DFI NF4 Ultra-D 2nd PCIe slot 16x

Dutch Guy · 13 Dec 2006 at 10:17

Can I use the lower PCIe slot to run a 8800GTS videocard without problems or speed difference in a DFI NF4 Ultra-D :confused:

easyrider · 13 Dec 2006 at 10:21

why?

Whats in the top slot?

The 8800 series need a full 16x pci-e lane to function as far as I know

Dutch Guy · 13 Dec 2006 at 10:24

I have a modded Zalman passive northbridge cooler with bent pins to use my current 7800GT in the top slot, but with the 8800GTS being a lot bigger I fear that I can't use that combo anymore so need to use the lower PCIe slot.

easyrider · 13 Dec 2006 at 10:27

I'm not aware that the bottom slot is a true 16x pci-e slot.So by this reasoning it might hinder performance.

Dutch Guy · 13 Dec 2006 at 10:39

easyrider said:
I'm not aware that the bottom slot is a true 16x pci-e slot.So by this reasoning it might hinder performance.

I guess I'll have to find out for sure as I thought you could reroute the PCIe lanes to the lower slot, but I can't read the manual as I am at work, so I guess I will do that tonight.

Dutch Guy · 13 Dec 2006 at 12:16

Went searching on DFI street and it seems there is a way to split the lanes but only in two 8x lanes and not 16x on the lower slot

So I guess I need to find the stock cooler again and use the top slot which sucks.

bfar · 13 Dec 2006 at 12:35

Its possible, thats what I've done to fit the card in my case. You need to make sure the jumpers are set right, then theres a setting in the bios.

The bottom slot CAN run at 16x, but the top slot will then only run at 8x.

My 8800gtx is in the bottom slot and it's definatly running at 16x.

Dutch Guy · 13 Dec 2006 at 12:39

bfar said:
Its possible, thats what I've don't to fit the card in my case. You need to make sure the jumpers are set right, then theres a setting in the bios.

Its in the bottom slot and it definatly runs at 16x.

Now I'm even more confused, are the settings in the manual or did you search on internet for info?

bfar · 13 Dec 2006 at 12:44

Dutch Guy said:
Now I'm even more confused, are the settings in the manual or did you search on internet for info?

Yea, the jumper settings should be outlined in the manual. I think you need to set them for one grahics card (ie one gfx slot at 16x and one at 1x)

Then you need to go into the bios and change the order of the 4 PCIx lanes to 1x 4x 16x 4x (or something like that) - the key is that the third slot, which is the bottom gfx card slot, should be set at 16x

I'll look at it for you tonight - but for now I assuure you it definatly is possible.

Noxis · 13 Dec 2006 at 16:05

HOLD THE PHONE

I put my Asus 8800GTS in my DFI Ultra-D (modded to SLI-D) top slot but whilst it was still set to x8 on both PCI-E slots (from a previous 7800GTX SLI setup) and it worked fine with no slow down

Proof here: http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=744853

Can see the "AGP" rate is set to x8.

I imagine it will work just find in the lower slot at x8 speed.

fornowagain · 13 Dec 2006 at 16:44

bfar said:
Yea, the jumper settings should be outlined in the manual. I think you need to set them for one grahics card (ie one gfx slot at 16x and one at 1x)

Then you need to go into the bios and change the order of the 4 PCIx lanes to 1x 4x 16x 4x (or something like that) - the key is that the third slot, which is the bottom gfx card slot, should be set at 16x

I'll look at it for you tonight - but for now I assuure you it definatly is possible.

I had the board and manual and all I can find is:

In normal non-SLI jumper mode, from the top slot nearest to CPU

x1
x16
x1
x2

Move the switch over and remember x20 is the bus limit of nF4.

x4
x8
x0
x8

Had a quick look over DFI-Street , same again .

And the G80 will work at x8 even x2, you just may be holding it back a bit is all. It may not be a problem if enough data is getting through.

Dutch Guy · 14 Dec 2006 at 07:44

Thanks for the help guys.
So it isn't possible to get the lower slot at 16x but a 8800GTS works fine at 8x, strange that OcUK mentions it needs to be a 16x slot :confused:

So I'll just try to use the lower slot and if, for some reason, it will not work I can always install the stock NB cooler again and use the top slot, I have a lot of rebuilding to do anyway as I placed my Eheim pump in such a way that it will block the 8800 card so I need to find a new spot for that as well

fornowagain · 14 Dec 2006 at 13:49

Dutch Guy said:
Thanks for the help guys.
So it isn't possible to get the lower slot at 16x but a 8800GTS works fine at 8x, strange that OcUK mentions it needs to be a 16x slot

So I'll just try to use the lower slot and if, for some reason, it will not work I can always install the stock NB cooler again and use the top slot, I have a lot of rebuilding to do anyway as I placed my Eheim pump in such a way that it will block the 8800 card so I need to find a new spot for that as well

Why not get an offset block and use the top slot? The G80 will work, but the other guy who tried the lower slot had his score increase when he moved it, so might be worth thinking about.

Have look at Koolance blocks. Or maybe an Alphacool NexXxoS NB-SLI

]

Dutch Guy · 15 Dec 2006 at 10:32

Yeah, I know about the waterblocks for the northbridge but I never used one as it runs fine with a passive zalman cooler which only costs a few quid.

bfar · 15 Dec 2006 at 12:26

fornowagain said:
I had the board and manual and all I can find is:

In normal non-SLI jumper mode, from the top slot nearest to CPU

x1
x16
x1
x2

Move the switch over and remember x20 is the bus limit of nF4.

x4
x8
x0
x8

Had a quick look over DFI-Street , same again .

And the G80 will work at x8 even x2, you just may be holding it back a bit is all. It may not be a problem if enough data is getting through.

Honestly, I have the bottom gfx slot working at 16x. I think there's a bios setting you have to change aswell...

Dutch Guy · 15 Dec 2006 at 14:07

bfar said:
Honestly, I have the bottom gfx slot working at 16x. I think there's a bios setting you have to change aswell...

Are you sure you have the DFI NF4 Ultra-D and not a SLI model ???

bfar · 15 Dec 2006 at 14:25

Dutch Guy said:
Are you sure you have the DFI NF4 Ultra-D and not a SLI model ???

Yup! Its the Ultra-D. I'd meant to check this for you, but I was out last night - I'll get around to it! Honestly I'm almost 100% sure I have the second slot running at 16x. If it's not then it's worth my while checking my own setup

Just a thought - are you on the latest bios?

fornowagain · 15 Dec 2006 at 14:26

bfar said:
Honestly, I have the bottom gfx slot working at 16x. I think there's a bios setting you have to change aswell...

Not on an Ultra-D you don't, sorry but it's just not wired that way. I only got 8x on mine, which seemed fine with an XTX btw. I don't see how a bios update can change that either, the connectors are physically designed to reroute pipes. Not sure about the Expert though, I'd bet the NF4 20x limit and SLi wiring is the same. Don't forget its designed with the SLi bridge in mind for extra bandwidth.

CarlD · 15 Dec 2006 at 14:43

I had the DFI lanparty UT Ultra-D

I had my 8800gtx in the bottem pci-e slot (furthest away from the cpu) reason being is that the waterblock stopped me putting my 8800gtx in the first pci-e slot.

I took off the waterblock and put the stock heatsink back on , Moved my 8800gtx to the first pci-e slot and the performance increase was amazing.

3dmark06 score was 7000-8000 , moved it to the first pci-e slot and the score was 10000 - 11500

Bubo · 15 Dec 2006 at 16:18

Not got my mb manual to hand but I could have sworn it says something along the lines of both pci-e slots run at 8x mode with the right jumper settings, but will then run at 16x when you connect the sli bridge. This may only apply to the pukka sli version of the board, but the question then is does apply when you to the sli mod trick to an ultra-d. Might be wrong but I'm pretty sure I read something like this in the manual.