Problem changing RTX 2060 firmware

[zogthegreat]

Hi everyone!

So I have a Zotac RTX 2060 Gaming 6gb, ZT-T20600H-10H:

https://www.zotac.com/ca/product/graphics_card/zotac-gaming-geforce-rtx-2060-0

I'm trying to upgrade the firmware with the one found here:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/208469/zotac-rtx2060-6144-181127

However, I'm hitting a problem when I try to flash. I'm using the command nvflash64.exe -6 Zotac.RTX2060.6144.181127.rom and I'm getting the following output:

EEPROM ID (9D,7014) : ISSI IS25WP080 1.65-1.95V 8192Kx1S, page

WARNING: Firmware image PCI Subsystem ID (19DA.4520)
does not match adapter PCI Subsystem ID (19DA.1527).
WARNING: None of the firmware image compatible Board ID's
match the Board ID of the adapter.
Adapter Board ID: 010C
Firmware image Board ID: 008A

The firmware that I downloaded seems to match the GPU ID's

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks!

zog

 

[W1zzard]

Note the difference in subsystem ID. Your card 1527, the BIOS 4520

Also mismatch between your prodcut # ZT-T20600H-10H, the BIOS seems to be ZT-T20600F-10M, no idea why they're different

 

[zogthegreat]

@W1zzard I've gone through the other Zotac RTX 2060 files and this one seems to be the correct one:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/?manufacturer=Zotac&model=RTX+2060

Should I try to force the flash or leave it alone until I find a better match?

 

[W1zzard]

First of all, upload your BIOS to our database using GPU-Z, so you have a backup, even if you lose your backup

Why do you want to flash?

 

[zogthegreat]

I

Why do you want to flash?

I want to try overclocking the card. I know that this card is the bottom of the barrel for RTX, but it was all that I could afford.

 

[W1zzard]

You can overclock just fine with the default BIOS

 

[zogthegreat]

OK, thanks. I start trying to overclock as is.

 

[Regeneration]

Your card is a slightly different SKU than what you're trying to flash.

Please upload the current BIOS via GPU-Z and share the link.

Why are you trying to update the BIOS? To increase the power limit?

 

[zogthegreat]

Why are you trying to update the BIOS? To increase the power limit?

Yes, I was trying to increase the power limits for overclocking.

I just uploaded the BIOS, here is the link:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/222273/222273

 

[Assimilator]

Yes, I was trying to increase the power limits for overclocking.

I just uploaded the BIOS, here is the link:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/222273/222273

But... the power limits of the BIOS you want are identical to your current BIOS.

Regardless, don't bother with BIOS flashing unless you know what you are doing. This thread indicates you do not. Overclock the card using MSI Afterburner and leave the BIOS alone.

 

[zogthegreat]

Hmm, I didn't catch that. I thought that I would get an increase in the power limit.

I'll go ahead and leave everything the way it is and just start trying to overclock with the stock firmware.

Thanks for the information and assistance everyone!

 

[Regeneration]

Yes, I was trying to increase the power limits for overclocking.

I just uploaded the BIOS, here is the link:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/222273/222273

Ok, so you're limited to 160w.

Check out this thread for crossflashing instructions and guidelines.

The RTX 2060 AMP BIOS is likely to work and boost power limit up to 190w:

Zotac RTX 2060 VBIOS

6 GB GDDR6, 1365 MHz GPU, 1750 MHz Memory

www.techpowerup.com

Take in mind that crossflashing may brick the card, do it at your own risk, and always good to have a recovery plan.

 

[zogthegreat]

@Regeneration, OK, I'm reading, (very carefully), through the links that you gave me. Should I use the "NVIDIA NVFlash with Board Id Mismatch Disabled" to flash the card or should I just use the nvflash64?

https://www.techpowerup.com/download/nvidia-nvflash-with-board-id-mismatch-disabled/

Also, if for some reason I have a bad flash, can I use a CH341A programmer to reflash the old BIOS onto the card?

 

[Regeneration]

Yes, you'll need NVFlash with Board Id Mismatch Disabled. CH341A will work just fine. It is most likely to work without a problem.

 

[zogthegreat]

OK, I flashed my card with the command "nvflash64_patched_5.590.0 --index=0 -6 214742.rom". The flash seemed to work. I got a message that the update would be applied after reboot. I rebooted my system and I could see the BIOS screen. However.... when the system starts into Windows, my both of my screens are blank. Strangely, the system will boot me into Startup repair after a few reboots and the GPU is working fine there. I'm thinking that I might have a driver problem, but I thought that it would be best to post up my results before proceeding.

Also, is there a DOS version of nvflash? I tried booting into DOS with a USB stick to reflash with the original firmware, but I get an error that "this program can not be run is DOS.

 

[Regeneration]

Press F8 at Windows startup, chose startup options, and run in safe mode or low video mode. Uninstall Nvidia drivers, and then try to reinstall. Try to unplug one monitor and see if it helps.

 

[zogthegreat]

So I booted with a Linux Live USB to verify that the card was working properly. I also ran lspci -vv to get the following output:

Spoiler: lspci -vv

02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation TU106 [GeForce RTX 2060 Rev. A] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: ZOTAC International (MCO) Ltd. TU106 [GeForce RTX 2060 Rev. A]
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 129
Region 0: Memory at de000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Region 1: Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Region 3: Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
Region 5: I/O ports at e000
Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0+,D1-,D2-,D3hot+,D3cold+)
Status: D0 NoSoftRst+ PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
Address: 00000000fee02004 Data: 4026
Capabilities: [78] Express (v2) Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
DevCap: MaxPayload 256 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s unlimited, L1 <64us
ExtTag+ AttnBtn- AttnInd- PwrInd- RBE+ FLReset+
DevCtl: CorrErr- NonFatalErr- FatalErr- UnsupReq-
RlxdOrd+ ExtTag+ PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop+ FLReset-
MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 512 bytes
DevSta: CorrErr+ NonFatalErr- FatalErr- UnsupReq+ AuxPwr+ TransPend-
LnkCap: Port #0, Speed 8GT/s, Width x16, ASPM L0s L1, Exit Latency L0s <512ns, L1 <4us
ClockPM+ Surprise- LLActRep- BwNot- ASPMOptComp+
LnkCtl: ASPM Disabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- CommClk+
ExtSynch- ClockPM+ AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
LnkSta: Speed 2.5GT/s (downgraded), Width x4 (downgraded)
TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
DevCap2: Completion Timeout: Range AB, TimeoutDis+, NROPrPrP-, LTR+
10BitTagComp-, 10BitTagReq-, OBFF Via message, ExtFmt-, EETLPPrefix-
EmergencyPowerReduction Not Supported, EmergencyPowerReductionInit-
FRS-
AtomicOpsCap: 32bit- 64bit- 128bitCAS-
DevCtl2: Completion Timeout: 50us to 50ms, TimeoutDis-, LTR+, OBFF Disabled
AtomicOpsCtl: ReqEn-
LnkCtl2: Target Link Speed: 8GT/s, EnterCompliance- SpeedDis-
Transmit Margin: Normal Operating Range, EnterModifiedCompliance- ComplianceSOS-
Compliance De-emphasis: -6dB
LnkSta2: Current De-emphasis Level: -6dB, EqualizationComplete+, EqualizationPhase1+
EqualizationPhase2+, EqualizationPhase3+, LinkEqualizationRequest-
Capabilities: [100 v1] Virtual Channel
Caps: LPEVC=0 RefClk=100ns PATEntryBits=1
Arb: Fixed- WRR32- WRR64- WRR128-
Ctrl: ArbSelect=Fixed
Status: InProgress-
VC0: Caps: PATOffset=00 MaxTimeSlots=1 RejSnoopTrans-
Arb: Fixed- WRR32- WRR64- WRR128- TWRR128- WRR256-
Ctrl: Enable+ ID=0 ArbSelect=Fixed TC/VC=ff
Status: NegoPending- InProgress-
Capabilities: [250 v1] Latency Tolerance Reporting
Max snoop latency: 3145728ns
Max no snoop latency: 3145728ns
Capabilities: [258 v1] L1 PM Substates
L1SubCap: PCI-PM_L1.2+ PCI-PM_L1.1+ ASPM_L1.2+ ASPM_L1.1+ L1_PM_Substates+
PortCommonModeRestoreTime=255us PortTPowerOnTime=10us
L1SubCtl1: PCI-PM_L1.2- PCI-PM_L1.1- ASPM_L1.2- ASPM_L1.1-
T_CommonMode=0us LTR1.2_Threshold=0ns
L1SubCtl2: T_PwrOn=44us
Capabilities: [128 v1] Power Budgeting <?>
Capabilities: [420 v2] Advanced Error Reporting
UESta: DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
UEMsk: DLP- SDES- TLP- FCP- CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF- MalfTLP- ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
UESvrt: DLP+ SDES+ TLP- FCP+ CmpltTO- CmpltAbrt- UnxCmplt- RxOF+ MalfTLP+ ECRC- UnsupReq- ACSViol-
CESta: RxErr- BadTLP- BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- AdvNonFatalErr+
CEMsk: RxErr- BadTLP- BadDLLP- Rollover- Timeout- AdvNonFatalErr+
AERCap: First Error Pointer: 00, ECRCGenCap- ECRCGenEn- ECRCChkCap- ECRCChkEn-
MultHdrRecCap- MultHdrRecEn- TLPPfxPres- HdrLogCap-
HeaderLog: 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
Capabilities: [600 v1] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=024 <?>
Capabilities: [900 v1] Secondary PCI Express
LnkCtl3: LnkEquIntrruptEn-, PerformEqu-
LaneErrStat: 0
Capabilities: [bb0 v1] Resizable BAR <?>
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau

Since the card was working and I had proper VGA output, the problem had to be drivers. I rebooted into safe mode a couple of times trying to get the drivers to work, but every time I reinstalled the drivers, I would get an instant blank screen. I rebooted into safe mode again and removed the drivers via Device Manager. I then rebooted the system and reflashed the original firmware.

I'm going to try to find out what different drivers Zotac has for the RTX 2060 and see if any of those work, although they should all be the same. Otherwise, I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks @Regeneration , I was typing my update as you posted your reply. Right now I'm running the drivers from Microsith. I'm going to try the Nvidia drivers after I reboot.

 

[Regeneration]

Bricked cards usually give no output at all. It is likely to be drivers.

Removing the drivers from the device manager is insufficient.

Uninstall from the control panel, and perform a cleanup with DDU to purge the monitor metadata from the registry.

If that BIOS is no good, you can try another (with 1xHDMI 3xDP and 8-pin PCIe). 20 percent gain is worth the trouble.

 

[zogthegreat]

So, a bit of an update. So far I've tried all of the firmware's for the Zotac RTX2060 with consistent results... it doesn't work! Here are the steps that I've tried:

Boot into safe mode, use DDU to uninstall the drivers, reboot.

Flash the ROM's with the following command: nvflash64_patched_5.590.0 --index=0 -6 xyz.rom

Reboot and reinstall the drivers, (I've tried installing the drivers both in normal mode and safe mode). I've downloaded the drivers from Zotac as well as the latest Nvidia drivers. I've also tried using the drivers from Microsoft.

Reboot into a blank screen.

Use profanity in hopes of convincing the system to work like it's supposed to.

Try another ROM.

Swear some more.

The strange thing is that Windows sees that card as a Nvidia RTX2060, it just doesn't like the drivers for some reason. Right now, it's no longer about overclocking my card, I want the bleeping thing to work!

Should I try a ROM from a different manufacture that makes the RTX2060? I see 37 different ROM's for the RTX2060 here:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios...=RTX+2060&interface=&memType=&memSize=&since=

 

[bug]

@zogthegreat You are not supposed to update a video card's BIOS. Unlike CPUs, newer versions don't improve things, but rather they are made to support other SKUs.

 

[Regeneration]

So, a bit of an update. So far I've tried all of the firmware's for the Zotac RTX2060 with consistent results... it doesn't work! Here are the steps that I've tried:

Boot into safe mode, use DDU to uninstall the drivers, reboot.

Flash the ROM's with the following command: nvflash64_patched_5.590.0 --index=0 -6 xyz.rom

Reboot and reinstall the drivers, (I've tried installing the drivers both in normal mode and safe mode). I've downloaded the drivers from Zotac as well as the latest Nvidia drivers. I've also tried using the drivers from Microsoft.

Reboot into a blank screen.

Use profanity in hopes of convincing the system to work like it's supposed to.

Try another ROM.

Swear some more.

The strange thing is that Windows sees that card as a Nvidia RTX2060, it just doesn't like the drivers for some reason. Right now, it's no longer about overclocking my card, I want the bleeping thing to work!

Should I try a ROM from a different manufacture that makes the RTX2060? I see 37 different ROM's for the RTX2060 here:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios...=RTX+2060&interface=&memType=&memSize=&since=

Your card seems to have non-standard GTX 1660 PCB design (PG161).

PG161 SKU 42 VGA BIOS +site:techpowerup.com - Google Search

 

[zogthegreat]

@Regeneration Your right about the GTX 1660 PCB, when I was trying to find a waterblock for the card, I found out that the PCB is the same as the GTX 1660, specifically the
ZOotac GTX1660 Twin Fan and the Zotac GTX 1070 X Gaming.

Looking at the different specifications of the the firmware's available, I'm thinking that there is a hardware limit on the voltages, (160w), and that what is happening is that when the drivers load, the card starts drawing more power than the PCB can handle... or something else.

Although as you said before, the extra wattage would be nice. I might try drivers for the GTX 1660 and the GTX 1770 and see if I get anything.
.

 

[LosSantosPro]

Hello,

Just to share experience with my RTX 2060 PG161 SKU Card.

I have an MSI Ventus RTX 2060 OC 6GB (https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/218506/218506)

Most of the RTX 2060 Cards I have seen have board PG160, if you do, then you have a wide selection of VBIOS' to choose from.

However, the PG161 boards have only a few.

Just to give an idea, my card has a 160W limit - by searching Google "PG161 RTX SKU 42 VGA BIOS site:techpowerup.com" I found a Colorful iGame RTX 2060 6GB Ultra OC VBIOS, with a max TDP of 195w instead of 160w!
(https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/217894/217894)

I flashed the card, and got on average 500pts more than the original VBIOS on 3DMark's Time Spy benchmark (7500 to 8000) - obviously, both cards were overclocked on Afterburner, my original BIOS only allowed 110Mhz Increase, no Power Increase, however the Colorful iGame VBIOS allowed 130MHz Increase, and 20% Power Increase (TDP)

Now, you have the same port layout as me (3 DP + 1 HDMI), the Colorful iGame VBIOS has a different layout, which unfortunately disables the bottom two DP ports. (1x HDMI & Top DP works fine) - if thats an issue for you, keep your stock BIOS, or use the Ventus BIOS, which has the same 3DP + 1 HDMI config, and you would get a small boost vs your Zotac (1680MHz on Zotac, 1710MHz on MSI card)

However I can confirm, on average, I get 7-10% increase in performance, and the card does get 2C hotter at load (75C vs 77C), and due to the fact I only ever used a max of 2 monitors, I'll be keeping the Colorful BIOS on my card for the foreseeable future! (As stated, if you do this you will lose access to the bottom two DP ports unless you restore your current or MSI BIOS)

 

[zogthegreat]

Thanks for the information @LosSantosPro !

I'm attaching a pic of my PCB. Could you take a look at it and tell me if it matches your card?

Thanks!

 

[LosSantosPro]

Thanks for the information @LosSantosPro !

I'm attaching a pic of my PCB. Could you take a look at it and tell me if it matches your card?

Thanks!

Yep, looks identical!