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Best way to check if the BIOS of a used card was modified/used for mining?

Cyber Akuma
By Cyber Akuma
in Graphics Cards
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Posted

I just purchased a GTX 1060 on eBay for almost suspiciously cheap (A PNY VCGGTX10606PB-CG ), looking at the seller's other items I think I can guess why, they had a handful of GTX 1060, RTX 3080  and RTX 3090 cards as well as bags of PCIe to SATA power adapters, so feels like the chances of this being previously a mining card are high (Is it common that miners would keep the boxes the cards came in? Feels like that's something that would get tossed, but this card comes with it's box as did most of the others). 

 

If the seller had modified it's BIOS (and didn't re-flash it back before selling), what would be the best way for me to check? I know I can dump the BIOS using GPU-Z, but I am not sure how that would help since I am not aware of any checksum repository for them, especially if it's not listed on TechPowerup. And I also don't know if there could possibly be other settings somewhere that could have been changed or if it's all in the BIOS and if it checks out, the card is stock. 

 

If it is modified, I know I can use NVflash and a BIOS from TechPowerup to reflash it, but if the flash were to fail, would it be possible to try flashing it again by using a different card to display video? I have a spare GT 720 I can use alongside the GTX 1060 in case a bad flash bricks it and I need to see what I am doing in an attempt to re-flash it. Or would a bad flash kill the card to the point that I can't even re-flash it anymore?

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GPUZ is all I have used to look at Firmeware and BIOS versions.  

I don't know if it is 100% fool proof but I have reflashed a card in the past and it did show the updated BIOS after.

 

I would definitely use the 720 when flashing the 1060.

 

Have you tested the 1060?  Is there something wrong with the performance?

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No, the auction literally ended about 10 min ago and I just paid, I just wanted to make sure I know what to do with it arrives instead of it arriving and then trying to figure out how to tell of it's been modified for mining.

 

Looking at it's BIOS is easy, but I have no idea how to tell if that BIOS is stock or not.

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Doubt anyone would mod the bios to mine on those. Some quick bench tests would tell you if its been done if comparing bios's wont.

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In most cases flashing the BIOS is harmless if done correctly. And if the card doesn’t have its original BIOS it has probably been flashed. You can check the original BIOS online. 

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6 hours ago, Bobbysixjp said:

In most cases flashing the BIOS is harmless if done correctly. And if the card doesn’t have its original BIOS it has probably been flashed. You can check the original BIOS online. 

 

That's kind of what I am asking how to do. How would I check/compare if the BIOS has been modified vs ones online?

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Use GPU-Z to check the current BIOS. It should match this one:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/186085/pny-gtx1060-6144-160704
If it doesn’t, then you know it’s been flashed with a different BIOS. 

CPU i7 14700K | CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12A | Motherboard MSI Pro Z690-A | GPU Zotac Airo RTX 4080 | RAM 32 GB GSkill Ripjaws V 4400
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Would it be possible for someone to modify the BIOS but keep the version number? Is there a way I can compare the checksum of my card's BIOS with known stock ones online?

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Don’t know if that’s possible. Doesn’t that link give you the original BIOS file?

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The card just came in, and, should I be worried that TechLookup does not seem to recognize it?
 
Despite the model number being in TechLookup's database, when I clicked "Lookup" on GPU-Z it brought me to a page that claims that the card is not recognized: QIfEmJk.png
 
The card is a A PNY NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1060 6GB, model number: VCGGTX10606PB-CG  
 
It's BIOS version number (86.06.45.00.C6) also does not match any of the BIOS versions on TechLookup's site for that card: BXX7FjH.gif

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You should be worried. I'm not, nor have I ever been worried about buying an nvidia card thats been flashed. Isnt common for the reasons you are thinking. I've never been on their site since moving on from kepler as thats the only time it was relevant when it came to bios mods. 

Just run it.

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Spare RIg Lian Li O11 AIR MINI, I7 4790K, Asus Maximus VI Extreme, G.Skill Ares 2400 32Gb, EVGA 1080ti, 1080sc 1070sc & 1060 SSC, EVGA 850GA, Acer KG251Q 1920x1080@240hz

 

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5 minutes ago, Mick Naughty said:

You should be worried.

typo? But I agree with the rest about not being worried.

@Cyber AkumaI'm also curious why a mining GPU is so bad?

I'm not actually trying to be as grumpy as it seems.

I will find your mentions of Ikea or Gnome and I will /s post. 

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It's more that if it has been messed with to mine better and not changed back I would need to know how to change it back myself, that and it's a little disconcerting if the seller does not want to admit it if it was used for mining.

 

Right now I am doing stress tests to make sure it doesn't crash or artifact.

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32 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

typo? But I agree with the rest about not being worried.

@Cyber AkumaI'm also curious why a mining GPU is so bad?

Not a type. They should be as they already are. 

Main RIg Corsair Air 540, I7 9900k, ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero, G.Skill Ripjaws 3600 32GB, 3090FE, EVGA 1000G5, Acer Nitro XZ3 2560 x 1440@240hz 

 

Spare RIg Lian Li O11 AIR MINI, I7 4790K, Asus Maximus VI Extreme, G.Skill Ares 2400 32Gb, EVGA 1080ti, 1080sc 1070sc & 1060 SSC, EVGA 850GA, Acer KG251Q 1920x1080@240hz

 

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28 minutes ago, Cyber Akuma said:

It's more that if it has been messed with to mine better and not changed back I would need to know how to change it back myself, that and it's a little disconcerting if the seller does not want to admit it if it was used for mining.

 

Right now I am doing stress tests to make sure it doesn't crash or artifact.

It’s not common to flash nvidia cards. So no reason to assume it was.

Plenty of info on how to flash the card on google. 

Main RIg Corsair Air 540, I7 9900k, ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero, G.Skill Ripjaws 3600 32GB, 3090FE, EVGA 1000G5, Acer Nitro XZ3 2560 x 1440@240hz 

 

Spare RIg Lian Li O11 AIR MINI, I7 4790K, Asus Maximus VI Extreme, G.Skill Ares 2400 32Gb, EVGA 1080ti, 1080sc 1070sc & 1060 SSC, EVGA 850GA, Acer KG251Q 1920x1080@240hz

 

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