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Need help finding original VBIOS

12AliH

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Apr 4, 2023
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So.. bought this XFX MERC SPEEDSTER 6800XT from eBay spares and repairs (it doesn’t show display) get the dreaded error code 43 when booting from integrated graphics and installing drivers gives no luck. Figured it’s the wrong bios tried a one from the bios collection here following the model and had no luck. Need help finding the original bios to flash it back to only have these pictures as one was scratched off.
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There are dual bios on that GPU. Have you tested both? If neither works, I would suspect you have a more serious problem than the bios.
 
There are dual bios on that GPU. Have you tested both? If neither works, I would suspect you have a more serious problem than the bios.
Yes, like spending money on anything XFX.
I'm still salty as all hell @ them over the HD 4890 debacle...

XFX was and (IMO) is notorious for cost-cutting on PCB design, board-level components, and cooling(even their 'premium' models have had mounting issues, etc.).
I made the mistake of 'forgiving them' and buying an XFX R9 290 2nd hand; yeah, that was a mistake. It killed itself w/in the year after I bought it and ended up schmoozing a discounted Asus DCII 290X out of my boss @ work.
That XFX R9 290 was a shoddily put-together card, just like their late-run non-ref HD 4890s. I still see a *lot* of 'dead' XFX cards all over eBay; I take that as a sign that they have *not* changed...

At least you bought it under the expectation it was non-functional, and the cooler is worth $20-80 by itself.


Here, I'll try to help (rather than just whinge)




Also, as a PSA:
You can use Google* to search TPU's vBIOS database; AFAIK that's the only way to find the 'unverified/unlisted' vBIOSs.
For instance, I found those vBIOS by searching
The : is the special part. It tells the search engine to only search for (and within) subpages of the supplied URL.

*I'm not sure if this works with other search engines. I haven't tried it.
 
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Yes, like spending money on anything XFX.
I'm still salty as all hell @ them over the HD 4890 debacle...

XFX was and (IMO) is notorious for cost-cutting on PCB design, board-level components, and cooling(even their 'premium' models have had mounting issues, etc.).
I made the mistake of 'forgiving them' and buying an XFX R9 290 2nd hand; yeah, that was a mistake. It killed itself w/in the year after I bought it and ended up schmoozing a discounted Asus DCII 290X out of my boss @ work.
That XFX R9 290 was a shoddily put-together card, just like their late-run non-ref HD 4890s. I still see a *lot* of 'dead' XFX cards all over eBay; I take that as a sign that they have *not* changed...

At least you bought it under the expectation it was non-functional, and the cooler is worth $20-80 by itself.


Here, I'll try to help (rather than just whinge)




Also, as a PSA:
You can use Google* to search TPU's vBIOS database; AFAIK that's the only way to find the 'unverified/unlisted' vBIOSs.
For instance, I found those vBIOS by searching

The : is the special part. It tells the search engine to only search for (and within) subpages of the supplied URL.

*I'm not sure if this works with other search engines. I haven't tried it.
Thank you for your response managed to find an unverified bios that I think might do the trick, going to test it tonight!
 
Before you flash ANYTHING -
1. Have you overwritten both sides of the BIOS switch?
2. Can you check and see what the model number of the VRAM chips is?
 
Before you flash ANYTHING -
1. Have you overwritten both sides of the BIOS switch?
2. Can you check and see what the model number of the VRAM chips is?
flashed every xfx merc speedster bios known to mankind lmao. The black edition ones wouldnt boot so had to switch to the second bios to re-write the first. But I've come to the conclusion it is not a bios issue. There's something deeper thats causing this card not to show display and giving error code 43 in windows!
 
If the second BIOS isn't overwritten, can you get a GPU-Z screenshot?
 
flashed every xfx merc speedster bios known to mankind lmao. The black edition ones wouldnt boot so had to switch to the second bios to re-write the first. But I've come to the conclusion it is not a bios issue. There's something deeper thats causing this card not to show display and giving error code 43 in windows!

You probably shouldn't listen to me, but:
I'd bake it :D

Now, for something 'safe' that you can try w/o much concern:
Try taping-off the PCIe lanes, down to x8, then x4, and lastly x1.
Also, you could try (in UEFI) forcing your PCIe slot (that the card is in) down to Gen2, and then Gen1 speeds.
Gen 1 and Gen 2 signaling on boards equipped for Gen 3, 'should' make for exceptional signal integrity, and might even end up more-tolerant of damaged ancillary PCIe components.
pcie-slot-big.gif

I've seen at least 2 GPUs on eBay that only function w/ taped-off PCI-e lanes. (I had considered buying an MSI Vega 64 that only worked @ X8)

I'm GUESSING the caps on the TX/RX serial links went bad or were physically damaged by ape-like behavior (speaking from experience).
If you're experienced w/ board-level diag and repair, diagnosing and fixing that failure-mode, would be pretty easy. I, am not, and (almost literally) shudder at the thought of hand-soldering tiny little SMD components.
 
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