Nvidia firmware flashing utility for Linux

[Nicolas_orleans]

Hi guys,

EVGA RMAed my dead GTX 770, and I was surprised to see that the new card was running like 15 degrees colder with 15% less fan speed. After looking closer, it appears the difference is due to a BIOS/firmware update. It's changing a lot the noise profile of the room where my riggery is, so I am willing to update my other GTX 770.

Card is a GTX 770 with P/N 02G-P4-2770, original firmware is 80.04.B4.00.72, updated quite firmware is 80.04.C3.00.72.

It appears to be fairly easy with the techpowerup utility for windows, but I have no access to a windows desktop. I know NVIDIA has a Firmware Update Utility for Linux that is packaged in some tegra tools, or packaged by vendors (like IBM which appears to have packaged for Ubuntu this utility for K1/K2 as a .run)

Any of you having access to such a utility for Linux, that could load and install this ROM file : http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/144348/evga-gtx770-2048-130628.html ? I am hopping there is some HP sofwtare similar to IBM

Thanks a lot !!!

 

[EXT64]

Hmm, that is interesting - Is it running at a lower voltage? (Sorry I can't help with your actual question)

 

[Nicolas_orleans]

Some news

1/ EXT64, I honestly have no idea, to my (humble) knowledge the linux driver only allows display and modification of GPU frequency / memory frequency. I don't know how to display voltages, and I read some time ago they cannot be manipulated as they can be in windows

2/ It took me some time, but I successfully flashed the BIOS to version C3. Here is a short description on how to do it for people interested :
- format usb key to MSDOS FAT32
- download your ROM from techpowerup (in my case I renamed to GTX770C3.rom)
- download the techpowerup nvflash flashing utility for DOS : http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2257/nvflash-5-136/
- download an image of FreeDOS 1.1 that can be live-USBed. I recommend to download it here (all my other attempts with other images failed, I could boot, but not access the flash utility and the rom) : http://chtaube.eu/computers/freedos/bootable-usb/
- follow the chtaube.eu instructions to copy the image with dd to the usb key
- copy the flashing utility and the ROM to the FDOS directory of the live USB
- reboot and go to motherboard BIOS settings
- make sure Legacy boot is enabled (no UEFI-only boot), then choose the Legacy boot for the USB key (no EFI)
- it will boot FreeDOS, choose option 4 (no driver loaded)
- cd FDOS
- afterwards refer to google on how to use nvflash, in my case :
nvflash --list to identify the index of my card (0)
nvflash --index=0 --save GTX770B4.ROM to backup as GTX770B4.ROM the existing firmware
nvflash --index=0 --compare GTX770C3.ROM to check it's a different firmware but for the good adapter
nvflash --index=0 -6 GTX770C3.ROM to upload the firware to the card

3/ It worked perfectly, firmware is now the same as the RMAed card, as testified by nvidia-settings.

4/ The bad news is, temperature and noise are the same as before

Anyway, I learned a lot, if you think it's useful I can adapt this post as a tutorial.

As a final comment, when I applied the --list command, the utility detected my 2 keplers, but not my maxwell card, I guess a new version of the utility will be required for maxwell flashing.

 

[plext0r]

I wonder if the RMA'd board (or refurb replacement) has better TIM application between heatsink and GPU...

 

[Nicolas_orleans]

Hmm, that is interesting - Is it running at a lower voltage? (Sorry I can't help with your actual question)

Installed 346 driver that allows CLI request of voltage... both card run at exactly the same voltage

I wonder if the RMA'd board (or refurb replacement) has better TIM application between heatsink and GPU...

I reached the same conclusion : same part numbers, same BIOS version, same voltage... but 15-20 degrees difference under load