Flashing vbios

[emeril322]

So, I'm at my wits end with my constant crashes (display driver failed to start black screens) whenever I'm gaming all of a sudden. It started randomly 2 days ago, and now happens if my card is under any significant load. Just to check, it crashes like that every time I run 3D Mark. I think the last thing I have yet to try to fix it is flashing the vbios, but I've never done that before. Any tips or things I need to know before doing it? I'm pretty sure I've got the right vbios to flash, but I know I should back up my current one (but don't know how to). All the info I can find online seems to be for mobo bios'.

Anything anyone can chime in on? I don't want to brick my card.

[Boomwebsearch]

4 minutes ago, emeril322 said:

So, I'm at my wits end with my constant crashes (display driver failed to start black screens) whenever I'm gaming all of a sudden. It started randomly 2 days ago, and now happens if my card is under any significant load. Just to check, it crashes like that every time I run 3D Mark. I think the last thing I have yet to try to fix it is flashing the vbios, but I've never done that before. Any tips or things I need to know before doing it? I'm pretty sure I've got the right vbios to flash, but I know I should back up my current one (but don't know how to). All the info I can find online seems to be for mobo bios'.

Anything anyone can chime in on? I don't want to brick my card.

 

Use the manufacturer's VideoBIOS Flashing software and avoid third-party flashing tools if possible, connect to an uninterruptible power supply to prevent a failed flash which could brick the card and don't turn off the system or cut power to the system during the updating process. What graphics card are you trying to run an update on, I would most likely be able to check to ensure that you have the right flash file?

[emeril322]

Just now, Boomwebsearch said:

 

Use the manufacturer's VideoBIOS Flashing software and avoid third-party flashing tools if possible, connect to an uninterruptible power supply to prevent a failed flash which could brick the card and don't turn off the system or cut power to the system during the updating process. What graphics card are you trying to run an update on, I would most likely be able to check to ensure that you have the right flash file?

So don't use nvflash? Where do I get their flashing software? Here's the card I bought (on Amazon) 

and here's the vbios I think I need to be using https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/177026/evga-gtx970-4096-150630

Also, I don't have an UPS unfortunately.

[Haro]

2 minutes ago, emeril322 said:

So don't use nvflash? Where do I get their flashing software? Here's the card I bought (on Amazon) 

and here's the vbios I think I need to be using https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/177026/evga-gtx970-4096-150630

Also, I don't have an UPS unfortunately.

Before flashing your GPU what voltage do you have what PSU do you have and how old is it 

[merco]

I read a bit about it because of the weird launch of the 5600 xt, I thought the recovery part was interesting: 

 

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/3550-guide-how-to-flash-amd-gpu-vbios-rx-5600-xt

 

Obviously this is an AMD card but maybe you can create something similar in case something goes wrong.

[emeril322]

1 minute ago, TofuHaroto said:

Before flashing your GPU what voltage do you have what PSU do you have and how old is it 

um not sure how to check my GPU voltage, but my PSU is an OCZ 850w gold fully modular. The GPU, I purchased about 5 years ago. If you meant PSU age, I bought it about 8 years ago.

[emeril322]

3 minutes ago, merco said:

I read a bit about it because of the weird launch of the 5600 xt, I thought the recovery part was interesting: 

 

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/3550-guide-how-to-flash-amd-gpu-vbios-rx-5600-xt

 

Obviously this is an AMD card but maybe you can create something similar in case something goes wrong.

I used GPU-Z to save a copy of my vbios (I think lol) a few minutes after posting

[Haro]

3 minutes ago, emeril322 said:

um not sure how to check my GPU voltage, but my PSU is an OCZ 850w gold fully modular. The GPU, I purchased about 5 years ago. If you meant PSU age, I bought it about 8 years ago.

Alright well just to be safe and straight up not mess the GPU 

If you have a spare PSU (anything will do) try that and if the issue goes away then it's a bad power delivery from your PSU 

 

[emeril322]

Just now, TofuHaroto said:

Alright well just to be safe and straight up mess the GPU 

If you have a spare PSU (anything will do) try that and if the issue goes away then it's a bad power delivery from your PSU 

 

There's no spare PSU in the house. The issue only happens when under "heavyish" loads, so some games and ALWAYS 3D Mark of course. When the device drivers crash and my screens black out, I can still remote login, and my aspect ratio turns into like... 200x100. It's weird as hell.

[Haro]

Just now, emeril322 said:

There's no spare PSU in the house. The issue only happens when under "heavyish" loads, so some games and ALWAYS 3D Mark of course. When the device drivers crash and my screens black out, I can still remote login, and my aspect ratio turns into like... 200x100. It's weird as hell.

The fact that it only blacks out in hevy work loads does indicate bad power delivery presumably from the PSU 

[emeril322]

1 minute ago, TofuHaroto said:

The fact that it only blacks out in heavy work loads does indicate bad power delivery presumably from the PSU 

It doesn't indicate potentially corrupted vbios?

[Haro]

1 minute ago, emeril322 said:

It doesn't indicate potentially corrupted vbios?

It could but most likely not because if that was a thing it just wouldnt render an image at all 

[emeril322]

Just now, TofuHaroto said:

It could but most likely not because if that was a thing it just wouldnt render an image at all 

Well shit.... if it's the PSU then I have no way of testing it. Is it possible that a different port on the modular PSU would resolve it, or a different modular cable?

[Haro]

Just now, emeril322 said:

Well shit.... if it's the PSU then I have no way of testing it. Is it possible that a different port on the modular PSU would resolve it, or a different modular cable?

It's very unlikely in most cases that a cable causes a problem it could be straight up bad rails or capacitors and vrms from the PSU (which is most likely what the deal it ) if you don't want to risk paying alot for a PSU just get like a cx450 test that and if the problem goes away then the cx450 will be more than enough for your current rig 

Do keep in mind that your PSU is 8 years old and power delivery does decade over time so this is why it's 90% a PSU issue 

[Boomwebsearch]

1 minute ago, emeril322 said:

So don't use nvflash? Where do I get their flashing software? Here's the card I bought (on Amazon) 

and here's the vbios I think I need to be using https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/177026/evga-gtx970-4096-150630

Also, I don't have an UPS unfortunately.

 

I would not trust downloading flash files or software from that website (https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/177026/evga-gtx970-4096-150630), you never know what modifications they made to it and what potentially malicious effect/s they could have. Download the flashing software and additional files from either Nvidia's or EVGA's official websites. If you don't have a UPS, then you are taking a higher chance of bricking the card from a power outage/interruption, although you should be fine if you have decent AC power.

[emeril322]

2 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

It's very unlikely in most cases that a cable causes a problem it could be straight up bad rails or capacitors and vrms from the PSU (which is most likely what the deal it ) if you don't want to risk paying alot for a PSU just get like a cx450 test that and if the problem goes away then the cx450 will be more than enough for your current rig 

Do keep in mind that your PSU is 8 years old and power delivery does decade over time so this is why it's 90% a PSU issue 

But that's so weak (450 vs my current 850) and it's not fully modular. Also I'm trying to hopefully fix this issue without having to spend $ since I haven't been able to work in the last month due to COVID-19

[Haro]

1 minute ago, emeril322 said:

But that's so weak (450 vs my current 850) and it's not fully modular. Also I'm trying to hopefully fix this issue without having to spend $ since I haven't been able to work in the last month due to COVID-19

I fully understand if you have a friend that can offer help do that but seriously flashing your gpu's vbios might ruin it so if you can avoid the problem as a whole and get better power delivery from a friend that will be alot better because as I said this is 90% a PSU problem 

[emeril322]

2 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

I fully understand if you have a friend that can offer help do that but seriously flashing your gpu's vbios might ruin it so if you can avoid the problem as a whole and get better power delivery from a friend that will be alot better because as I said this is 90% a PSU problem 

I have an old Corsair TX750 in my livingroom computer (dunno how old it is) but that's my only PSU option I can think of to test if it's my OCZ PSU. If I try it I'm gonna have to gut BOTH computers just to get the cables out, everything is neatly routed around......

[Haro]

1 minute ago, emeril322 said:

I have an old Corsair TX750 in my livingroom computer (dunno how old it is) but that's my only PSU option I can think of to test if it's my OCZ PSU. If I try it I'm gonna have to gut BOTH computers just to get the cables out, everything is neatly routed around......

I know it's an annoying thing to do but if you can plug that PSU in and if everything goes fine use that until some kind of replacement

[emeril322]

24 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

I know it's an annoying thing to do but if you can plug that PSU in and if everything goes fine use that until some kind of replacement

What if i try plugging my GPU into my buddies rig and then running 3D mark? 

[Haro]

28 minutes ago, emeril322 said:

What if i try plugging my GPU into my buddies rig and then running 3D mark? 

That could work but preferably I recommend your whole system running with a different PSU but that is also an option 

[emeril322]

2 minutes ago, TofuHaroto said:

That could work but preferably I recommend your whole system running with a different PSU but that is also an option 

I tried it in his rig, he's using my card right now, and it's running 3D Mark fine.... 

 

If I could use his PSU in my rig I would, but he said no. He'd have to undo a ton of cables inside his tower. 

[merco]

20 hours ago, emeril322 said:

I used GPU-Z to save a copy of my vbios (I think lol) a few minutes after posting

Well I was more referring to the part where they tell you how to recover it blind with a script, but since it is running in your friends PC your card seems to be fine anyways.