• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

SLI Setup problems

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Dawgdoc

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
EVGA 750i FTW, 2 X EVGA 8800 GTS G92 GPUs.

This is my first SLI setup and its not going all that well.

Everything is installed, but windows just simply is NOT recognizing the second card.

I removed and reinstalled my Nforce drivers. I driver cleaned ALL Nvidia drivers and reinstalled them all again. Even drivercleaned in safemode, rebooted to safemode, and cleaning again just to be certain.

Reinstalled 169.21 8800 GTS G92 XP WHQL drivers, and nada.

No SLI setup Icon, nothing.

Been through this like 5X allready.

Both cards are running normal volts (both voltmodded and tested individually and working fine prior to setup).

SLI bridge is connected. Funny thing though...the motherboard manual specifically states that an SLI bridge is NOT included and needs to be purchased seperately, but then shows it in the box contents in another part of the manual :p

Any ideas? Do I need to install the drivers again for the 2nd card or something?

Reseat the card? Im reluctant to do this unless I have to, because it is VERY cramped in this case, with 2 water loops, and the GPU loops are tight on the tubing. I assume if the GPU is getting volts it is seated appropriately?

Perhaps I have a bum SLI bridge? But....when I go to device manager I only see a single 8800 GTS G92 card.

Thx for any advice.
 
Last edited:
Doc, does windows under device manager list both cards?

If SLI is recognized by the OS then that option should be visible under NVidia's control panel, open it up , you should see the option to enable it.

Also when you open GPUz do you see both cards?
 
I had to:

1) Remove drivers
2) Shutdown and only put 1 card in
3) Install drivers
4) Restart and make sure it works
5) Shutdown and install the other card with the bridge

Then you should get a pop-up saying it is able to be enabled :)
 
I had to:

1) Remove drivers
2) Shutdown and only put 1 card in
3) Install drivers
4) Restart and make sure it works
5) Shutdown and install the other card with the bridge

Then you should get a pop-up saying it is able to be enabled :)

This should not be necessary, when you install the drivers you should see two VGA devices installed seprately, you cannot miss it, the screen will pause and flash twice indicating that drivers for both cards have been installed
 
This should not be necessary, when you install the drivers you should see two VGA devices installed seprately, you cannot miss it, the screen will pause and flash twice indicating that drivers for both cards have been installed
Yes, but you are talking about nVidia...that never works. :)
 
Yes, but you are talking about nVidia...that never works. :)


I have done this with several different types of cards, drivers, CPU etc etc, never had a problem...guess I was lucky ;)
Then with ATI drivers...I rather shall not start .

Anyways, doc, I suggest you re-seat those cards, one might not be seated properly.
 
I show only 1 GPU in Device Manager, but the 2nd GPU has normal volts.

When I open GPU-Z I only see 1 card.

Grrrrr....Looks like I am going to have to remove the 2nd card from the waterblock, reinstall an air cooler, and test it on another rig now?

Any other ideas?

Does it matter if windows has NOT been activated? That shouldnt make any difference whatsoever that I can think of.....

Also, not really directly related, but my monitor (Samsung 226 BW) has 1 VGA input, and 1 DVI input. I used a DVI-DVI cable from 1 gpu to the monitor, and a VGA-VGA on the other one with a DVI adaptor on the back of the GPU. No problems there correct?
 
Reseat the cards, don't remove the waterblocks just yet.

The other possible problems you mention should not be an issue.
 
Reseat the cards, don't remove the waterblocks just yet.

The other possible problems you mention should not be an issue.

Roger that.

Ill try reseating the cards, but....if the GPU is showing appropriate volts on Vgpu and Vmem, it needs not only to have the 6pin PCIe power connect attached but also be properly seated in the PCIe slot....correct or no?

Also If I had a poorly seated card I would assume there would be some type of POST issue?
 
Roger that.

Ill try reseating the cards, but....if the GPU is showing appropriate volts on Vgpu and Vmem, it needs not only to have the 6pin PCIe power connect attached but also be properly seated in the PCIe slot....correct or no?

Also If I had a poorly seated card I would assume there would be some type of POST issue?


If your primary card connected to the monitor is not seated properly then you'll have a post error, but is the 2nd card is not seated properly then you posting will be fine

Did you measure both cards' core voltage with a DMM while you are running? I presume they are modded, right?
 
If your primary card connected to the monitor is not seated properly then you'll have a post error, but is the 2nd card is not seated properly then you posting will be fine

Did you measure both cards' core voltage with a DMM while you are running? I presume they are modded, right?

Yup.

All voltages 100% where they are supposed to be.

Each card is set right now to 1.25Vgpu.

My Quimonda mem card is it 2.01 Vmem, and my Samsung mem card is at 1.96 Vmem. Both of those Vmems are stock at the moment, and obviously both Vgpus are slightly increased.

Yes they are both modded :D
 
Great, would be a nice comparison to my twins which has the same mods on water.

Do me a favor and install 169.44, I have used that vers before with my GTS with good results.
 
Reseating the card shows both GPUs in device manager, and GPU-Z says SLI disabled (SLI available)!

But no option to install SLI right now...Im going to reinstall display drivers and see what happens.

Once I get a feel for things Ill happily install 169.44 and run some benchies :D
 
I would try this to isolate the second card: In device Manager, disable the primary (top) card, shut down and plug the monitor into the second card. Then re-start and see if you get any display output. I am assuming this is one of the one's you thought was dead, did you test it by itself/install drivers and everything worked OK?

*Edit, sounds like your making headway :D
 
This isnt one of the ones that was dead/presumed dead or anything. This is a brand new one.

So Im making headway yes, but I cant get the dang SLI interface manager/installer to pop up for me. GPU-Z says SLI available but disabled. Device manager shows both cards....Ive cleaned drivers and reinstalled....but I cant get that dan SLI installer to pop up!

Any other suggestions?
 
So after a full drivercleaning, reinstallation of Nforce and 169.21 Nvidia WHQL now its nhaving issues with the 2nd GTS again

Yellow exclamation point states it not working approrpriately.

Bah....I might be done here for the night.....

Ohhh...and also now after the display driver reinstall its booting to windows and once it hits desktop it starts to load everything in for about 5-10 secs then restarts the whole computer.

Happened like 3 times in a row now....
 
Sounds like you have some conflicting files preventing a good install. I don't know why people use driver cleaner, it is old technology (unless you pay for it) and not compatible with Windows Installer 3.1. All you have to do to remove drivers normally is use Add/Remove Programs or (for ATI) the UninstallAll.exe

Do you use MSN doc?
 
I was always told drivercleaner was better. If its crap......ill stop using it.

I also have been using the Add/Remove as well, because with Drivercleaner I cant really differentiate which Nvidia files I get rid of.

Im not on MSN no.

So heres the latest.

After the last driver reinstall I got the SLI enabled system to popup.

Clicked on apply....after 5 seconds had a black screen/hang for about 2 full minutes, then a reboot, then it hung on windows install and a got a BSOD stop error CHECK_MACHINE something or another....

Im prob just gonna do a clean reinstall and end this BS allready. This was just a test install prior to setting up in the case/etc....
 
I could help you clean out all the driver files manually if you want...a clean install will fix it for sure though ;)
 
I could help you clean out all the driver files manually if you want...a clean install will fix it for sure though ;)

I assume you are speaking about manually editing the registry?

If so, Ive never done anything like that. I would love to hear about it.

If its something else....what did you have in mind?

So you are fairly certain its some sort of driver conflict/something like that and a clean reinstall will surely resolve the issues Ive described?
 
Back