Bad BIOS flash killed my ASUS HD 7850

[tekgeek1205]

So i was tinkering around with my BIOS because I was tired of dealing with software to OC. After a couple of test flashes of stock BIOS using atiwinflash I decided to go for a modest overclock to start out. I used this BIOS editor to get the job done (https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/radeon-hd77xx-78xx-79xx-bios-editor.183423/). When I went to flash atiwinflash froze up. So I let it sit for a couple hours to make sure it wasn't going to make it. In the end I had to use the power button. So I ended up getting the cheapest video card I could find (GT710) so I could at least watch tv, and use the internet. My only other choice of entertainment would be to get a library card.

 

Ive tried many times to flash back to stock, mostly trying in safe mode. If i try to boot in win10 in regular mode and both video cards in I get a BSOD throwing atikmdag.sys as the problem. I assume this it windows trying to load the 7850's driver and failing.

 

Ive tried to make a DOS boot/atiflash USB flash drive. following many different guides using the respected links for source files. Ive been able to boot in to DOS, but every time i get the error -cant run this program in DOS mode, well something close to that. Ive tried many different download locations all claiming to be atiflash and not atiwinflash.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'm currently stuck playing Sim City(comes with the Origin Access subscription)at 24 FPS. 

 

My next attempt will be a win xp install with the internet disconnected to prevent any drivers from being loaded and using winflash from there. I'm waiting on it to download and its to late for me to dig in to it now. First thing tomorrow morning I'm checking here and then installing XP if no one has other suggestions

[asdf2061]

Have you tried resetting the BIOS?

[xAcid9]

Atiwinflash is a nono for me, dos atiflash is the only way for older GCN. 

[tekgeek1205]

@I_IHaveNoLife_l

What do you mean by reset? Ive got a https://www.asus.com/Graphics-Cards/HD7850DC22GD5V2/. No dual bois or anything special. Basicly a reference card with a big cooler.

 

 

@xAcid9

I cant seam to find the proper files for atiflash, even when downloading from a link claiming to NOT be atiwinflash but atiflash still give me the error- not able to run in dos mode. could you point me in the direction of the correct files please.

 

 

[xAcid9]

2 hours ago, tekgeek1205 said:

@xAcid9

I cant seam to find the proper files for atiflash, even when downloading from a link claiming to NOT be atiwinflash but atiflash still give me the error- not able to run in dos mode. could you point me in the direction of the correct files please.

When u said DOS mode did you mean CMD Prompt or Boot from USB DOS?

[tekgeek1205]

boot from dos usb

 

[tekgeek1205]

i used rufus the HP tool didnt like my USB's

[xAcid9]

Then you can try my atiflash which works for me. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_zcdyw9320dTjFTVElMbnRPRjQ

[tekgeek1205]

thanks, i'll give that file a try.  what do you use to make your usb dos bootable? ive been using win98 dos boot files and rufus

[xAcid9]

i have a couple dos pendrive that i use for troubleshooting at work. Rufus DOS will work too iinm.

[tekgeek1205]

alright thanks, im going to give it another try from dos

[tekgeek1205]

I think I've killed the card

 

@xAcid9 

Using you link for the atiflash I was able to flash stock bios but i still get the gpu light when I try to boot with just the 7850 installed (sabertooth 990FX R2,0). A fresh Windows 10 install and both cards installed let me boot in to windows without the atikmdag.sys bsod. I assume its because there isn't a driver to install so no driver error.

 

any other suggestions before i send it to asus and cross my fingers and pray that they don't realize I flashed modded bios. I'm going to try the asus update tool next then im out of ideas. maybe that will make it look like the asus tool did the damage,

[xAcid9]

What you meant by gpu light?

[tekgeek1205]

my motherboard had diagnostics lights for the CPU, RAM, GPU, and Boot Drive

 

also windows now sees the card as a microsoft basic display adapter. i dont have any drivers installed to avoid the atikmdag.sys BSOD 

[tekgeek1205]

im going to try a bios from techpowerup's vbios database until I get board, ive got another month before the warranty ends, abd i cant make it any worse. 

[tekgeek1205]

HAHAHA IT LIVES!!!!!!

 

None of the Asus BIOS worked but the newsest Sapphire BIOS is currently running Furmark @ stock spec's

[tekgeek1205]

It was a ram compatibility problem, none of the techpowerup asus bios work on cards with ELPIDA ram. the vast majority of 7850's use hynix ram

[kronickiller]

reflash through dos but use a different card to start from and manually select the addresss to flash to

make sure ur flashing the right one lol u dont wanna have to get another card to fix the rest of them

i flashed my 6950 tons of times the wrong way and bricked it

just do ur research on doing it the old school manual way and u will be fine

 

[tekgeek1205]

im so happy its revived! try playing anything on a $30 Nvidia GT710. haha i was stuck playing simcity @ 24fps i think it was 8fps in dragon age origens

[tekgeek1205]

 thanks everyone!

 

[xAcid9]

Now you know how to recover a semi-bricked card, time for a proper BIOS modding. 

 

[tekgeek1205]

tomorrow I will update everyone with my final clock speed

[tekgeek1205]

anyone know there max safe temp for a 7850

[xAcid9]

46 minutes ago, tekgeek1205 said:

anyone know there max safe temp for a 7850

Try keep it below 75c but 80c is still acceptable. Can GPU-Z read your card VRM temperature?

[tekgeek1205]

No the only GPU temp ive got is the core.

 

what do you use to stress test? ive been using furmark

currently testing 1100mhz/1.25v thats 240mhz OC. 71c @50% Fan Speed (auto)