GTX 970/980 BIOS update for DisplayPort issues

[yeasah]

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding surrounding the updated reference Maxwell BIOS -- there are several threads inquiring on this topic but many of them are confused as to what the necessity of the BIOS update or whether it applies to the ASUS cards at all.

Background: many Maxwell cards have had significant issues with output on the displayport connector, exhibiting a black screen in various situations: on initial boot, after restoring from sleep, etc. Different driver revisions appear to express the problem differently, and more recent releases solve the problem entirely for some people -- but not all. The thread on the nvidia forums describing the issue is here https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/777412/geforce-drivers/black-screen-on-windows-login-344-16... -- this link goes directly to the nvidia response, which indicates a two part solution to the problem: a new driver (344.80) and a new reference BIOS (84.04.31.00.00). The suggestion is that the driver *may* fix the problem alone, and if it does not that the new BIOS will be required.

In my case, I have an ASUS STRIX 970 connected to an ASUS ROG SWIFT -- so displayport is the only possible option for me. The problem occurs for me even with the latest driver or that specific hotfix driver, and the other suggested PCIe setting related hacks are not effective or applicable (I have a somewhat older motherboard, an ASUS P6T). If my system goes to sleep for long enough for the SWIFT to enter its sleep state (i.e. the ring light turns off), I can expect that when I bring the system out of sleep that the monitor will be indicating "no signal" and no amount of power cycling of the monitor, unplugging/replugging of the displayport cable, etc. will bring it back. A system reset is the only reliable way. Not to belabor the point: this is *really* inconvenient.

So, back to the BIOS. Running the ASUS gpu tweak software informs me that I have the latest BIOS for my card, which is:

Sep 19,2014 84.04.1F.00.2B

There appears to be some confusion (i.e. in this thread https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54246-Asus-gtx-980-strix-new-vbios) as to whether this BIOS is actually newer than the one specified in the nvidia thread (84.04.31.00.00) -- the fact that the version number includes hexidecimal digits is perhaps part of the problem, maybe along with the fact that 1F in hex happens to be the same value as 31 in decimal. I will present two pieces of evidence that the currently shipping ASUS BIOS version is older than the version specified by nvidia.

First of all, the date. The nvidia post that advertises the newly available BIOS was in November 2014, but the ASUS BIOS was compiled much earlier than that, in September 2014. Second, let's look at the BIOS release history of a vendor with a more active policy of BIOS releases -- MSI in this case:

2014-09-10 84.04.1F.00.F1
2014-10-09 84.04.28.00.F1
2014-10-29 84.04.2F.00.F1
2014-11-19 84.04.31.00.F1

(This data is from the techpowerup database of BIOS: http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?architecture=&manufacturer=&model=GTX+970&interface=&me...)

Clearly there have been many releases of BIOS made available since September's 84.04.1F -- revision 84.04.28 in early October, 84.04.2F in late October, and finally 84.04.31 on the 19th of November: this is the revision that nvidia is referring to in their post about the resolution to the displayport problems.

I'm not demanding that ASUS match the frequency of firmware release of other manufacturers -- it's a point of competitive disadvantage, but I'm sure there's a cost to producing new releases and it's up to ASUS to determine what their policy is for this. But in this case, there is a firmware release that corrects a defect in the product that is causing real issues -- this forum already has several threads asking about BIOS releases and/or complaining about displayport issues: it is causing actual customers significant problems right now, including me.

Please, can we get a direct, non-evasive answer as to when we can expect an updated BIOS produced in November 2014 or later based on the 84.04.31 reference code for Maxwell-based ASUS graphics cards?

[sdmf74]

Possible I guess but if it was nvidia driver you would think more people would have reported issues, unless only certain monitors were susceptable to the issue iE Asus

[freighters]

Yeah, just now got it again...

Well, now i have to slowly combine your recommended options.

[Bahz]

This issue has been ongoing forever, I don't think Nvidia ever offered a complete fix for this. Many of my friends who still use GTX 970/980 have just changed connections to DVI-D or HDMI because there's absolutely no other way to get around this issue.

[R5Eandme]

Bahz wrote:
This issue has been ongoing forever, I don't think Nvidia ever offered a complete fix for this. Many of my friends who still use GTX 970/980 have just changed connections to DVI-D or HDMI because there's absolutely no other way to get around this issue.

Hello Bhaz,

I have a GTX 980 Ti using DP 1.2 to a 4K monitor, and there is about a 10 sec video signal delay upon booting before the ASUS BIOS option screen. Is this delay this normal? My monitor (Acer B286HK) scrolls through all inputs until it finds a signal on the DP so it could be a quirk of the monitor. If I switched to DVI or HDMI cable, will that not be as efficient in driving 4k as the DP 1.2? I am not a gamer so am not up on the video card/monitor technology. Thanks!

[freighters]

Had already accepted this issue as permanent problem, but seems like I fixed it while messing with UEFI boot for different problem.
Basically, I updated my Z97 MB bios to latest, updates my GTX970 bios to latest and changed MB bios boot mode to CSM Auto instead of Enabled.
Not sure if the CSM had anything to do with it, but when i set it to UEFI, then my boot up screen shows instantly on DP port (though Windows doesn't load due to a different story), when CSM Auto or Enabled, then on DVI port side monitor.

Ofc it might have also been a coincidence and my PC is simply waiting for the right moment to strike again. I made the change only 3 weeks ago and no issues so far.

[xenon2008]

Hello!

i have a ASUS Maximus X Code Motherboard with the latest BIOS 1003 and a ASUS Stri GTX970 VGA Card.
And i have two Monitors.. One PC-Monitor on DVI and my Samsung TV on HDMI.
But since i have Disabled CSM i only got a Picture on HDMI (SAMSUNG TV) on Windows Boot Process and BIOS....
When i enable CSM i got the Picture right on my DVI PC-Monitor! SO that i could Enter to Bios and see that WIndows is Booting UP!

I must disable CSM because i need the Onboard Raidcontroller and want to use UEFI!

Is there a Solution, so that i get a Boot and Bios Screen on DVI. (so it was also on my Old Motherboard and my Old System)
Since i have bought the New Moterboard with the new CPU i have this Problem 😞

Please help me!

Best Regards

[xenon2008]

xenon2008 wrote:
Hello!

i have a ASUS Maximus X Code Motherboard with the latest BIOS 1003 and a ASUS Stri GTX970 VGA Card.
And i have two Monitors.. One PC-Monitor on DVI and my Samsung TV on HDMI.
But since i have Disabled CSM i only got a Picture on HDMI (SAMSUNG TV) on Windows Boot Process and BIOS....
When i enable CSM i got the Picture right on my DVI PC-Monitor! SO that i could Enter to Bios and see that WIndows is Booting UP!

I must disable CSM because i need the Onboard Raidcontroller and want to use UEFI!

Is there a Solution, so that i get a Boot and Bios Screen on DVI. (so it was also on my Old Motherboard and my Old System)
Since i have bought the New Moterboard with the new CPU i have this Problem 😞

Please help me!

Best Regards

Good Morning together!

Yesterday evening i updated my Asus Strix GTX970 to the latest Bios/Firmware. But no improvement. Since i have the new Motherboard Asus Maximus C Code where i disabled CSM Support the HDMI Port form my VGA-Card is the Primary Port for Bios & Boot-Screen.
But if i enable CSM, the VGA-Card will use DVI-I/DVI-D as Primary Port for the Bios & Boot-Screen.

Both Bios Versions (from Motherboard and VGA-Card) are updated to the newest Firmware.

Has somebody an idea? Or is there a workaround / solution?
I can't change tthis two Ports, because my SAMSUNG TV only has HDMI and my PC-Monitor also have only HDMI. So i use a Adapter from HDMI to DVI by my PC-Monitor, so that i can connect this to the DVI Port from my VGA-Card.
And on the HDMI-Port there is my SAMSUNG TV connected.

This is very annoying!

[boombastik]

Use a simple cable displayport to dvi and it will work.

The motherboard bios code is the problem and starts from z87 chipsets.
Asus and asrock has the same problem.I have not tried it in gigabyte motherboards.

With cms enabled(same as legacy mode or video rom to legacy first) the first screen is DVI.

With cms disabled (same as uefi mode or video rom to uefi first) the first screen is Display port number 1.


Now black screen with one monitor solution in cold bootup:(with asus and asrock motherboards)
In legacy mode u can put your monitor whatever u want.
In uefi mode these motherboards (tested asus b85 plus, asus b85 gamer,asrock z97 anniversary) the default output is diplay port number 1. If your gtx 970 has more display ports try them all.

Now if your monitor is dvi or hdmi it does not matter, u can use a simple passive cable display port to dvi or hdmi and the monitor will work.

IF this also works for you please write a commnet about it here.
Thnks