fetterEsel
I had success with BIOS update on GTX 1080 FTW2,  at first it was all bamboozled and GPUZ would just say Unknown everywhere and EVGA Precision XOC would not even detect it. I ran DDU and completely removed all NVIDIA drivers, did clean install of the latest driver, reboot, and all was well with the BIOS flash. A reinstallation of NVIDIA drivers IS required when you flash the BIOS just an FYI. For those having issues, thats what made it successful for me with the 1080 FTW2. I was walked through on this with an EVGA rep over the phone as I went into panic mode.

Do you mind uploading a screenshot of your GPU-Z? And may I know your GPU's subsystem ID and BIOS version pre-upgrading? I did all these even on main rig and my clean test setup but did not work.
 
My card details:
• GTX 1080 FTW2 iCX
• 6686-KR
• BIOS Version (stock/pre-update): 86.04.60.00.80

FractalCode
Hi guys, 
 
I have an EVGA FTW2 with BIOS version 86.04.3B.40.80 on my Master BIOS. This is the one it came with, which means my card is of older stock. My memory clock is 1251MHz, so I'm running 10Gbps memory. 
 
From what I have read, my card should be able to upgrade to the newer BIOS version without issue. My question is should I upgrade the Master or the Slave BIOS if I want maximum performance? The Slave allows for 130% power voltage, so that would be the better one to update, right?

You should be able to with that stock BIOS version. As for master or slave, either is fine. If you find your GPU always running 120% constantly then you can try flashing on slave to see if it can utilize that extra 10%. As for me, I usually reach my core limits and then crash before I can even reach 120% so I'm content on master. Good luck and don't forget to back up your stock roms!

fetterEsel
I had success with BIOS update on GTX 1080 FTW2,  at first it was all bamboozled and GPUZ would just say Unknown everywhere and EVGA Precision XOC would not even detect it. I ran DDU and completely removed all NVIDIA drivers, did clean install of the latest driver, reboot, and all was well with the BIOS flash. A reinstallation of NVIDIA drivers IS required when you flash the BIOS just an FYI. For those having issues, thats what made it successful for me with the 1080 FTW2. I was walked through on this with an EVGA rep over the phone as I went into panic mode.

Which bios version do you have? 

Hm, so I guess some new cards still come with old BIOS.  No matter, thanks to everyone posting their successes.

CfYz_R
Soooo, no hope for those who have 86.04.60.00.80/86.04.60.00.80 - BIOS? When I trying to flash BIOS listed here in OP - nothing happens, screen fliks after entering 'y' and nvflash windows closes. GPU-Z reporting still old BIOS number.
 
Any updates from EVGA on this issue?

Are you running the flash program as 'Administrator'?

CfYz_R
Soooo, no hope for those who have 86.04.60.00.80/86.04.60.00.80 - BIOS? When I trying to flash BIOS listed here in OP - nothing happens, screen fliks after entering 'y' and nvflash windows closes. GPU-Z reporting still old BIOS number.
 
Any updates from EVGA on this issue?

Thats the BIOS my FTW2 1080 had and I had a successful flash. Did you flash in safe mode, and did you use DDU in safe mode etc etc, then reinstall everything outside safe mode? Precision XOC nvidia drivers etc etc.

Dikonou
fetterEsel could you be kind enough to write the procedure you have followed for a succesful bios update?
 
I'm completely new to the ''sport''..... and it would help me tremendously if I had a proper succesful how to do guide!

Boot into safe mode. Run the flasher provided on the first page as Administrator. Press Y. Do not do anything else until it finishes and closes itself. Run DDU and wipe everything entirely video driver related. Uninstall Precision XOC entirely. Reboot out of safe mode. Reinstall latest NVIDIA driver then reboot. Install Precision XOC now and all should be good.

Dikonou
fetterEsel could you be kind enough to write the procedure you have followed for a succesful bios update?
 
I'm completely new to the ''sport''..... and it would help me tremendously if I had a proper succesful how to do guide!

Flashing BIOS's isn't territory for noobies though. Not at all.  I would just manually overclock it to that memory speed and leave it at that, you get same effect with no chance of bricking your card. Your seeing lots of failed attempts because lots of noobies are attempting and think they are doing it correctly.  If they did it correctly it would have worked :D just saying.

CfYz_R

fetterEsel
If they did it correctly it would have worked :D just saying.

 
ERROR: Failed to preserve Inforom BBO data due to vbios's IR does not contain the BBO placeholder.
Please note this error and contact your display adapter manufacturer's
technical support line. It is important that you leave your system ON and NOT
reboot until instructed by your manufacturer on how to proceed.
 
Here you go. Safe mode. Trying update 86.04.60.00.80 from safe mode on master bios - error. Trying update 86.04.60.00.80 from safe mode on slave bios - same error.

I got that error the first time I tried as well. I ran it again as admin in safe mode then it worked. I think it has to do with reading the card wrong at first since windows 10 is a bit retarded when it comes to reading stuff properly and you have to give it a few goes for Windows 10 to finally be like oh I see what you need me to do. I had to run the flasher evga provided a few times, but I did indeed get that same error, but I succeeded with a flash.

Keyko
Please make a more aggressive algorithm for the work of the cooler in the BIOS. I'm tired of struggling with your program and just want the card itself to control the fans and at the same time it does not warm up to 70+ degrees with barely twisting fans!
 

• 08G-P4-6686-KR - EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 FTW2 iCX (86.04.3B.40.81/86.04.3B.41.81)

Make a custom fan curve yourself, or lock in the fan speed so the fans are constantly going. I run my 1080 ftw2 at 70 percent fan constantly.

Once again I repeat - to edit the bios 10 minutes in time. Can EVGA not make more aggressive BIOSes and upload them for download? Is it that difficult? And that's it! Why should I use this buggy PXOC ??? I need a cold card that will not warm everything around because the talentless engineers sewn up such an algorithm of the fan operation there. What washed away in all these sensors and other "whistles-tricks", if the card heats up to 75+ degrees?

fetterEselIs it also that difficult to just lock your fans at 70 percent speed and watch your temps max around 50-60 celsius?

Why do I need 70%? I need silence with simple tasks (movies / old games) and that the card does not overheat when I play heavy games.

Why are you writing nonsense? You just need to make a more aggressive algorithm of coolers after 55+ degrees. And it will be quiet and cold.

fetterEsel
 The one writing nonsense here is you. Install precision xoc and make your own fan curve.

 
The whole forum is filled with complaints about this crooked and lagging crap. What's the problem I do not understand to put EVGA bios with more aggressive fan operation at temperatures above 55-60 degrees?
 

Hi everyone,
 
I've received my GTX 1080 FTW2 GAMING P/N 08G-P4-6686-KR and as many of you it is equipped with the latest BIOS version 86.04.60.00.80 / 86.04.60.01.80 (master / slave). So the max memory speed is set by default at 10 GHz effective (1251 MHz in GPU-Z). I've checked the manufacturing date with the S/N and it appears my card was made in November 2017, quite recently.
 
Don't give up if you purchased such an FTW2 card from new stocks: there is a SOLUTION for updating the BIOS to unlock 11 GHz memory hard-coded! See below my GPU-Z screenshots before and after the update:
 

 
Download the updated BIOS and NVFlash from TechPowerUp website: (don't pay attention to the default card picture which is not matching the FTW2)

• EVGA GTX 1080 FTW2 11 GHz master/primary BIOS 86.04.60.00.81 [www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/198855]
• EVGA GTX 1080 FTW2 11 GHz slave/secondary BIOS 86.04.60.01.81 [www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/198856]
• Latest version of NVFlash [www.techpowerup.com/download/nvidia-nvflash]

 
You can simply use NVFlash in Command Prompt as Admin with the following commands: (64bit system for me)

• nvflash64 --save <filename.rom>  to backup your card original BIOS in .ROM format (you can do so quite easily with GPU-Z as well)
• nvflash64 --version <filename.rom>  to check both your original BIOS 86.04.60.0*.80 and the updated BIOS 86.04.60.0*.81 have the same "Board ID" and "Subsystem ID" so it is safe to use
• nvflash64 <filename.rom>  to flash your card BIOS to the newer version, or restore the original

 
Now don't forget to disable your "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080" in the Device Manager, uninstall the drivers, reboot computer, reinstall the drivers and voilà: enjoy max memory speed at 11 GHz effective (1376 MHz in GPU-Z)
 
Remark 1:
As you may have seen in my GPU-Z screenshots, I'm using the slave/secondary BIOS. I want to take credit of the more aggressive fan curves of this BIOS for better cooling performance. The reason I noticed different maximum temperatures reached by the card when benchmarking at full load (with untouched default fan curves):
- Original master BIOS 86.04.60.00.80 (10 GHz) GPU stabilizing at ~70°C
- Original slave BIOS 86.04.60.01.80 (10 GHz) GPU stabilizing at ~60°C
- Updated slave BIOS 86.04.60.01.81 (11 GHz) GPU stabilizing at ~65°C
Of course this is just a hint, not an exhaustive test campaign, but my room temperature was roughly the same at +/- 1°C and I found the trend clear enough. I assume that the 11 GHz memory update remains overclocking, thus dissipating more heat, as for any GTX 1080 card (opposed to the GTX 1080 Ti with memory chips made for that speed). Then it should be treated as deserved: with proper cooling. So be careful and test your card in severe benchmarking after the BIOS update to confirm its stability!
 
Remark 2:
Prior to achieve the above steps, I've been trying for hours and hours to update my BIOS but every time it was not successful! Either the memory was recognized as "Unknown" and stuck at 405 MHz, or some other BIOS at 11 GHz such as 86.04.66.0*.8* were not compatible for flashing my FTW2 card in NVFlash throwing "Board ID mismatch" error impossible to override.
Finally the BIOS versions 86.04.3B.40.81 / 86.04.3B.41.81 provided in post #1 are definitely older revisions for former card stocks! So I guess EVGA should update this post with the appropriate files for every BIOS revision now available on these compatible cards...