Skanque wrote:

On closer inspection, I noticed a scratch on the stock one, near the AGP interface, I checked for continuity and if there was a short. I could not detect one, but I can't measure where the connection terminates. Or rather I don't know where or how to measure if there is a solid connection.

Press in a sharp needle (I'd reccomend a medical type), where the yellow arrow points on a trace, it will easily penetrate the solder mask without damaging it.

Skanque wrote:

Whats my next step?

If the trace is OK, masure output voltages of the two buck converters on the right side of the card. The good thing is that you have an identical working card to compare voltages to. If the voltages are more or less equal, insert card into PC, that has a PCI card set to be primary and see if it gets detected, maybe its BIOS is simply bricked.

SSTV2 wrote:

Skanque wrote:

On closer inspection, I noticed a scratch on the stock one, near the AGP interface, I checked for continuity and if there was a short. I could not detect one, but I can't measure where the connection terminates. Or rather I don't know where or how to measure if there is a solid connection.

Press in a sharp needle (I'd reccomend a medical type), where the yellow arrow points on a trace, it will easily penetrate the solder mask without damaging it.

OK, not completely sure how to carry this out and insuring I am measuring on the right termination spot. Would it be easier to find a spot (if any) on the backside of the card that is connected to that trace also?

Skanque wrote:

Whats my next step?

If the trace is OK, masure output voltages of the two buck converters on the right side of the card. The good thing is that you have an identical working card to compare voltages to. If the voltages are more or less equal, insert card into PC, that has a PCI card set to be primary and see if it gets detected, maybe its BIOS is simply bricked.

How do I set the multi-meter to measure this correct? (normally I just check for continuity) and should the card be powered to check this? And which components are the "buck converters" the ones marked 1R0 ?

Thank you for the help!

The card gets picked up, but has an error

I also tested this with a non working Hercules Prophet Geforce 2 TI and get a different result

Skanque wrote:

OK, not completely sure how to carry this out and insuring I am measuring on the right termination spot. Would it be easier to find a spot (if any) on the backside of the card that is connected to that trace also?

You just have to poke through an insulating coating of the trace (solder mask) using a sharp needle, then measure for continuity between the needle and the AGP pad.

Skanque wrote:

How do I set the multi-meter to measure this correct? (normally I just check for continuity) and should the card be powered to check this? And which components are the "buck converters" the ones marked 1R0 ?

Set MM to volts, card must be powered on, stick ground probe into any of the PSUs molex ground socket and using positive probe, touch the output of a buck converter (el. filter cap or a choke marked 1R0). Google synchronous buck converter's schematics and working principles, you must understand their operation well for such troubleshootings.

Both cards are detected, it means that they have retained at least some functionality. Try to flash BIOS using "nvflash" DOS util., maybe a Windows util. called "nibitor" could also do the trick. Don't forget to make a backup of the original BIOS just in case.