cope with for both the bios and the oscillator crystal.. I guess I just need to know what oscillator crystal to get! I like a challenge, so i'd rather attempt a repair myself rather than return it
It does show up in windows and installs as expected which i'd guess wouldn't happen if the core were dead?

 

[buildzoid]

Sorry - don't have the kit for doing that. I'm more a system builder than tinkerer! I know it's an older card but I think it's worth a try at getting it running. It's to go in my XP machine with modded drivers, so although long in the tooth for windows 10/11, I'm happy to have a play with it for my XP rig. The solder points look big enough for me to be able to cope with for both the bios and the oscillator crystal.. I guess I just need to know what oscillator crystal to get! I like a challenge, so i'd rather attempt a repair myself rather than return it
It does show up in windows and installs as expected which i'd guess wouldn't happen if the core were dead?

Well this might be the correct crystal for the card: https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/products/detail/ecs-inc/ECS-270-18-23B-JTM-TR/9953225 but I'm not 100% sure since I don't have the original part number to try match the specs. The one I linked is the correct frequency and size but might not be the correct capacitance.

And here's the winbond ROM chip: https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/products/detail/winbond-electronics/W25X20CLSNIG/3008613

However I really want to stress that if someone remove these 2 chips then the card probably has other issues. Windows detecting a card doesn't actually say much about it's health. So it's probably very very dead and you're just wasting your time. Especially if you can't even take resitance measurements on the card.

Also these weren't removed:

The card doesn't come with those chips.

 

[RETROKOMODO]

Well this might be the correct crystal for the card: https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/products/detail/ecs-inc/ECS-270-18-23B-JTM-TR/9953225 but I'm not 100% sure since I don't have the original part number to try match the specs. The one I linked is the correct frequency and size but might not be the correct capacitance.

And here's the winbond ROM chip: https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/products/detail/winbond-electronics/W25X20CLSNIG/3008613

However I really want to stress that if someone remove these 2 chips then the card probably has other issues. Windows detecting a card doesn't actually say much about it's health. So it's probably very very dead and you're just wasting your time. Especially if you can't even take resitance measurements on the card.

Also these weren't removed:
View attachment 249486
The card doesn't come with those chips.

Wow! Thanks!! Well they are literally 'cheap as chips' so I might as well give it a go. I already have another 980 Ti on the way anyway, so I can use this Asus one as tinkering practice Yeah - I think you may be right.. Why would someone take the chips off a working card? I'm hoping it's because this one was the most expendable and they needed the parts..? Either way I (probably) can't make it more broken by trying to fix it
Thanks Buildzoid - fingers crossed i'll come back a while from now with good news!