GA104 compatibility

[novice2009]

Hello!
I'm thinking about replacing GA104-300-A1 with GA104-302-A1 (first one seems to be damaged). The only difference in those "-300-" and "-302-". Would it work out?

 

[esserpain]

What kind of replacement are you planning on doing? Are you just thinking of swapping out the GPU core and reattaching it to the same cooler, or something else?

 

[GodisanAtheist]

To answer the most obvious version of the question asked: If you change out one Nvidia graphics card of a certain generation of another of the same generation in your PC, you won't even have to reinstall the drivers the card should just plug and play (although a reinstall is recommended).

If you're doing something more elaborate than that (swapping coolers/water-cooling, electrical work on the card itself etc) please specify.

 

[tabascosauz]

Hello!
I'm thinking about replacing GA104-300-A1 with GA104-302-A1 (first one seems to be damaged). The only difference in those "-300-" and "-302-". Would it work out?

These seem to both be 3070 cores but I'm pretty sure the 302 was the later LHR version, not sure if it would be plug and play, iirc there was a firmware component to the LHR fix

 

[novice2009]

What kind of replacement are you planning on doing? Are you just thinking of swapping out the GPU core and reattaching it to the same cooler, or something else?

I want to replace the GPU chip. I mean unsolder old one ("-300-") and solder in another one "-302-". So the compatibility issue rises up. I'm not sure, might be BIOS contains some coupling with GPU chip.

To answer the most obvious version of the question asked: If you change out one Nvidia graphics card of a certain generation of another of the same generation in your PC, you won't even have to reinstall the drivers the card should just plug and play (although a reinstall is recommended).

If you're doing something more elaborate than that (swapping coolers/water-cooling, electrical work on the card itself etc) please specify.

I want to replace the GPU chip. I mean unsolder old one ("-300-") and solder in another one "-302-". So the compatibility issue rises up. I'm not sure, might be BIOS contains some coupling with GPU chip.

 

[StViolenceDay]

Hello!
I'm thinking about replacing GA104-300-A1 with GA104-302-A1 (first one seems to be damaged). The only difference in those "-300-" and "-302-". Would it work out?

This would work fine after flashing VBIOS to the version shipped with cards manufactured with GA104-302 AND shipped on identical PCB (circuit board).

VBIOS<->chip marking compatibility is simpe - just ensure that VBIOS had correspinding DEVICE_ID according to this list

https://www.reddit.com/r/EtherMining/comments/oha2fy/nvidia_30xx_series_old_vs_new_lhr_identification

But "identical board" can be really hard, sometimes VBIOSes from "similar, but different" boards just don't work, and its hard to tell which exact board VBIOS is corresponding

 

[Onasi]

I want to replace the GPU chip. I mean unsolder old one ("-300-") and solder in another one "-302-". So the compatibility issue rises up. I'm not sure, might be BIOS contains some coupling with GPU chip.

The process itself is doable if you have the tools to reball and resolder the chip, though I would imagine any job you can do will be weaker than the factory one. As for the board compatibility - it’s essentially a coin flip. Theoretically, if the board is “the same” just reflashing the BIOS should be enough for it to work, but, as @StViolenceDay already said, sometimes it might just refuse to budge for no readily apparent reason other than “fuck you”.

 

[novice2009]

The process itself is doable if you have the tools to reball and resolder the chip, though I would imagine any job you can do will be weaker than the factory one. As for the board compatibility - it’s essentially a coin flip. Theoretically, if the board is “the same” just reflashing the BIOS should be enough for it to work, but, as @StViolenceDay already said, sometimes it might just refuse to budge for no readily apparent reason other than “fuck you”.

Thank you for the comprehensive reply! My optimism is getting down..

This would work fine after flashing VBIOS to the version shipped with cards manufactured with GA104-302 AND shipped on identical PCB (circuit board).

VBIOS<->chip marking compatibility is simpe - just ensure that VBIOS had correspinding DEVICE_ID according to this list

https://www.reddit.com/r/EtherMining/comments/oha2fy/nvidia_30xx_series_old_vs_new_lhr_identification

But "identical board" can be really hard, sometimes VBIOSes from "similar, but different" boards just don't work, and its hard to tell which exact board VBIOS is corresponding

Thanks for the valuable link!
I have as well GA104-150-KC-A1 (RTX 3060 from MSI). "KC" means switched off C memory channel. But "-150-" is not clear..

 

[Onasi]

Thanks for the valuable link!
I have as well GA104-150-KC-A1 (RTX 3060 from MSI). "KC" means switched off C memory channel. But "-150-" is not clear..

It’s just an indication that it’s a further cut down chip for the use in the 3060. It’s not going to work for a 3070 full stop, it doesn’t have the cores needed.

 

[StViolenceDay]

I have as well GA104-150-KC-A1 (RTX 3060 from MSI). "KC" means switched off C memory channel. But "-150-" is not clear..

That was not common during that list creation, so absent there.

GA104-150 has ID of 10DE 2487 for GA104-based 3060s

This can be found for example from clicking "View all GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB GA104 specs in our GPU Database" from this VBIOS
The VBIOS contains the chip id, the database contains the chip marking (however, some markings are not metioned in the spec)

 

[novice2009]

This would work fine after flashing VBIOS to the version shipped with cards manufactured with GA104-302 AND shipped on identical PCB (circuit board).

VBIOS<->chip marking compatibility is simpe - just ensure that VBIOS had correspinding DEVICE_ID according to this list

https://www.reddit.com/r/EtherMining/comments/oha2fy/nvidia_30xx_series_old_vs_new_lhr_identification

But "identical board" can be really hard, sometimes VBIOSes from "similar, but different" boards just don't work, and its hard to tell which exact board VBIOS is corresponding

I see you are familiar with hardware. I would be appreciated for some advise. I canceled my first plan to replace the GPU and are trying to repair the original board. The first problem I see - it is short in 1V8 net.
The card was damaged mechanically, but board is barely bended - deviation from a flat plane is about thickness of the PCB. I inspected all the components but don't see any suspicious components.
First I checked the IC which forms 1V8 - no short (I desoldered drossel and checked both sides - the short is on the load side).
Second idea was - the problem in GPU. Removed GPU - the short still on board.
Third idea - memory chips. To check it without removing I applied 0.7V to the 1V8 line and got 4A current! But! No hot elements, the only warm is wire I used for connection to the 1V8 net. Warm components I looked for with thermal camera. The short is so good, way below 1Ohm, that the multimeter was unable even to measure the resistance.
Could you please type your opinion, what could it be. Sure I could bring it to the repair site, but commercially it doesn't worth. The only principle)
Thank you in advance

 

[StViolenceDay]

"Nothing heats with the GPU removed" short type on 1V8 can be situation like "the balls under VRAM ICs were melted during GPU unsoldering and some VRAM IC was accidently touched causing direct connection between 1V8 and GND".

Also, here are the measurements for unsoldered GA104 chip. Measure the capacitors on the chip to check their resistance. Ignore green, for others measure each color once, the value shouldn't be less then 80% of the reference picture.