GTX980 bad vbios flash - trying to recover

[JEFFCOYLE09]

Hi,

I have this GTX980 running in a system using vbios 84.04.2F.00.01 - link: https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/166451/pny-gtx980-4096-141027 - at least that is what it says on the small label on back of card.

I have 2 other GTX980s which have vbios 84.04.84.00.01 - https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/182347/182347 - again that is what it says on the label on back of cards. When this card is in the system Windows stops it and says it has an issue. So we tried to uninstall/re-install drivers, update drivers...etc. Still would not work. So since we noticed the vbios was different we figured that could very well be it. So we decided to download 84.04.2f.00.01 and flash one of these cards. We did so using nvflash --index:3 PNY.GTX980.4096.141027.rom downloaded from above link. We got the happy success message and asked to reboot. After the reboot windows gets to the loading screen, seems to complete, then the display goes black and does not boot into Windows. (USB devices are not functional, and the system is not on Teamviewer "online if booted into windows")

I am now trying to flash the vbios back to the original, but I can only find nvflash 5.163 available for DOS. This version does not support the EEPROM for the GTX980. I cannot find a newer version of nvflash that works in DOS. I have downloaded the latest versions, create a bootable usb stick using rufus (fat32, freedos,) copied the nvflash files over (made sure less than 8 characters in file names) and always get the error Program Cannot Run In Dos.

Am I hosed here?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[eidairaman1]

Stop trying to run in dos.

 

[JEFFCOYLE09]

Stop trying to run in dos.

and run from what then? Since I cannot do it from windows...

 

[eidairaman1]

You will need either an igp or a spare working gpu to boot and post from so that you can flash in windows

 

[JEFFCOYLE09]

I ended up having to boot the system with another GPU, and uninstall the hidden GTX980 in device manager. I then put the GTX back in along with the other card still connected to my monitor. I was able to get into windows at that point and reflash back to the original vbios. What do you think my next steps should be to get these cards working? Try to flash again, I could save the vbios from a working card and try to flash these cards with that one? Should I just stop messing with the vbios and look elsewhere?

 

[eidairaman1]

Since you have a card working again leave it alone.

Other cards that may be bricked you need to put the correct bios on those card that belong to those cards not a different one files files are set up where they have certain memory timings and tables and clock speeds if you put a bios in that's for say a card that has hynix RAM on it but your card actually has El pedia or Samsung it won't work.

 

[JEFFCOYLE09]

Thanks. I see that this card has Elpida RAM and the other has Hynix. I'm still wondering why my system like one and not the other out of the box.

 

[eidairaman1]

Thanks. I see that this card has Elpida RAM and the other has Hynix. I'm still wondering why my system like one and not the other out of the box.

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