Another possible flaw is simply that we are not flashing with the correct version of the program in question. Many times the average user downloads a version of a program that they have read on the internet, but are not sure whether that version is 100% compatible with their GPU and operating system.
The program opens, does all the steps but when it comes to checking the integrity of the destination file and BIOS it does not do it well, it does not correctly identify the chip and the blinking ends up be a disaster. Sometimes a rather curious error occurred which allowed a system restart and the resulting BIOS corruption, and it is nothing more than not using the software as a system administrator. exploitation, other times the GPU just wasn’t disabled from the device administrator before said blinking, which on many occasions caused the so-called bricking.
Repair the BIOS of a GPU
While it may seem like all is lost after a brickeo, it really isn’t, at least in part. Repairing a BIOS requires re-flashing and sometimes it is not easy at all, so we will start with the easiest way and if this is unsuccessful, add different solutions in their corresponding points.
It should be mentioned that we should avoid any external software that is on the PC of any kind including antivirus or antispyware as they might interpret the flashing as an attack on the GPU which we don’t want .
If the GPU gives an image
Many times the flash makes a part of the bits of the graphics card useless, so it continues to give an image but the driver is not able to recognize it because a part is missing or corrupted on the chip. At this point, the solution is simple and is to disable the graphics card in Windows Device Manager as the first step.
The next step is to take the backup BIOS that we should have done before flashing it and flash it again making sure the software and file are not corrupted and are compatible with our GPU. Many believe that it is and eventually find out that the version of the program does not work.
By opening the software in the Windows interface or directly in CMD as administrator in both cases, we would proceed to flash the BIOS again, where it should not give any errors. After that we would reboot and the GPU should be recognized by the driver, settling in the background again.
This step is valid for AMD or NVIDIA graphics cards with ATIFlash or NVIDIAFlash, as long as you do not cross a GPU from the red team with the software from the green team, because although the program should not detect a GPU from the other manufacturer … We have seen it all.
If the GPU does not give an image
Here things get complicated, as we will have to resort to Windows Safe Mode with another GPU, which should be primary on our motherboard (normally the top PCIe slot) while the affected GPU should be in a different slot and lower to be secondary.
This is important and should not be done the other way around by not moving the GPU, as the allocation of PCIe addresses is important. In any case and already under Windows and with the image of the second GPU, we will have to flash the BIOS on the damaged GPU, indicating to the software where it is in the available options.
Flashing should not be a problem, after which we must restart the PC, enter Windows and see with GPU-Z that our GPU is now recognized, with its BIOS version and of course with its driver.
Change the card switch
You might not know it, but it is possible that your graphics card has two BIOSes, which are changed from a switch which is normally at hand and which just by changing its position will send us to the other BIOS of a second chip included in license plate.
It doesn’t fix the first one, but it does allow us to use the card until we can fix it serenely, in case it has a solution.
GPU does not create an image and is not detected
It could be that the GPU has been totally bricked, that it does not give an image or that it is recognized as secondary, so a flash of any kind is impossible, because even the BIOS of the motherboard does not surely will not be able to see it.
In this case, we are talking about a full-fledged brick and as such it will require a process that is expensive in dollars and a little slower. There are two options here: we do it ourselves or we find someone to do the process for us. But what is there to do?
Flash with a reprogrammer EEPROM the chip in particular. These chips vary among manufacturers, GPUs, and generations, but are generally of the type SOIC-8 NOR Flash o Small contour integrated circuit of 8 pins. There are also 10 and in a lot of models there are more than one, two or even three chips, but where none works, it will be necessary to resort to the said programmer.
It’s already a little advanced, because you have to know how to work with the programmer since you have to bridge the pins of the chip with him to give it power later and be able to flash it, while being unlocked.
It is true that it can also happen that the chip has been physically damaged and that there is no apparent solution. In these cases, you have to unsolder the chip, buy a new one, flash it with a correct BIOS and resolder, although there are many models that, with their correct pinout and tightening, are not needed as such. .
Your GPU BIOS cannot be repaired
If we get to this point where we can’t fix our GPU BIOS and we flashed while loading after reboot, it took a series of incorrect values that affected the board especially the GPU and could cause an overpower or an overfrequency by leaving the card deactivated.
In these cases, all that remains is to process the RMA if we have tried all of the above, because now the card is a paperweight that even with rewrapping could not revive.
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