You just installed your brand-new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, fired up your system, and suddenly the screen goes black. Your heart sinks.
That expensive card you waited months for just became a very costly paperweight. According to a February 2025 report from Tom’s Hardware, hundreds of RTX 5090 5090D bricked issues among the users across Chinese forums like Baidu and Reddit are dealing with this exact nightmare, with their GPUs failing right after driver installation.
You’re not stuck with a dead card forever. I’m going to walk you through exactly why these bricking issues happen and share the step-by-step fixes that worked for real users on the ground.
Key Takeaways
- According to February 2025 reports from TechPowerUp, mixing old and new Nvidia drivers or running PCIe Gen 5 by default bricked RTX 5090 cards from brands like Colorful, Manli, and Gigabyte on Chinese forums.
- Forcing your motherboard’s PCIe settings from Gen 5 to Gen 4 mode fixes black screens and detection failures for both RTX 5090 and 5090D models, as Guru3D confirmed in their February 2025 troubleshooting guide.
- Running Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode before installing new drivers prevents conflicts that brick GPUs, based on thousands of successful fixes shared across tech forums in early 2025.
- Testing by Der8auer in February 2025 showed that 12VHPWR connectors on RTX 5090 cards reached 150°C under full load, causing cable melts when connections weren’t seated perfectly or when using third-party adapters.
- A quality 1000-watt or higher power supply with proper 12V-2×6 connections stops overheating issues, according to multiple February 2025 reports from Wccftech tracking RTX 5090 power failures.
Common Causes of RTX 5090 and 5090D Bricked Issues
Some GeForce RTX 5090 and 5090D users plug in their cards and everything seems perfect. Then they install drivers, reboot, and boom: black screen.
Your brand-new GPU suddenly vanishes from Windows Device Manager.
According to a February 2025 investigation by Wccftech, cards from manufacturers like Colorful and Manli were the first to show these failure patterns, though Gigabyte and ASUS models quickly joined the list. The RTX 5090D, created specifically for the Chinese market to meet US export restrictions, launched on January 30, 2025, and reports of bricked cards started flooding Chiphell and Bilibili forums within days.
How do driver installation conflicts cause RTX 5090 bricking?
Driver conflicts happen when your system tries to juggle old driver files with the new ones. Think of it like trying to run two different instruction manuals at once.
The RTX 5090 series uses Nvidia’s new 572 driver branch, released specifically for the Blackwell architecture in January 2025. When remnants of older drivers from the 566 branch or even ancient 551.32 versions stay on your system, the GPU gets confused about which commands to follow.
One user on the r/ASUS subreddit in February 2025 described their experience: the RTX 5090 installed fine, but after Windows automatically pushed a driver update during setup, the card disappeared from the system completely.
This gets worse when board partners like Gigabyte or Manli include their own custom software. Their GPU Tweak utilities or overclocking tools can inject files that clash with Nvidia’s official driver package, causing initialization failures that make your card undetectable in the BIOS.
What PCIe Gen 5 compatibility problems affect RTX 5090 cards?
The RTX 5090 is Nvidia’s first consumer card to fully support PCIe Gen 5. That sounds great on paper, but real-world motherboards weren’t quite ready.
PCIe Gen 5 doubles the data transfer speed compared to Gen 4, pushing bandwidth to 128 GB/s. This creates what experts call signal integrity challenges.
According to testing documented by Igor’s Lab in February 2025, the problem shows up as unstable communication between the GPU and motherboard. Your system tries to initialize the card at Gen 5 speeds, the signal degrades, and the card gives up trying to connect.
Many Z790 and X670 motherboards released in 2023 technically support PCIe Gen 5, but their trace layouts and firmware weren’t tested with actual Gen 5 graphics cards until the RTX 5090 launched. An ASUS ROG forum thread from March 2025 showed that even the high-end Z690 Hero motherboard struggled with Gen 5 mode, causing black screens until users manually forced the slot to Gen 4.
The issue gets trickier when your motherboard shares PCIe lanes between the main GPU slot and M.2 SSD slots. Install a Gen 5 NVMe drive, and suddenly your primary PCIe slot drops to x8 mode, creating even more instability.
How can power delivery and thermal issues brick my RTX 5090?
Your power connector might look fine, but underneath, disaster could be brewing. The RTX 5090 pulls up to 575 watts, pushing the 12VHPWR connector near its 600-watt limit.
In February 2025, German tech expert Der8auer tested a melted RTX 5090 sent by a Reddit user. Using thermal imaging during a FurMark stress test, he discovered something alarming: temperatures on the PSU side of the connector hit 150°C within minutes.
The problem gets worse because of how the connector distributes current. Der8auer’s testing revealed that two of the twelve wires were carrying over 20 amps each, more than double their 8-amp design spec. This uneven distribution creates hotspots that can melt the plastic housing or even burn the connector pins.
Third-party cables from brands like ModDIY were initially blamed, but Der8auer proved the issue occurred even with official Corsair cables, suggesting a deeper design flaw in how the RTX 5090 manages power distribution across the connector pins.
Some cards even showed signs of IC burns, permanent chip damage caused by power surges when the connector fails. A seller on Goofish, a Chinese marketplace, warned in February 2025 that installing the latest drivers could cause the graphics card to crash with a high probability, with small chances of screen distortion and very small chances of IC burns.
Step-by-Step Solutions for Fixing RTX 5090 5090D Bricked Issues
Let’s get your card working again. These fixes come directly from users who successfully recovered their bricked RTX 5090 and 5090D cards in early 2025. Start with the simplest solution and work your way down the list.
How do I use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) for a clean driver install?
You need a completely clean slate when your GPU acts up. Display Driver Uninstaller, available from Guru3D or Wagnardsoft, strips every trace of old drivers from your system.
The tool’s latest version, 18.1.3.7 released in October 2025, includes improved cleanup for Nvidia’s 572 driver branch that the RTX 5090 uses. Here’s exactly how to use it:
- Download DDU from Guru3D’s official page before touching any other settings. Save it to your desktop so you can find it easily in Safe Mode.
- Restart Windows and tap F8 repeatedly during boot to enter Safe Mode. On Windows 11, you might need to hold Shift while clicking Restart instead.
- Open DDU and select “Nvidia” from the device type dropdown on the right side. The tool automatically detects your RTX 5090 or 5090D.
- Click “Clean and restart” to remove all driver files, registry entries, and leftover fragments. Your screen might flicker as DDU works through the cleanup.
- After your PC restarts automatically, head straight to Nvidia’s driver download page. Grab version 572.75 or newer, which includes RTX 5090 compatibility fixes released in February 2025.
- Install the fresh driver with all other applications closed. Don’t let Windows Update interfere by disconnecting from WiFi or unplugging your ethernet cable during installation.
- Reboot one more time and check Device Manager to confirm your RTX 5090 shows up under Display Adapters.
According to troubleshooting guides shared on the r/nvidia subreddit in February 2025, this DDU method fixed detection issues for about 60% of users whose cards weren’t completely dead. If your BIOS still doesn’t see the card after this, move to the next fix.
Why should I update motherboard BIOS and chipset drivers?
Old BIOS versions don’t know how to talk to the RTX 5090 properly. Your motherboard needs updated instructions to handle PCIe Gen 5 and the card’s power requirements.
BIOS updates released in late 2023 and early 2024 were written before anyone had RTX 5090 cards to test with. Manufacturers like ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte started pushing emergency BIOS revisions in February 2025 specifically to address detection failures.
For example, ASUS released BIOS version 2404 for the Z790 Hero in February 2025, which included improved PCIe Gen 5 link training and better power delivery stability. Users on the ASUS ROG forums reported that updating from older 2022-era BIOS versions to this latest release made their RTX 5090 cards bootable again.
Chipset drivers matter just as much. Intel and AMD both released updated chipset packages in January 2025 that improve PCIe lane allocation and fix bugs related to Gen 5 signal integrity. These updates don’t just help with graphics cards but also prevent conflicts when you’re running Gen 5 M.2 SSDs alongside your GPU.
Download your motherboard’s BIOS from the manufacturer’s support page, not from third-party sites. Use the built-in BIOS flashback feature if your board has one, as it lets you update even when the GPU isn’t detected.
How can I set PCIe mode to Gen 4 in the BIOS?
This fix saved thousands of RTX 5090 cards in early 2025. Forcing your slot to run at Gen 4 speeds sidesteps the signal integrity problems entirely.
According to testing by TechPowerUp, running the RTX 5090 at PCIe 4.0 x16 instead of 5.0 x16 causes only a 1% performance drop in gaming. You won’t notice the difference.
Here’s how to make the change:
- Power off completely, then press Delete or F2 during startup to enter BIOS. The exact key depends on your motherboard brand.
- Navigate to the Advanced or PCIe Configuration menu. On ASUS boards, this is under “Advanced > System Agent Configuration.” MSI calls it “Settings > Advanced > Integrated Peripherals.”
- Find the setting labeled “PCIe Slot Configuration,” “PEG Port,” or “PCIe Generation.” It’s usually set to “Auto” by default.
- Change it from “Auto” or “Gen 5” to “Gen 4.” Some motherboards require you to set each individual slot, so make sure you’re changing the primary x16 slot where your GPU sits.
- Save changes with F10 and let your system reboot. Your RTX 5090 should now initialize properly.
- Once Windows loads, open GPU-Z from TechPowerUp to verify the card is running at PCIe 4.0 x16. The Bus Interface line should show “PCI-E 4.0 x16 @ x16 4.0.”
A Guru3D troubleshooting guide from February 2025 confirmed this method worked across multiple motherboard brands, including boards from ASRock, Biostar, and even older Z690 chipsets that were never meant to support Gen 5 graphics cards.
What are the proper power supply connections for RTX 5090 cards?
Getting power right makes the difference between a working GPU and a melted connector. The 12VHPWR connector has zero tolerance for mistakes.
Your power supply needs at least 1000 watts for an RTX 5090 setup. Seasonic, Corsair, and Be Quiet! all released updated PSU models in late 2024 with native 12V-2×6 connectors, which are slightly more reliable than the older 12VHPWR standard.
Follow these specific steps to avoid the melting issues documented by Der8auer:
- Use only the cable that came with your power supply or GPU, never mix cables between different PSU brands.
- Push the 16-pin connector in until you hear and feel two distinct clicks, one at the halfway point and one when fully seated.
- Route the cable so it exits straight from the GPU without any sharp 90-degree bends within the first 3 centimeters of the connector.
- Check both ends of the cable every few weeks for any discoloration, which appears as brown or black marks near the pins.
- Never use a single daisy-chained cable that splits into multiple connectors, each 12VHPWR plug needs its own dedicated cable from the PSU.
According to ElcomSoft’s March 2025 analysis, the RTX 5090 consumes 575 watts, dangerously close to the 600-watt connector limit. When you factor in power spikes during intensive rendering or gaming, momentary draws can hit 644 watts, which explains why some cables fail even when they appear properly connected.
If you’re using an SFX power supply in a small form factor build, be extra careful. A NotebookCheck report from February 2025 detailed how an ASUS ROG Loki SFX-L PSU’s 12VHPWR pins were measurably thinner than the RTX 5090’s connector pins, creating increased resistance and leading to overheating.
Preventative Measures to Avoid Bricking Issues
You don’t want to fix a bricked card. You want to prevent it from happening in the first place. These habits will keep your RTX 5090 running smoothly from day one.
How do clean driver installs prevent RTX 5090 bricking?
Clean driver installs wipe out every fragment of old software. Dirty installs pile up like digital junk in your closet, and eventually something important breaks.
When you skip the cleanup step, old .dll files, registry keys from the 566 driver branch, and leftover monitoring software from programs like MSI Afterburner create conflicts. Your RTX 5090 tries to initialize, finds conflicting instructions, and just stops trying.
According to a guide shared on GraphicsCardHub in March 2025, users should run DDU before every major driver update, not just when switching between Nvidia and AMD cards. This takes an extra 10 minutes but eliminates the most common cause of post-installation bricking.
Always disconnect from the internet during driver installation to prevent Windows Update from forcing its own driver version over the one you’re installing. Windows Update often pushes older, generic drivers that aren’t optimized for brand-new GPUs like the RTX 5090.
Why use a high-quality power supply with secure connections?
Cheap power supplies kill expensive GPUs. It’s that simple.
The RTX 5090 demands stable, clean power delivery. A quality unit from brands like Corsair HX1500i or Seasonic Prime TX-1600 includes proper voltage regulation that prevents the power spikes which can fry your card’s voltage regulator modules.
According to Tom’s Hardware’s February 2025 investigation, reference RTX 5090 models lack per-pin current monitoring. This means the card can’t detect when one wire is carrying too much load until it’s too late. Your PSU needs to compensate with excellent load balancing across all 12 power pins.
Secure connections matter because even a 0.1mm gap creates resistance. That resistance generates heat, and at 575 watts, heat builds fast. Make sure your cable clicks fully into place, then give it a gentle tug test to confirm it won’t come loose during gameplay or rendering.
How often should I update BIOS and drivers to avoid issues?
Update when you have a specific problem or when manufacturers release patches for known issues. Don’t update just because a new version exists.
For the RTX 5090, the early months of 2025 required frequent updates because manufacturers were still fixing compatibility bugs. By mid-2025, the situation should stabilize, and you can switch to updating every few months unless you see specific release notes mentioning RTX 5090 improvements.
Check your motherboard manufacturer’s website monthly for BIOS updates that mention PCIe Gen 5 improvements or RTX 5090 compatibility. ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI all released multiple emergency BIOS revisions between January and March 2025 to address bricking issues.
For drivers, stick with Nvidia’s Game Ready drivers if you mainly game, or Studio drivers if you do professional work in applications like Blender or DaVinci Resolve. A Reddit discussion from February 2025 suggested waiting 2-3 days after a new driver releases to see if other users report problems before you install it yourself.
Takeaways
A bricked RTX 5090 doesn’t have to be the end of your gaming dreams. Most cards that appear dead can be revived.
Start by running DDU in Safe Mode, then set your PCIe slot to Gen 4 in the BIOS. Those two steps alone solve the majority of bricking issues, according to recovery reports from early 2025.
If you’re still seeing a black screen, check your power connections and make sure you’re using a PSU rated for at least 1000 watts. The 12VHPWR connector needs perfect contact to avoid melting at high loads.
Stay on top of BIOS updates from your motherboard manufacturer, especially patches released after January 2025 that specifically mention RTX 5090 support. Keep your drivers current, but wait a few days after release to make sure they’re stable.
When everything else fails, reach out to your card’s manufacturer for warranty support. Most RTX 5090 and 5090D cards bricked in early 2025 were covered under warranty, especially when users could document that they followed proper installation procedures.
FAQs on RTX 5090 5090D Bricked Issues
1. What does it mean when my RTX 5090 or 5090D is bricked?
When your graphics card is bricked, it’s completely unresponsive, often because of a corrupted firmware flash, leaving it unable to boot. Your computer won’t detect the card, you’ll get no display signal, and motherboard diagnostic LEDs might indicate a VGA error.
2. Can a faulty power supply unit cause my RTX 5090 to brick?
Yes, a low-quality or failing power supply can send unstable voltage that damages your GPU, though modern PSUs usually have safety features to prevent this. For a high-end card like the RTX 5090, a quality 1000W ATX 3.0 power supply is a safe recommendation to handle its power requirements and potential spikes.
3. Why did one user report their card bricked after switching from PCIe 5.0 to 4.0?
Forcing a PCIe generation change in the motherboard’s BIOS can create instability if the card’s firmware doesn’t sync correctly during the boot process. Some early RTX 50-series users on Reddit have reported initialization failures when forcing PCIe modes, suggesting a sensitive handshake between the card and motherboard BIOS. This issue is especially noted when features like Resizable BAR are also being reconfigured.
4. Is there any way to fix a bricked RTX 5090 at home?
A software-bricked card can sometimes be recovered by “blind flashing” the original firmware using a tool like NVFlash, which requires a second GPU or integrated graphics to get a display output.
