MSI GTX 1050 2Gb

Seller Note “This graphics card was a customer return as it started to give out a code 43 error in device manager. Soon after the card would no longer output a display, though it does still show a live black screen on the monitor. There is no physical damage on the card that I can see and it has been re-pasted and thoroughly cleaned in an attempt to get it working again. I don’t know what’s wrong with this graphics card and I don’t have the time to thoroughly troubleshoot it.”

Summary

  • Resistances all look good and, yep, it does have the a blank screen with the monitor light on after some seconds.
  • Resistances
    • Vcore 1.3Ω
    • Vmem 77Ω
    • PEX 125Ω
  • Mats test confirms the suspected memory chip issue:
mats version 400.184.  Testing GP107 with 20 MB of memory starting with 0 MB.

Read    Error Count: 0
Write   Error Count: 1310720
Unknown Error Count: 0

=== MEMORY ERRORS BY SUBPARTITION ===
SUBPART READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS
------- ----------- ------------ ------------
FBIOA0            0            0            0
FBIOA1            0            0            0
FBIOB0            0      1310720            0
FBIOB1            0            0            0

Failing Bits: 
   B017 


=== MEMORY ERRORS BY BIT ===
P : Partition (FBIO)
                                            READ 0  READ 1 READ ?
P BIT READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS EXP. 1  EXP. 0 EXP. ?
- --- ----------- ------------ ------------ ------  ------ ------
B 017           0      1310720            0      0 1310720      0


=== MEMORY ERRORS BY ADDRESS ===
ADDRESS : Failing memory address, or buffer offset if starting with 'X+'
T : Type of memory error: W = write, R = read
P : Partition (FBIO)
S : Subpartition
B : Bank
E : Beat
   ADDRESS EXPECTED   ACTUAL  REREAD1  REREAD2 FAILBITS TPSBE  ROW COL BIT(s)
   ------- --------   ------  -------  ------- -------- -----  --- --- ------
000135fcbc 55555555 55575555 55575555 55575555 00020000 WB017 009a 035   B017
000135fcb8 55555555 55575555 55575555 55575555 00020000 WB016 009a 035   B017
000135fcb4 55555555 55575555 55575555 55575555 00020000 WB015 009a 035   B017
....
0000060dbc 55555555 55575555 55575555 55575555 00020000 WB007 0003 005   B017
0000060db8 55555555 55575555 55575555 55575555 00020000 WB006 0003 005   B017
0000060db4 55555555 55575555 55575555 55575555 00020000 WB005 0003 005   B017
0000060db0 55555555 55575555 55575555 55575555 00020000 WB004 0003 005   B017
If you are getting failure for first MB of FB then try option -no_scan_out
Error Code = 00000001 

                                        
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Hmm… not sure exactly what that pattern implies?

Following procedure here Graphics Card Vram Chip Replacement Procedure

  • (Optional) First reflow to hopefully restore the picture (temporary)
    • Retest vram resistance – 55 and rising (board warm)
    • power on check – no improvement
    • mats check – actually worse, another failing bit! 🙂
Read    Error Count: 0
Write   Error Count: 3948160
Unknown Error Count: 0

=== MEMORY ERRORS BY SUBPARTITION ===
SUBPART READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS
------- ----------- ------------ ------------
FBIOA0            0            0            0
FBIOA1            0            0            0
FBIOB0            0      3948160            0
FBIOB1            0            0            0

Failing Bits: 
   B017 B019 


=== MEMORY ERRORS BY BIT ===
P : Partition (FBIO)
                                             READ 0  READ 1 READ ?
P BIT READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS  EXP. 1  EXP. 0 EXP. ?
- --- ----------- ------------ ------------  ------  ------ ------
B 017           0      2621440            0 1310720 1310720      0
B 019           0      1326720            0   16000 1310720      0


=== MEMORY ERRORS BY ADDRESS ===
ADDRESS : Failing memory address, or buffer offset if starting with 'X+'
T : Type of memory error: W = write, R = read
P : Partition (FBIO)
S : Subpartition
B : Bank
E : Beat
   ADDRESS EXPECTED   ACTUAL  REREAD1  REREAD2 FAILBITS TPSBE  ROW COL BIT(s)
   ------- --------   ------  -------  ------- -------- -----  --- --- ------
000135fcbc 00000000 00020000 00020000 00020000 00020000 WB017 009a 035   B017
000135fcb8 00000000 00020000 00020000 00020000 00020000 WB016 009a 035   B017
....
000135fcb4 00000000 00020000 00020000 00020000 00020000 WB015 009a 035   B017
  • Replace the faulty B0 vram chip – Samsung K4G41325FE-HC25

Mistake – I think I didn’t melt the solder balls properly, chip looked too high up. From an educational perspective, this is the way MATS could look, notice B0 is completely errored!


mats version 400.184.  Testing GP107 with 20 MB of memory starting with 0 MB.

Read    Error Count: 0
Write   Error Count: 3948160
Unknown Error Count: 0

=== MEMORY ERRORS BY SUBPARTITION ===
SUBPART READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS
------- ----------- ------------ ------------
FBIOA0            0            0            0
FBIOA1            0            0            0
FBIOB0            0      3948160            0
FBIOB1            0            0            0

Failing Bits: 
   B000 B001 B002 B003 B004 B005 B006 B007 B008 B009 B010 B011 B012 B013 B014 B015 
B016 B017 B018 B019 B020 B021 B022 B023 B024 B025 B026 B027 B028 B029 B030 B031 



=== MEMORY ERRORS BY BIT ===
P : Partition (FBIO)
                                             READ 0  READ 1 READ ?
P BIT READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS  EXP. 1  EXP. 0 EXP. ?
- --- ----------- ------------ ------------  ------  ------ ------
B 000           0      2296946            0 1964413  332533      0
B 001           0      1650868            0  994489  656379      0
B 002           0      2135988            0 1638477  497511      0
B 003           0      1974544            0  662742 1311802      0
B 004           0      1974368            0 1311397  662971      0
B 005           0      2297607            0  331847 1965760      0
B 006           0      2135466            0 1637569  497897      0
B 007           0      1812786            0  828502  984284      0
B 008           0      1974014            0 1310569  663445      0
B 009           0      2458903            0  166673 2292230      0
B 010           0      1650692            0  655995  994697      0
B 011           0      1974379            0  662981 1311398      0
B 012           0      1973388            0 1309474  663914      0
B 013           0      2458833            0  166811 2292022      0
B 014           0      1974285            0 1311172  663113      0
B 015           0      2297272            0  332264 1965008      0
B 016           0      1812222            0  983016  829206      0
B 017           0      2135992            0  497441 1638551      0
B 018           0      1973527            0 1309626  663901      0
B 019           0      2458876            0  166697 2292179      0
B 020           0      1812170            0  982866  829304      0
B 021           0      2458932            0  166623 2292309      0
B 022           0      1812604            0  983755  828849      0
B 023           0      1490156            0 1158896  331260      0
B 024           0      1973647            0 1309954  663693      0
B 025           0      2135483            0  498105 1637378      0
B 026           0      1974235            0 1310959  663276      0
B 027           0      1974258            0  663162 1311096      0
B 028           0      1813019            0  984622  828397      0
B 029           0      2135441            0  498140 1637301      0
B 030           0      2135324            0 1637213  498111      0
B 031           0      1812524            0  828869  983655      0


=== MEMORY ERRORS BY ADDRESS ===
ADDRESS : Failing memory address, or buffer offset if starting with 'X+'
T : Type of memory error: W = write, R = read
P : Partition (FBIO)
S : Subpartition
B : Bank
E : Beat
   ADDRESS EXPECTED   ACTUAL  REREAD1  REREAD2 FAILBITS TPSBE  ROW COL                                                                                                        BIT(s)
   ------- --------   ------  -------  ------- -------- -----  --- ---                                                                                                        ------
000135fcbc 00000000 7b00b41e 7b00b41e 7b00b41e 7b00b41e WB017 009a 035                                         B001,B002,B003,B004,B010,B012,B013,B015,B024,B025,B027,B028,B029,B030
000135fcb8 00000000 f97f3b30 f97f3b30 f97f3b30 f97f3b30 WB016 009a 035           B004,B005,B008,B009,B011,B012,B013,B016,B017,B018,B019,B020,B021,B022,B024,B027,B028,B029,B030,B031
000135fcb4 00000000 937abe22 937abe22 937abe22 937abe22 WB015 009a 035                          B001,B005,B009,B010,B011,B012,B013,B015,B017,B019,B020,B021,B022,B024,B025,B028,B031
000135fcb0 00000000 776f66f9 776f66f9 776f66f9 776f66f9 WB014 009a 035 B000,B003,B004,B005,B006,B007,B009,B010,B013,B014,B016,B017,B018,B019,B021,B022,B024,B025,B026,B028,B029,B030
000135fcac 00000000 bc6cbfa0 bc6cbfa0 bc6cbfa0 bc6cbfa0 WB013 009a 035                     B005,B007,B008,B009,B010,B011,B012,B013,B015,B018,B019,B021,B022,B026,B027,B028,B029,B031
000135fca8 00000000 0abbe74c 0abbe74c 0abbe74c 0abbe74c WB012 009a 035                          B002,B003,B006,B008,B009,B010,B013,B014,B015,B016,B017,B019,B020,B021,B023,B025,B027
.....
0000060db0 00000000 776f66f9 776f66f9 776f66f9 776f66f9 WB004 0003 005 B000,B003,B004,B005,B006,B007,B009,B010,B013,B014,B016,B017,B018,B019,B021,B022,B024,B025,B026,B028,B029,B030
If you are getting failure for first MB of FB then try option -no_scan_out
Error Code = 00000001 

                                        
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Oh dear! This is what the chip looked like to match that terrible MATS report (a sure sign of me being too timid with the hot air!)

msi-gtx-1050-2gb-vram-not-soldered

Time to carefully remove the badly soldered chip and clean the pads. Another mistake, as I managed to damage a pad as shown below.

I need to try and improve that pad, as there’s a chance that no connection will be made. Firstly, I scratch away at the via to expose some copper. Then I add some flux and add a replacement pad without soldering it. This seems very chancy, probably should have soldered it, but that too has risk e.g. too much solder in an area like this and there could be a bridge. I am counting on the pad not moving too much and providing just enough of a base to hopefully allow the solder ball to spread and bind with the exposed via.

As for the chip, I will attempt to reuse it by reballing it – see the procedure here Graphics Card VRAM Reball Procedure. Finally, some luck and delight, as a picture is displayed for the first time, the MATS test now passes and Windows loads drivers for the card!! 🙂

mats version 400.184.  Testing GP107 with 20 MB of memory starting with 0 MB.

Read    Error Count: 0
Write   Error Count: 0
Unknown Error Count: 0

=== MEMORY ERRORS BY SUBPARTITION ===
SUBPART READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS
------- ----------- ------------ ------------
FBIOA0            0            0            0
FBIOA1            0            0            0
FBIOB0            0            0            0
FBIOB1            0            0            0

Failing Bits: 
   None



Error Code = 00000000 (OK)

                                        
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Update 29/04/2020 – Card memory fails after 1 week of being used every day in my main PC

Hopefully, this is yet another learning opportunity with this card, as I turn around to find my screen has turned pink! Running Mats reveals the same B0 VRAM has failed again. Maybe I didn’t get away with that pad fix (had doubts about it).

mats version 400.184.  Testing GP107 with 20 MB of memory starting with 0 MB.

Read    Error Count: 0
Write   Error Count: 3948160
Unknown Error Count: 0

=== MEMORY ERRORS BY SUBPARTITION ===
SUBPART READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS
------- ----------- ------------ ------------
FBIOA0            0            0            0
FBIOA1            0            0            0
FBIOB0            0      3948160            0
FBIOB1            0            0            0

Failing Bits: 
   B000 B001 B002 B003 B004 B005 B006 B007 B008 B009 B010 B011 B012 B013 B014 B015 
B016 B017 B018 B019 B020 B021 B022 B023 B024 B025 B026 B027 B028 B029 B030 B031 



=== MEMORY ERRORS BY BIT ===
P : Partition (FBIO)
                                             READ 0  READ 1 READ ?
P BIT READ ERRORS WRITE ERRORS UNKNOWN ERRS  EXP. 1  EXP. 0 EXP. ?
- --- ----------- ------------ ------------  ------  ------ ------
B 000           0      2441753            0 2259543  182210      0
B 001           0      1590417            0 1058956  531461      0
B 002           0      2216957            0 1802210  414747      0
B 003           0      1731443            0  912093  819350      0
B 004           0      1467480            0  287756 1179724      0
B 005           0      1468804            0 1179475  289329      0
B 006           0      2621026            0 2620322     704      0
B 007           0      1327778            0 1326338    1440      0
B 008           0      2441753            0 2259543  182210      0
B 009           0      1590417            0 1058956  531461      0
B 010           0      2216957            0 1802210  414747      0
B 011           0      1731443            0  912093  819350      0
B 012           0      1467480            0  287756 1179724      0
B 013           0      1468804            0 1179475  289329      0
B 014           0      2621026            0 2620322     704      0
B 015           0      1327778            0 1326338    1440      0
B 016           0      1974080            0 1310720  663360      0
B 017           0      1974080            0  663360 1310720      0
B 018           0      1974080            0 1310720  663360      0
B 019           0      1650528            0  995168  655360      0
B 020           0      1650528            0  655360  995168      0
B 021           0      1326720            0 1326720       0      0
B 022           0      2621440            0 2621440       0      0
B 023           0      1326720            0 1326720       0      0
B 024           0      2621440            0 2621440       0      0
B 025           0      1326720            0 1326720       0      0
B 026           0      2621440            0 2621440       0      0
B 027           0      1326720            0 1326720       0      0
B 028           0      2621440            0 2621440       0      0
B 029           0      1326720            0 1326720       0      0
B 030           0      2621440            0 2621440       0      0
B 031           0      1326720            0 1326720       0      0


=== MEMORY ERRORS BY ADDRESS ===
ADDRESS : Failing memory address, or buffer offset if starting with 'X+'
T : Type of memory error: W = write, R = read
P : Partition (FBIO)
S : Subpartition
B : Bank
E : Beat
   ADDRESS EXPECTED   ACTUAL  REREAD1  REREAD2 FAILBITS TPSBE  ROW COL                                            BIT(s)
   ------- --------   ------  -------  ------- -------- -----  --- ---                                            ------
000135fcbc 00000000 00102020 00102020 00102020 00102020 WB017 009a 035                                    B005,B013,B020
000135fcb8 00000000 00101c1c 00101c1c 00101c1c 00101c1c WB016 009a 035                B002,B003,B004,B010,B011,B012,B020
000135fcb4 00000000 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 WB015 009a 035                     B004,B012,B016,B017,B018,B019
000135fcb0 00000000 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 WB014 009a 035                     B004,B012,B016,B017,B018,B019
000135fcac 00000000 00101010 00101010 00101010 00101010 WB013 009a 035                                    B004,B012,B020
000135fca8 00000000 00101010 00101010 00101010 00101010 WB012 009a 035                                    B004,B012,B020
000135fca4 00000000 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 WB011 009a 035                     B004,B012,B016,B017,B018,B019
000135fca0 00000000 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 WB010 009a 035                     B004,B012,B016,B017,B018,B019
....
0000060db4 00000000 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 WB005 0003 005                     B004,B012,B016,B017,B018,B019
0000060db0 00000000 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 000f1010 WB004 0003 005                     B004,B012,B016,B017,B018,B019
If you are getting failure for first MB of FB then try option -no_scan_out
Error Code = 00000001 

                                        
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