setting up SLI

[piotrekhc]

Hi Guys today i got myself 2nd 980 for sli, and i pluged it in connected sli bridge, and started the system. Problem is i do not have SLI config tab in nvidia control panel.
Is there something i am missing ?

free upload image

 

[Wraith]

Which Nvidia drivers and OS are you running?

There has been issue recently with Windows update screwing up Nvidia drivers.

 

[Doomslayer]

Which Nvidia drivers and OS are you running?

There has been issue recently with Windows update screwing up Nvidia drivers.

That is why you should never use Windows Update to get Drivers always go to the company website and download the drivers from there, I would say reinstall the drivers and see what happens..

Windows Update always seems to stuff something up these days

 

[piotrekhc]

I think i cracked it, i had pci-e Asus sound card pluged in 3rd pci-e slot which i think was causing the SLI issue, since i very rarely use headphones now i did remove it for a time being and when I switch my cpu cooling(which atm is blocking top smal pic-e slot ill plug it there)
So far so good apart my pc is running out of memory in The Division, no idea why...

 

[Anakey]

I would also say to check in the card manual what connector you have your monitor plugged into, some of the connections will prevent SLI from working if your monitor is plugged into them.

 

[piotrekhc]

I'm running on Asus PG279Q, thats why I decided to go SLI

 

[jimma47]

I have a sound card as well as my SLI set up and it's never been a conflict issue.

Windows 10 did take a while to recognize the second card and downloaded a separate (identical) driver when I first upgraded but for the last few months it's been running well.

 

[piotrekhc]

Do you have your card plugged into large pci-e slot or small ?

 

[jimma47]

It's a soundblaster X-Fi and it's been in the PCI x16 (x16 x8 and x4 long slots) and the x1 (short) slots and has had no issues. I only moved it to get better airflow to the GPU fans (it currently sits in the first PCI x1 slot above the top GPU)

 

[Kushiro]

What motherboard are you using?

 

[piotrekhc]

What motherboard are you using?

It is Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H

---------------------------------

That is the answer i got from EVGA.
"Your CPU only has 16 PCI-E lanes. Each video board requires 8 lanes which means running your Sound Card will take 4 lanes making your PCI-E slots run at x16,x4,x4 which will not support SLI."
I'm happy with that

 

[Feronix]

I've merged your posts, please don't post multiple times in a row


Time for an external sound card then?

 

[piotrekhc]

Sorry and thanks

External sound card, probably what would you recommend?

 

[Feronix]

Sorry and thanks

External sound card, probably what would you recommend?

Try to see if SLI works without the sound card installed first before you buy anything!

Then make a thread in the audio forums and those guys will be able to help you out best

 

[jimma47]

That's odd that your motherboard is one step up from mine (Z77-UD3H) but the PCI lanes work differently. My x16 and x8 both share lanes (so x8 + x8 when SLI) but the x4 shares with the PCI x1 so doesn't affect the Sli setup when it's in use.

Yours seems to share the lanes between the x16 x8 and x4.

At least you got your answer. On board audio will do just fine I've had my card in and out over the years depending on drivers or whether I wanted the Optical passthrough or not. I had my PS3 run audio through my surround speakers attached to my PC.

Good luck!

 

[piotrekhc]

Sli works fine without Sound card. Reason why i like to have additional sound card is that my speakers run from on board audio, and my mmx330 from Asus Xonar d2x for when im playing games, and I don't want to interrupt anyone.

Apparently it will work if plugged into 1_1 slot obove top gou but ill need to change that massive silverarrow...

 

[jimma47]

Yeah mine is in the top slot as well. What sort of cooler are you thinking of?

 

[piotrekhc]

I've got spare antec kuhler 620 which i got for free when i purchased mobo so I am going to go with that on push/pull config, should be enough for mild overclock.