Is there any way to disable the RGB on an MSI graphics card without Dragon Center or other software running?

[CerealExperimentsLain]

I November I picked up an MSI RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio, my case doesn't have windowed panels but the card has RGB lights so I have unicorn halo's leaking out of my vents.  The motherboard from Asus has something similar but it was easy to disable that in the BIOS.  For the graphics card however, I could only disable it through software in windows but after disabling it, I uninstalled the software hoping the setting would stick, that it had been stored in a NVRAM chip or something on the card, but no, whiteout the software it was back to unicorn's trying to escape my desktop.  Clearly it was the software asking the RGB lights to turn off when the software started. 

Is there any way to simply disable the RGB lighting on a card like this, like outright, so no matter what OS, what software, what machine it's plugged into, the RGB lights are dark?

[Crunchy Dragon]

You could try unplugging the LEDs from the PCB on the card itself.

[CerealExperimentsLain]

1 minute ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

You could try unplugging the LEDs from the PCB on the card itself.

In the case of this card, the RGB LEDs are for sure part of the PCB itself, just with the defusion integrated into the backplate.  Nothing to unplug there

[johnsoner13]

15 minutes ago, CerealExperimentsLain said:

In the case of this card, the RGB LEDs are for sure part of the PCB itself, just with the defusion integrated into the backplate.  Nothing to unplug there

Lol what? No. Tear it down and unplug the cable for the rgb

[CerealExperimentsLain]

2 minutes ago, johnsoner13 said:

Lol what? No. Tear it down and unplug the cable for the rgb

Not my photo but this is the PCB for the card via Tech Powered Up and that's the six RGB LEDs alone the white strip on the PCB.  I don't know what you expect me to unplug here...

 

[johnsoner13]

5 minutes ago, CerealExperimentsLain said:

Not my photo but this is the PCB for the card via Tech Powered Up and that's the six RGB LEDs alone the white strip on the PCB.  I don't know what you expect me to unplug here...

 

Then just cover up the leds

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, CerealExperimentsLain said:

Not my photo but this is the PCB for the card via Tech Powered Up and that's the six RGB LEDs alone the white strip on the PCB.  I don't know what you expect me to unplug here...

 

You could always try physically covering the LED's with tape or something, since looks won't matter if its in your case. 

[CerealExperimentsLain]

Just now, Cool_Evlo said:

You could always try physically covering the LED's with tape or something, since looks won't matter if its in your case. 

Covering the diffuser with black tape is certainly an option, though I think we can agree that's the least elegant and would be the last resort.

[Bombastinator]

32 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

You could try unplugging the LEDs from the PCB on the card itself.

This is better than my idea which was a pair of dykes.  I’m not fond of rgb though.

[rmgdnz]

Unfortunately, my experience with this card has been that you do need the software active to turn off the LEDs. You can remove a lot of the junk Dragon Center comes with within the app itself and only keep the Mystic Light module + fan control (if you want zero RPM mode).  

[Middcore]

15 hours ago, CerealExperimentsLain said:

Covering the diffuser with black tape is certainly an option, though I think we can agree that's the least elegant and would be the last resort.

 

If you could see the card I'd agree it would look rather shoddy. However, since your case isn't windowed and your sole concern was light "leaking" through the ventilation, I'd just put tape over it. You'll never be able to see it.