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Nvidia VBIOS flashing

Minerstat mining OS supports Nvidia Firmware Update Utility, version 5.414.0 for Nvidia BIOS flashing. Since this is an advanced tool that is not recommended for use if you don't know what you are doing, we decided to keep it at a console level only (without an option to adjust settings through the web dashboard as on AMD Memory Tweak). msOS uses a simplified version for OEM.

Step 1: Disable driver and kernel modules

To use Nvidia Firmware Update tool, you will need to prepare your rig for flashing. Drivers and kernel modules can be disabled by entering the following command to the console: nvunload

This command will call several other Linux comands that are needed to prepare your rig. After that, enter command: sudo init 3

Step 2: List all detected gpu and test unload

To see how many GPUd are detected by the system, checking for current firmware version or adapter position, enter the following command: nvflash --list

Step 3: Backup a single GPU

If you want to save rom of a specific card in the rig, use the command nvflash -i0 --save gpu0.rom

You can create a directory with mkdir /home/minerstat/backup

Then navigate to: cd /home/minerstat/backup and save each GPU .rom with the upper command.

Step 4.1: Flashing all cards

If you want to flash all the cards with the same VBIOS version, use the command nvflash gpu0.rom

If you get subsystem id mismatch, you can use the following command for force flash for all GPUs nvflash -6 gpu0.rom

Step 4.2: Flashing a single card

If you want to flash a specific card in the rig, use the command nvflash -i0 gpu0.rom

If you get an error message that there is a subsystem id mismatch, you can use the following command for force flash for specific GPU nvflash -i0 -6 gpu0.rom

Step 5: Recover the system after backup/flash

After the flash, you need to enable back the Nvidia kernel modules by writing nvload and reboot the rig with forcereboot.

Once again, only use this tool if you know what you are doing. Flashing GPUs BIOS is an advanced technique.

All commands

The following commands are availabe through the console with Nvidia Firmware Update Utility.

  • nvflash [options] to update the VBIOS firmware.
  • nvflash [options] --save to save the VBIOS firmware to file.
  • nvflash [options] --display [bytes] to display the firmware bytes.
  • nvflash [options] --check to check for the supported EEPROM.
  • nvflash [options] --version [] to display the VBIOS version.
  • nvflash [options] --list to list the adapters.
  • nvflash [options] --compare to compare the adapter firmware.
  • nvflash [options] --verify to verify the adapter firmware.
  • nvflash [options] --verify --ifronly to verify the adapter IFR firmware.
  • nvflash [options] --ecid to display the GPU ECID.
  • nvflash [options] --licinfo to display the License information.
  • nvflash [options] --licreq to generate a License Request File.
  • nvflash [options] --license to provide a HULK license file.
  • nvflash [options] --lspci to list out all the PCI devices.
  • nvflash [options] --setpci to access the PCI Configure register.
  • nvflash [options] --buildinfo to display the Build information.
  • nvflash [options] --querygmac to display the MCU version.
  • nvflash [options] --proggmac to update the MCU firmware.
  • nvflash [options] --savegmac to save the MCU firmware to file.
  • nvflash [options] --listgmac to list the MCUs.
  • nvflash [options] --protecton for the write protection EEPROM.
  • nvflash [options] --protectoff to remove write protection.

The following commands are available as shortcuts:

  • nvunload a shortcut prepared by minerstat to list of commands that disable kernel modules and drivers and prepare your rig for flashing.

msOS