How to repair GPU after failed flash?

[vulpix]

My gtx 1070 randomly stopped working. The monitor would go black and the fans would get very loud.
After restarting it said please power down and connect the pci cables. I got a new psu and it still did not work so I tried flashing it to a
newer gpu bios. Now when I start the pc the monitor just stays black. My Cpu does not have integrated graphics but I have an older secondary gpu. Blind flashing does not work because if I try it through cmd and nvflash it says no adapter detected and the gpu also does not show up in the device manager. What can I do?

 

[pavle]

Exactly which BIOS did you put on this gtx 1070 card? And of which variety is the card (please post some pictures of card's stickers).

 

[vulpix]

I tried to put on the bios version 86.04.1E.00.5E for my gtx 1070 8gb oc armor by msi. I feel like the flash did not work tho.

 

[Imperator]

Hello.
Your card have that BIOS switch ?
In order to try the secondary BIOS it would be interesting to look for that switch

 

[neatfeatguy]

So, your card was working and then stopped working. What made you think flashing the BIOS was the fix?

If a card stops working it can be a number of issues, in no particular order:

• monitor problem
• bad video cable
• driver issue (most likely things would go back to working upon a restart)
• corrupt windows
• bad PSU
• failure on the GPU (VRAM, solder joint, fan/heatsink causing over heating and so on)
• GPU isn't seated properly on the MB

Some of those issues can be resolved through proper troubleshooting and some, sadly, cannot. However, BIOS flashing is the absolute very last ditch effort thing to do to a GPU. Flashing the BIOS without knowing if the card is actually functional or not could certainly brick the card making it non-functional.

 

[Imperator]

However, BIOS flashing is the absolute very last ditch effort thing to do to a GPU

I got a new psu and it still did not work so I tried flashing it to a
newer gpu bios

@neatfeatguy - i totally agree with you. Flashing a BIOS will not rescue a card....unless someone tampered the old BIOS.
If for some reason the card stopped working , the flashing procedure won't revive it.

@vulpix - so you tried ? or you really did it ?

 

[vulpix]

Hello.
Your card have that BIOS switch ?
In order to try the secondary BIOS it would be interesting to look for that switch

I dont think it has one.

So, your card was working and then stopped working. What made you think flashing the BIOS was the fix?

If a card stops working it can be a number of issues, in no particular order:

• monitor problem
• bad video cable
• driver issue (most likely things would go back to working upon a restart)
• corrupt windows
• bad PSU
• failure on the GPU (VRAM, solder joint, fan/heatsink causing over heating and so on)
• GPU isn't seated properly on the MB

Some of those issues can be resolved through proper troubleshooting and some, sadly, cannot. However, BIOS flashing is the absolute very last ditch effort thing to do to a GPU. Flashing the BIOS without knowing if the card is actually functional or not could certainly brick the card making it non-functional.I

I feel like the cable connector or the gpu in total is the problem since a new psu did not fix it. A different slot also did not fix the problem.

@neatfeatguy - i totally agree with you. Flashing a BIOS will not rescue a card....unless someone tampered the old BIOS.
If for some reason the card stopped working , the flashing procedure won't revive it.

@vulpix - so you tried ? or you really did it ?

Well I pressed y to confirm the flash and then the monitor went black. Then the pc shut down and after booting it manually I only got a blackscreen.

 

[bug]

Out fi curiosity, why did you flash? Did you think the BIOS went bad just laying there?

 

[vulpix]

Out fi curiosity, why did you flash? Did you think the BIOS went bad just laying there?

I thought maybe the bios was the problem so I wanted to flash a later version on it.

 

[ThaiTaffy]

You will probably need a eeprom programmer to re-flash it at this point unless there's some other way to re-flash a bricked bios chip.

Guess your going to need a crash course about SPI reading/flashing and pomona clips.

 

[Regeneration]

How to recover from a bad video BIOS flash

Almost every day there are new threads regarding bricked graphics cards due to wrong BIOS flashing, and since eidairaman1 is no longer around to help, here is a guide how to deal with a bad VGA BIOS flash. Find the correct BIOS First off, you'll have to find a copy of the original BIOS. In case...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[Just Some Noise]

Use the secondary GPU in the main slot and put your 1070 in another slot. Boot up either to Windows (Linux,MacOS......) or DOS with NVflash. List all the detected GPUs and flash your 1070. Be carefull, if your second GPU is also a NVidia and you force flash the BIOS, your second GPU will also need a recovery.

Also:
Nvidia GPU Bioses actually are pretty much compatible with all the Nvidia GPUs of the same chip type. (sometimes even with other chip types). The only thing that differs is the video output config. So try a different video output on your 1070 before reflashing it.

 

[vulpix]

Use the secondary GPU in the main slot and put your 1070 in another slot. Boot up either to Windows (Linux,MacOS......) or DOS with NVflash. List all the detected GPUs and flash your 1070. Be carefull, if your second GPU is also a NVidia and you force flash the BIOS, your second GPU will also need a recovery.

Also:
Nvidia GPU Bioses actually are pretty much compatible with all the Nvidia GPUs of the same chip type. (sometimes even with other chip types). The only thing that differs is the video output config. So try a different video output on your 1070 before reflashing it.

I dont think I can flash it because it does not show up in my device manager even though its in the pci slot. And when I plug the power cables into the 1070 so that both gpus should have the power to run I just get blackscreen after rebooting.

 

[Just Some Noise]

Have you tried the different video outputs on your GPU?
Try all the different DP and/or HDMI ports.

The good thing is, the bios actually works. As funny as it sounds, but the vBios most likely stops the card from initializing at all without the PCIe power cables.

 

[vulpix]

Have you tried the different video outputs on your GPU?
Try all the different DP and/or HDMI ports.

The good thing is, the bios actually works. As funny as it sounds, but the vBios most likely stops the card from initializing at all without the PCIe power cables.

Yeah I tried all ports, DP and HDMI

 

[Just Some Noise]

Ok then.

One more thing before i say use a CH341A and a SOIC8 clip.

Without the 1070 plugged in, look in your UEFI BIOS if you are able to set a specific PEG slot.
If not, then the easiest way would be to use either a different computer or motherboard and CPU (friend or old computer) with an IGD.

If you do not have access to one, the cheapest way would be a CH341A programmer and a SOIC8 clip. Here in Europe they cost arround 10-15 Euros including the clip and a bunch of other adapters on Amazon.

Although unlikely given the perfect timing, but it could also be that your gpu finally died. For me the described blackscreen and error message before the flash would suggest that one or more of your MOSFETS (EDIT: Sorry, Powerstages) or related components are dying.

 

[vulpix]

And when using a pc with an integrated gpu ill just change the primary gpu in the bios to the integrated one, put my 1070 in and use nvflash?

 

[pavle]

And when using a pc with an integrated gpu ill just change the primary gpu in the bios to the integrated one, put my 1070 in and use nvflash?

Try doing that first/flashing it with original graphics BIOS. See if nvflash sees the card at all.

 

[eidairaman1]

That gpu died