8800GT SLI same score as single card?

[Bad Maniac]

Building a high end gaming rig at work for a customer, 4GB ram, Core 2 Quad, and two 8800GT 512MB's.
I built it with both cards in and it turned out there were problems when running both cards, one card was faulty and the system didn't even post. So I settled for one card to get the system built and ready to go for when the replacement card arrived. Ran 3DMark 06 on the single card and noted down the score (don't recall the exact figure)
So when the other card arrived back today, I plugged it in, the system posts and boots fine, enable SLI in the nVidia control panel, and run 3Dmark06 again, and get the exact same score!

What's wrong? Is there some setting in the drivers beyond the enable SLI in the nVidia driver control panel?

Running Vista HP 64bit, latest drivers (169.28 beta) motherboard flashed to latest bios, all other drivers up to date.

[ps2cho]

You do have the SLI Connector attached right?

[dop3y]

You might have to install the drivers for the second card and make sure the bridge is attached. I know when i set mine up and i installed the drivers it set up two drivers or atleast that is what i thought it did. It will tell you the drivers are not certified or something twice and you click continue anyways both times. I may be wrong.

[Bad Maniac]

Yeah the bridge cable is attached. Might have to reinstall the drivers when both cards are in place. Will give that a go.

[ViperJohn]

Building a high end gaming rig at work for a customer, 4GB ram, Core 2 Quad, and two 8800GT 512MB's.
I built it with both cards in and it turned out there were problems when running both cards, one card was faulty and the system didn't even post. So I settled for one card to get the system built and ready to go for when the replacement card arrived. Ran 3DMark 06 on the single card and noted down the score (don't recall the exact figure)
So when the other card arrived back today, I plugged it in, the system posts and boots fine, enable SLI in the nVidia control panel, and run 3Dmark06 again, and get the exact same score!

What's wrong? Is there some setting in the drivers beyond the enable SLI in the nVidia driver control panel?

Running Vista HP 64bit, latest drivers (169.28 beta) motherboard flashed to latest bios, all other drivers up to date.

If you install the drivers with only a single card install then add the second Windows will do the
driver install for it and you will typically not get a working SLI setup.

Viper

[Bad Maniac]

Still having issues with the intel system so I put both cardss in an AM2 board with an X2.
Installed the drivers with both cards in. The driver detects both cards, and SLI is enabled, still get the same score. Could it be CPU limiting?

[ViperJohn]

Still having issues with the intel system so I put both cardss in an AM2 board with an X2.
Installed the drivers with both cards in. The driver detects both cards, and SLI is enabled, still get the same score. Could it be CPU limiting?

Did you install the Vista SLI hotfix? I do not think Windows update does that.


Viper

[Bad Maniac]

No, still having issues with the Vista PC with both cards in, and with a single card in the second slot it doesn't even post.

But, I have verified that it is CPU limited on the AMD X2, a single 7600GT gets a score of 4500, dual 7600GT gets 6500. So basically even one 8800GT card is enough to reach the CPU limit of an AMD X2. But at least I know that I'm not screwing up the installation and settings since it works with the 7600's.
Seems I'll need to RMA the intel board.

[ViperJohn]

No, still having issues with the Vista PC with both cards in, and with a single card in the second slot it doesn't even post.

But, I have verified that it is CPU limited on the AMD X2, a single 7600GT gets a score of 4500, dual 7600GT gets 6500. So basically even one 8800GT card is enough to reach the CPU limit of an AMD X2. But at least I know that I'm not screwing up the installation and settings since it works with the 7600's.
Seems I'll need to RMA the intel board.

It is no secret that doing SLI/CF in an AMD rig is bit like slapping lipstick on a pig.

You have two problems with the Intel MB rig. One is it is a defective board and the second
is you can't SLI with an Intel MB. It doesn't have the chipset support for SLI...only CrossFire.

Viper

[leftheaded]

here are the nvidia hotfixes (http://www.nvidia.com/object/windows_vista_hotfixes.html) if you do want/need them

[Robbman]

Make sure your cards both have the same BIOS...

[jason4207]

Which MoBo do you have? The eVGA 680i is pretty much the only way to go if you have a quad and want SLI.

[Bad Maniac]

It's an Asus Commando, which does say SLI in big bold writing on the box.

[ViperJohn]

It's an Asus Commando, which does say SLI in big bold writing on the box.

Well then ASUS was using some kind of a hack SLI with older NV drivers. The Asus Commando
uses the P965 chipset and it does not have native SLI support. NV hasn't given Intel a license
to use SLI on anything but the mother of all mega-buck MB's the SkullTrail.

Viper

[Bad Maniac]

Our supplier had it listed with SLI in the title, and there is an SLI sticker on the box. But I just realized it's the wrong damn chipset! No wonder it doesn't work, right, baseball bat and supplier heads shall make contact.

[ViperJohn]

Our supplier had it listed with SLI in the title, and there is an SLI sticker on the box. But I just realized it's the wrong damn chipset! No wonder it doesn't work, right, baseball bat and supplier heads shall make contact.

It is really pretty simple. If it is a Intel chipset it is CrossFire not SLI!

Viper