2X 7600GS & asus P5N-E SLI problem

[brakezone]

The problem is that I cannot find the SLI settings in the nvidia control panel.

I'm using server 2003, the latest nvidia 650i chipset and graphics card drivers. I flipped the duel/single video card selector. I followed all the instructions in the motherboard manual. Everything should be set right but I just don't see the SLI portion of the control panel. I hope somebody knows the answer.

[chaolin2007]

right click on desktop, properties, settings (tab), advanced (button), geforce 7600gs (tab). u should use the "classic nvidia control panel", and if u did everythign right, "sli-multi gpu" should show up on the left, click on that and then click on "enable sli"

[brakezone]

Thats the problem is that neither in the new or classic control panel do I see any sli related options. I guess i'll go through the steps in the motherboard manual again and try some different version drivers.

[chaolin2007]

then it should be a hardware problem, take the cards off and then put them back on. u should not be having this problem b/c when i had 7600gs in sli, it was running and i had a 570 sli chipset and a 500w power supply....

[brakezone]

I'm not saying it is not a hardware problem; however, I'm still not entirely convinced that it could only be a hardware or hardware configuration issue.

[Memphis69]

will you please bench your 2x 76gs's for me.. and maybe put your cpu at stock speeds pls?

[ViperJohn]

The problem is that I cannot find the SLI settings in the nvidia control panel.

I'm using server 2003, the latest nvidia 650i chipset and graphics card drivers. I flipped the duel/single video card selector. I followed all the instructions in the motherboard manual. Everything should be set right but I just don't see the SLI portion of the control panel. I hope somebody knows the answer.

Uninstall the drivers then reboot reinstall them using the NV driver setup/install program in the driver package you are using.

Most of the time users are using just a single card when they install the drivers the first. When you add the second card Windows will detect it and automatically install the drivers for it but when done that way you will seldom have a working SLI config or be able to see the SLI controls in the CP.

You can also just try to running the NV Setup/Install from driver package again without an uninstall. It will just overwrite the existing driver files and registry settings again and that may get you going. It doesn't always work that way though.

Viper

[brakezone]

I would love to bench them once I can get SLI going. I will try doing what you have all suggested.

[False Christian]

I agree with ViperJohn. Do it as he says and if that doesn't work do this: :bang head

[brakezone]

I did all that but still no results. Could this have something to do with the fact that i'm using server 2003?

[ViperJohn]

I did all that but still no results. Could this have something to do with the fact that i'm using server 2003?

That one I really do not know but it is certainly possible since it is not a Joe Blow consumer OS.

If the MB is configured correctly for SLI operation it is a good bet the OS isn't compatible.

Viper

[killermiller]

Try installing ntune. I know the drivers for the 8800 require ntune for "performence options" like temp monitoring. It may also be required for SLI?

[ViperJohn]

Try installing ntune. I know the drivers for the 8800 require ntune for "performence options" like temp monitoring. It may also be required for SLI?

nTune isn't needed. The SLI info/selection shows in the NV Control Panel.

Viper

[brakezone]

Well, i'm pretty sure my hardware is configured properly because I am running with SLI enabled right now under linux in FC6.

There has got to be some hack to get SLI going on 32-bit version of server 2K3. I'm gonna try some other drivers and hit the NVIDIA forums, they have been down for a day or so.

[brakezone]

i'm confused, does it seem like a few posts got deleted? Nevermind that.

I think either something is wrong with my motherboard or server 2003 doesn't allow sli.

It seems like it worked under linux though, although I havn't had any good 3d application to test it with yet.

[ViperJohn]

Well, i'm pretty sure my hardware is configured properly because I am running with SLI enabled right now under linux in FC6.

There has got to be some hack to get SLI going on 32-bit version of server 2K3. I'm gonna try some other drivers and hit the NVIDIA forums, they have been down for a day or so.

Well if you can see the SLI selections in the Control Panel under Linux and not with Server 2003 that would pretty much tell ya SLI isn't supported in the Server version. That does make sense since a server only needs simple video display ability.

Viper

[brakezone]

LOL funny thing is I tried to install XP but I only have upgrade CD. When I started the install it wanted to see my windows 98 CD. I put my windows 98 cd in and somehow the CD exploded into a million pieces inside the drive. The CD had a crack in it and when it reached a certain speed it came apart.

[ViperJohn]

LOL funny thing is I tried to install XP but I only have upgrade CD. When I started the install it wanted to see my windows 98 CD. I put my windows 98 cd in and somehow the CD exploded into a million pieces inside the drive. The CD had a crack in it and when it reached a certain speed it came apart.

All you need is the CD Key from your Win98 CD. You will be asked to enter the Win98 CD key number manually XP setup isn't able to read or find the W98 CD for some reason.

Viper

[brakezone]

Thanks alot for the help guys. It turned out the problem was Server 2K3. I found my WIN95 CD and was able to install XP. SLI works now and i'm gonna do some 3dmark05 benchmarks soon.

[brakezone]

Okay, I got some 3dmark05 benchmarks for the setup in my sig for memphis and anybody whos interested. The results were largely what I expected.

Cpu 3.2ghz - single 7600GS = 4300
Cpu 3.2ghz - SLI 7600GS X 2 = 8000
Cpu 1.86ghz - SLI 7600GS X 2 = 7650

The graphics cards are both at stock speeds.

[Memphis69]

wow thats a pretty dang nice score!! maybe i should really look into gettin a 2nd 76gs !!! what are you clock speeds on them.. i would think your 3.2 c2d would/should have beat my 05 score. hummm thats intresting for sure

[ViperJohn]

Thanks alot for the help guys. It turned out the problem was Server 2K3. I found my WIN95 CD and was able to install XP. SLI works now and i'm gonna do some 3dmark05 benchmarks soon.

Great and glad it worked out.

Viper

[brakezone]

The clocks on each vid card are stock speed 400/800. The CPU doesn't come into play much. As you can see, it actually gave less than a 400 point difference between 1.8ghz and 3.2 in the SLI benchmarks.

In real 3d applications the more powerful CPU makes a huge difference; however, the newer 3dmark benchmarks are designed to take the CPU out of it as much as possible. Since it would likely make even less a difference in single card mode, it indicates to me that the difference has to be because your card has 100mhz more on the core and memory. You have to think that i'm hardly even pushing this setup. The Cpu doesn't even go over 38C load.

I am kind of idly wondering in the back of my mind that with some serious tweaking if 10k could be broken. I mean say I tightened up the memory timings and added some memory voltage, overclocked it some, overclock the video cards, give the cpu some more voltage and speed.

[Memphis69]

im sure 10k can be hit
alright now put them at 500-900 and see what happends.. i am just really suprised

[brakezone]

Well, I'm not really sure i wanna OC the cards.

I don't think i could clear 10k after thinking about it. Maybe 9000 is possible but I don't think its worth pushing the system.

I was playing GTR2 racing game and it was awsome, SLI was working and it really improved the performance. I had everything maxed out and highest AA setting the game application allowed.

[Memphis69]

thats really kool tho.. i am very excited about picking me up a nother one maybe i will do that tommaow.. or sometime this week 8)

[brakezone]

I did 3dmark01 and cleared 30,000 points :)

[WonderingSoul]

Well, I'm not really sure i wanna OC the cards.

Why not? As long as they are cool and are not artifacting you're fine. No harm done to them.

[brakezone]

Ocing in sli-mode has prooved to be somewhat troublesome. Also i'd be surprised to see a significant increase in performance without a voltmod of some kind. If i'm going to do that i'll have to upgrade the cooling and that means spending more money. I've been trying to just OC them a little to see how it effects the performance; however, in SLI mode changing the clock speed just a tiny bit messes up some settings. I'm thinking maybe I should flash both cards a few mhz higher.

My last graphics card was a 6800 vanilla that I voltmodded and put a zalman cooler on it, I got that thing up to 450/900 and after running it at that speed for awhile, it can no longer handle stock speeds/stock voltages. It still works really well though anywhere from 325-400mhz with a voltage bump.