What is MATS and MODS

MATS stands for memory automated test system and MODS stands for modular diagnostics software and are two pieces of software “leaked” from NVIDIA. About the leak part - I don’t know, I don’t care. I just need proper debugging of a potential broken graphics cards. As the market for graphics card is currently crazy, I’d rather try to properly diagnose my card before spending an insane amount of money for a new one.

Where to get MATS and MODS

You can download MATS and MODS on the internet. The software is not free and I will surely not help anyone get their hands on an illegal copy.

How to use MATS / MODS

Flashing your USB Drive

After you downloaded the disk image (which is probably 367.38.1) you should try to get your hands on a new version like 400.184 to support RTX or Turing cards. Install etcher, plug in your thumb drive, select the disk image and go. If you found the binaries of a newer version, simply replace the existing binaries (mods and mats) on the drive after flashing the image. Or bake the binaries into the image.

This procedure only works if you got your hands on the linux image and not the one using FreeDOS. I recommend the article by Piotr Maliński for the DOS variant.

Prepare and run the tests

There is PDF in your mods folder called mods.pdf, here you’ll find a documentation about the individual tests.

Edit the ARGS file in on the disk and place the tests you want to run there. 

gputest.js
-test 3
-test 18
-test 19
-test 52
-test 111
-test 112
-test 143
-mfg
-null_display
-poll_interrupts
-pstate 0.max
-no_thermal_slowdown
-matsinfo

Now boot your computer (in CSM / compatibility / legacy / BIOS mode - not EFI!) from the usb-drive and see if you are booting up Linux. If that fails, you are probably using EFI boot instead of booting via legacy BIOS / CSM.

The tests should start immediately without any user interaction. When the tests are finished you’ll find the results in the reports.txt file.