Question Broken GTX 1080ti Recovery (artifacts to black screen on windows)

[Avacadoee]

I recently bought a GTX 1080ti Seahawk X off ebay for parts. The parts listing seemed it was only a vbios issue and i payed only roughly $150 for it, $120-125 actual cost of the card. I thought I might as well try it. I had tried using the card but obviously the same things happened that the seller on ebay said would, black screen, not able to get into windows (I was able to get into windows twice with the card and without the use of the extra gpu, but it quickly turned into a black screen and I wasn't able to log in). Although I was able to get into the bios and still am. I used two gpu's on the system and was able to get an output off of the other gpu, a 1050. GPU-Z was able to detect the 1080 ti and I was able to use the system normally, after I disabled the card at least because for some reason it was making the whole system extremely laggy, I attempted the vbios update and it worked. After the update though, nothing changed. I tried different vbios's and while the original model of the vbios worked on this card (the MSI Seahawk X edition), it was not able to change from that vbios. It would give me errors and I was also unable to try and turn the safety off of the nvidia vbios tool giving me an eeprom error, although it probably would not have changed much since it was 10~ years ago information I was finding about this issue. Fast forward a week later after I gave up and tried selling the card on FB marketplace, I got some parts I was trying to test out and thought I should try and give this one another shot. After tweaking some non-important bios things I turned on the system. Turns out it started working! It was actually showing input that wasnt only the bios for once. I was very confused on what had changed so I was waiting for it to just suddenly give up and give that black screen again but it was fine, although at like 720p. I knew it was due to something not being there that usually is on windows (I was using an extra storage drive that I had laying around) and I knew it was the drivers but was confused as to why the drivers would make the gpu brick itself. So, I said screw it and decided to try and install the drivers because maybe one of those non-important bios tweaks actually did the trick. Nah. The gpu bricked itself again, giving a black screen with no input, and now I'm back to step one, only without an ATX motherboard I'm able to use two gpu's on. If anybody can try and figure out this problem or even recognize what it could be it would be a huge help. Thank you.

TLDR- broken 1080 ti bricking itself, tried tweaks didnt work, left it for a while, came back, worked with no drivers, tried installing drivers, didnt work again.

I did also try and update the firmware of the gpu since I was told it was different than the vbios but it didnt do anything either.

 

[Aeacus]

Huge wall of text is hurtful for eyes to read. So, add some spacing.

The parts listing seemed it was only a vbios issue and i payed only roughly $150 for it, $120-125 actual cost of the card. I thought I might as well try it.

Well, you tried it, didn't get lucky and what are you now expecting to get from us?

I recently bought a GTX 1080ti Seahawk X off ebay for parts.

If you bought it as a donor card, then why do you want to get it running normally?

worked with no drivers, tried installing drivers, didnt work again.

Most likely a bad driver chip.

 

[Avacadoee]

Well, you tried it, didn't get lucky and what are you now expecting to get from us?

I'm confused on what you mean, I did buy it myself and am now tryign to fix it like I intended. I do not think I came across as blameful or desperate or angry about the situation, just trying to get help on this problem to see if I can get a working card out of it...

If you bought it as a donor card, then why do you want to get it running normally?

That was the whole point of buying the card?

Most likely a bad driver chip.

Am I able to fix that or what is the origin of the problem? I didn't even know there was a physical driver chip on the pcb of the gpu just thought it was maybe a software issue.

 

[Avacadoee]

Huge wall of text is hurtful for eyes to read. So, add some spacing.

My bad, working on a bigger than average monitor didn't realize it was that big.

 

[Aeacus]

I'm confused on what you mean

Any hardware that is "sold for parts" is intended exactly for that, as a donor device. Since it's far beyond repair and is only good enough for spare parts.

For example, let's say you have 1970 Ford F-150, that you maintain/repair yourself. And rather than buying spare parts from dealership, you buy "donor car", exactly the same 1970 Ford F-150 that you already have, so you have a good source for spare parts. <- Donor car will never be used to build it back up. It is used to take spare parts from. Same with the GPU that you bought.

Am I able to fix that or what is the origin of the problem? I didn't even know there was a physical driver chip on the pcb of the gpu just thought it was maybe a software issue.

You clearly doesn't have enough know-how on fixing GPUs. And it seems that you bought that junk, in hopes to flash the BIOS and get it running, while spending only peanuts for good GPU. Yeah, it doesn't work like that.

Based on your knowledge of GPUs, especially on hardware level, you are not able to fix it. Bare minimum would require identifying the chips on PCB, source where to get replacement chips and soldering.

 

[Avacadoee]

You clearly doesn't have enough know-how on fixing GPUs. And it seems that you bought that junk, in hopes to flash the BIOS and get it running, while spending only peanuts for good GPU. Yeah, it doesn't work like that.

bro did somebody drop you as a child whats with all this aggression??

Any hardware that is "sold for parts" is intended exactly for that, as a donor device. Since it's far beyond repair and is only good enough for spare parts

this card is definitely not far beyond repair, with some time I could probably find the problem, I thought this forum would be a good starting place to help but god damn dude I didn't do anything to you.

Based on your knowledge of GPUs, especially on hardware level, you are not able to fix it.

then try and teach me and help instead of just pushing negative connotations down my throat and calling it a day? I don't have a soldering iron but I highly doubt it's because of a chip on the pcb in the first place. If you can link some articles or youtube videos proving its because of a chip on the board and them showing how to fix it, that would severely help me, thank you.

 

[USAFRet]

If you bought a known broken component, and do not already know how to fix it, you've wasted both time and money.

Apart from replacing a broken fan, a broken GPU is rarely "fixable".

 

[SkyNetRising]

this card is definitely not far beyond repair, with some time I could probably find the problem

If you have bought a known broken card, then obviously you have to be ready, it might not be fixable.

I don't have a soldering iron but I highly doubt it's because of a chip on the pcb in the first place.

That is not a serious attitude, to hope to fix a broken card just by flashing vBIOS.
There can be loads of different possible issues with a broken card -
broken off components, burnt components, cracks in PCB, micro cracks in soldering of GPU chip and ram chips.

If only issue was corrupted vBIOS, then it would be considered luck.
Guess - you were not lucky enough this time.

If you bought 10 more GTX 1080Ti cards, then couple of those probably could be fixed just by flashing vBIOS.
So - buy 10 more. May be you'll get lucky.

 

[Aeacus]

As you can see, i'm not the only one who tells you the cold hard truth. Now, you may not like to hear it, since it's hard to take accountability and admit making a mistake (by buying broken GPU, without little, if any, knowledge to fix it) but this is how things are.

this card is definitely not far beyond repair

You can believe what you want. But you can not repair everything, especially when you don't have the tools and know-how to do it.
Also, often times repairing the hardware costs more than buying a new one, making all the time, effort and money wasted on a fix, pointless.

Your best bet on "fixing" that GPU is to send it in to manufacturer and pay for the repairs, IF the manufacturer is even willing to accept the repair job.

If you can link some articles or youtube videos proving its because of a chip on the board and them showing how to fix it, that would severely help me, thank you.

There is no easy and fast way to gain knowledge on GPU (or any electronics) repair. Your best bet would be enrolling in university at computer engineering course, to study how PCs work on hardware level, including any repairs, if viable.

 

[SyCoREAPER]

I'm seeing too much time wasted on trying to fix and sending it in for repairs is going to outweigh the cost of the card, sending in for repairs, you could have just gotten an Intel A580.

You are assuming it's the vbios is the issue and a reflash would fix it (that blurb of text gave me a headache so I skimmed the OP).

At this point you pee-pee'd your money away.

 

[Tac 25]

OP

your best bet is just try and resell it. Hopefully, someone needs parts.

 

[SkyNetRising]

$125 for a broken card just for parts - this seems kinda steep
(considering only cooling solution is reusable from all that).

Probably won't be able to get all your money back, if going for resell.

 

[Avacadoee]

As you can see, i'm not the only one who tells you the cold hard truth. Now, you may not like to hear it, since it's hard to take accountability and admit making a mistake (by buying broken GPU, without little, if any, knowledge to fix it) but this is how things are.

I promise I'm not not taking accountability for buying a broken part, I understand I did, it was quite literally the first thing I said in this post. It was more like a small side project to be able to maybe get a working GPU out of this. I can take the truth but when you add things like "by buying broken GPU, without little, if any, knowledge to fix it", which clearly is just meant to be taken negatively toward the person the thread becomes a very hostile environment quickly.

There is no easy and fast way to gain knowledge on GPU (or any electronics) repair. Your best bet would be enrolling in university at computer engineering course, to study how PCs work on hardware level, including any repairs, if viable.

what dude.

Probably won't be able to get all your money back, if going for resell.

Lmao, I'll try thanks for the feedback though. It was a nice change of pace from just the entire amount of getting crapped on that happened with this thread suddenly.

If you bought 10 more GTX 1080Ti cards, then couple of those probably could be fixed just by flashing vBIOS.
So - buy 10 more. May be you'll get lucky.

maybe in the future.

Can we act like I didn't say I bought it from ebay as parts though? I feel like I can still get some useful information from this forum. If there are any like problems that people have had with a card I'd be delighted to hear how it turned out and what happened with the card.

 

[Tac 25]

for the entire year I've been here. Have seen several broken gpu threads.. and have seen only one, get succesfully repaired by the thread OP. It's also a 1080ti.

Question - GTX 1080ti FTW3 missing resistors -- need values to replace.

I bought an EVGA 1080ti FTW3 on eBay. When I installed any drivers above 451.48, Windows would freeze. GPU-Z showed a 0.0% TDP with a reason of "IDLE" I ran MATS on the card and it passed with flying colors every time, and with 451.48 or lower the card seemed to run ok, but I want to be able...

forums.tomshardware.com

which is why I mentioned to just resell your broken gpu, since the chance of fixing is very small.

 

[Aeacus]

I can take the truth but when you add things like "by buying broken GPU, without little, if any, knowledge to fix it", which clearly is just meant to be taken negatively toward the person the thread becomes a very hostile environment quickly.

If you can take the truth, then you need to understand that what you want and what you are capable of, are two different things.

You want to fix the GPU. Fine. But willpower enough isn't going to fix it.
You also are not capable of fixing a GPU, on hardware level. For one, you do not have soldering iron to replace the busted caps/chips on the GPU (if there are any). Nor have you any knowledge of what can actually go wrong with GPU. Supplemented by your statement of:

but I highly doubt it's because of a chip on the pcb in the first place

Whereby you aren't even open to any other option, besides software issue. This mentality alone tells us your knowledge about GPUs and repairing GPUs.

Have you actually taken the GPU apart? Heat sink off? Can you identify the components on GPU PCB?

If there are any like problems that people have had with a card I'd be delighted to hear how it turned out and what happened with the card.

Here, loads of topics, feel free to comb through those at your leisure,
forum search: https://forums.tomshardware.com/search/1955038/?q=broken+1080+ti&o=relevance