You can look for a board schematic on manufacturer websites, electronics forums, or component distributor catalogs.
You can look for a board schematic on manufacturer websites, electronics forums, or component distributor catalogs.
Purchased a 6800 non-xt model from a miner, but something seems off. Someone suggested inspecting the 3.3V pads and the 12V rail to locate any short circuits. I’m struggling to find the exact locations on my board since I don’t have a schematic, and I’m unsure where these components are. If anyone has time to help me out, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks!
Which 6800 model are we discussing? There are several PCB designs available. I noticed the issue with the edge connector—this part connects to the motherboard and follows a standard. The files I have for Asus boards are the only ones I can share. If you own a board with the same layout, but an Asus design, feel free to send it over. For those interested, check OPs' previous post. Updated January 14, 2023 by IkeaGnome.
Generally, locating board diagrams is very difficult without ties to the AIB (for example, having a contact at Powercolor). You often manage to understand the layout through manual inspection of PCIe slot pinouts and connectors. Which device are you referring to, because it’s usually clear from just checking PCB images?
It’s an AMD Radeon 6800 non-XT. I’m just starting out with PCs and have built several Macs, which made me realize how much I relied on just available info. To begin, connect to the gold PCIe port, check each pad, spot any shorted rails, and trace the path for any damaged parts. Are there any components besides the die that are clearly compromised? The first photo is a general view—if you can see anything from this angle, you should send it for detailed analysis. The second photo shows discoloration at first inspection; the third photo features modules with old thermal pads that likely had protective coating before failure. I didn’t notice any physical damage beyond the slight discoloration, and the board seemed unchanged after the crash during driver installation. This is my first attempt at troubleshooting a faulty GPU, so I’m only looking at obvious signs of wear. If anyone has any insights, please share any missing details. Thank you for the PCIe voltage chart—I’m planning to get a multimeter tomorrow and am eager for my rework station. Happy birthday! 🎉 #NoRegrets
We were checking if it matched styles like Taichi, Red Devil, or Gaming X. Examining the images doesn’t reveal anything obviously off, though there might be a minor issue that isn’t immediately clear. The next step is to test the resistances across all power rails to detect any short circuits. This involves inspecting the inductors for ground paths. While the video examines a 6900 XT Red Devil Ultimate, it’s not a perfect match, but it shares similarities with the 6900 XT reference card—similar PCB layout and added stages. Keep in mind that continuity mode won’t work reliably on this board, especially for parts like the VCore, which can show false readings. For deeper insight, there’s plenty of content on fixing older, dead GPUs, including detailed repair guides and before/after walkthroughs. Other trusted sources include KrisFix and Louis Rossmann, who also handle component repairs and offer practical advice, though they focus more broadly than Buildzoid does for GPU work.
Hey, if you could give me a chance, I’d love it. Thanks a ton for helping me plan this out. Man, I was really frustrated when the card didn’t work as expected, but now I’m starting to see the value in it. I’ve always thought of computers as modular, and this feels fresh because I can actually fix things myself. Coming from Mac, I used to think a modular build was a dead end, but now I’m appreciating how much deeper I can get. Tomorrow I’m heading to the hardware store for the meter—my rework station will arrive next week. I should be able to spot the shorted rail before then. If there’s one, what should I do to find the right parts? Am I really stuck buying dead cards and just pulling them randomly, or are there consumer options available?
There are various PCB component suppliers available. The most notable one I know of is Digi-key, although there are others and they aren't always the most affordable. Swapping out dead parts or removing components can be a viable choice, but if you're aware of a specific issue and not expecting much work, purchasing certain parts from a reseller tends to be the best value. Yes, he created an intriguing variant of his 6900 XT before he accidentally destroyed it. If you recognize the channel name, it suggests this person is passionate about extreme overclocking. To achieve that, you usually need to tweak different components on the board—like adding capacitors or adjusting voltage regulators—to improve performance. It can lead into a fascinating exploration if you ever find a cheap GPU and want to experiment. To be honest, other concerns exist beyond just shorts. Occasionally, crucial voltage rails may fail to supply power, halting the card's operation. This troubleshooting step is more complex, requiring you to power up the board and inspect the voltage rails, which can be quite challenging but still worth considering.
everything seemed okay with my resistance values (roughly within the expected range based on my research). none of the rails showed any connection to ground, which was a positive sign. I’m starting to understand that fixing this would cost a lot of money and time—better focus on other projects. I have some ideas I want to test, but if they don’t work out, I’ll either donate it or sell the parts. In a Jayz2Cents video, someone sprayed water on an active GPU and it crashed instantly. That suggests the thermal pads might be stuck with some liquid. When I pressed them back into place, the liquid likely came out, possibly still affecting performance later. This could mean the crash during the driver update damaged the VBios chip, which is why the card isn’t showing up or being recognized. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, I’ll have to accept it and either give it away or sell it for parts. If this doesn’t work, investing $200–300 in fixes won’t save a $400 GPU.