Nvidia Fermi cores (Tesla C2075) can be unlocked (Proof)

[erek]

"Just a short demo video to prove that a Tesla C2075 (448 Core) can be fully unlocked to 512 Cores via (rather complex) BIOS mod. More on how this insanity actually works will probably come soon."

Secret register for Fermi core enablement 0x022588

 

[Schaka]

Hey man,

can you share more info? I've been trying to recreate this with my C2075. I have the M2090 at hand too.
They all use the same silicon and PCB afaik. So far I've had no success and intermittently bricked my 2075 by flashing a BIOS for the wrong SPI on it.
This is my BIOS chip: https://www.macronix.com/Lists/Datasheet/Attachments/7562/MX25L2006E, 3V, 2Mb, v1.6.pdf

Any pointers or advice are much appreciated. Tried reaching out to you on YouTube already. Not really looking to use my Teslas - they're just fun projects to mess around with. So even if I permanently brick either, I wouldn't mind. I also don't fully expect to be spoonfed, but I have very little experience with BIOS modding. Although I'm a professional software dev and have done some reverse engineering on Windows x86 binaries, this is completely new to me.

 

[rhkcommander959]

Hey man,

can you share more info? I've been trying to recreate this with my C2075. I have the M2090 at hand too.
They all use the same silicon and PCB afaik. So far I've had no success and intermittently bricked my 2075 by flashing a BIOS for the wrong SPI on it.
This is my BIOS chip: https://www.macronix.com/Lists/Datasheet/Attachments/7562/MX25L2006E, 3V, 2Mb, v1.6.pdf

Any pointers or advice are much appreciated. Tried reaching out to you on YouTube already. Not really looking to use my Teslas - they're just fun projects to mess around with. So even if I permanently brick either, I wouldn't mind. I also don't fully expect to be spoonfed, but I have very little experience with BIOS modding. Although I'm a professional software dev and have done some reverse engineering on Windows x86 binaries, this is completely new to me.

I'm not familiar with the mod, but you can get an SPI programmer for dirt cheap on Amazon, search for CH341A. You can clip onto the SPI BIOS chip and reprogram them without soldering.

I got this one I believe, works great but the software can be a pain to find:

ACEIRMC SOIC8 SOP8 Test Clip For EEPROM 93CXX / 25CXX / 24CXX + CH341A 24 25 Series EEPROM Flash BIOS USB +1.8V Adapter + Soic8 Adapter Programmer Module Kit (1 sets) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07V2M5MVH/

 

[philb2]

I'm not familiar with the mod, but you can get an SPI programmer for dirt cheap on Amazon, search for CH341A. You can clip onto the SPI BIOS chip and reprogram them without soldering.

I got this one I believe, works great but the software can be a pain to find:

ACEIRMC SOIC8 SOP8 Test Clip For EEPROM 93CXX / 25CXX / 24CXX + CH341A 24 25 Series EEPROM Flash BIOS USB +1.8V Adapter + Soic8 Adapter Programmer Module Kit (1 sets) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07V2M5MVH/

Why doesn't someone set up a service where you send in your board, and they reprogram the SPI BIOS chip?

Does this approach also work for NVidia 3000 series boards?

 

[cdabc123]

I'm pretty sure these cards can be flashed pretty easily from the machine they are in. If I remember right this generation could pretty much run any vbios including the quadros or consumer cards. Similar to amd cards.

Fermi is really old at this point though.

 

[Schaka]

I'm not familiar with the mod, but you can get an SPI programmer for dirt cheap on Amazon, search for CH341A. You can clip onto the SPI BIOS chip and reprogram them without soldering.

Thank you. I own an EZP2019 and already flashed the backup onto it. I've tried the Quadro 7000 BIOS without using software to adjust soft straps (so it's still recognized as Tesla C2075).
Unfortunately, it seems that the mod OP did is a bit more complicated, hence why I'm looking for pointers.

Plus it'd be kind of fun to see what a Tesla C2075 (unlocked probably around 580 performance) with 6GB of VRAM could do in games during the chip shortage. They're cheaply and widely available.

Regarding a service being set up - those already exist on eBay. People also sell pre-programmed chips for older boards where they're removable and sometimes brick through BIOS updates, bit rot, etc

 

[philb2]

Regarding a service being set up - those already exist on eBay. People also sell pre-programmed chips for older boards where they're removable and sometimes brick through BIOS updates, bit rot, etc

I just checked eBay and could not find anything. What search terms should I be using?

 

[rhkcommander959]

cdabc123
The programmer helps with those chips that are soldered on, especially for recovering from a bad flash. You can still flash a card from the amchine but it's handy to have these in the event you brick it.

philb2
I didn't see any direct services for graphics cards, but there are a ton of options on ebay for laptops and motherboards under "bios reprogramming service" search terms.
Do you have a current need or just looking for the future?


If any of you have a copy of the BIOS I could take a look at it in my rare spare time and see if I can find that registry...

 

[philb2]

Ignore above.

cdabc123
The programmer helps with those chips that are soldered on, especially for recovering from a bad flash. You can still flash a card from the amchine but it's handy to have these in the event you brick it.

philb2
I didn't see any direct services for graphics cards, but there are a ton of options on ebay for laptops and motherboards under "bios reprogramming service" search terms.
Do you have a current need or just looking for the future?

Future information. In case I read where my 3060 Ti can be unlocked for more cores, etc.

If any of you have a copy of the BIOS I could take a look at it in my rare spare time and see if I can find that registry...

 

[Schaka]

If any of you have a copy of the BIOS I could take a look at it in my rare spare time and see if I can find that registry...

Over here, they're discussing that flashing the M2090 with C2075 VBIOS locks shaders. I've had the same experience. However, flashing C2075 with M2090 BIOS (or Quadro 7000) doesn't seem to have the opposite effect.
I also noticed, that using the Quadro 7000 VBIOS on the C2075 disables the DVI port. Soldering a DVI port on the M2090 and using the Quadro 7000 VBIOS, it seems to work, however. I didn't try to also adjust soft traps when using the Quadro 7000 BIOS, so it's still detected as C2075. I may give that a try if the shader unlock ends up working and see if that enables the DVI port, though I suspect not.

You can find all BIOSes attached. The C2075 and Quadro 7000 are confirmed to be the same as on my own cards. I'll attach my own M2090 BIOS in case it's different later.

 

[masterdeejay]

i have pny C2075. I found the HEX address and edited the two 08 to 00 and succesfully flashed it with a modded nvflash under windows. (but i also have ch314a if needed) It still not unlocks cores. I got Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API error in device managger.

The original bios: