Nvidia disables PhysX when ATI card is present with an Nvidia card for windows 7.

Final8y · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:19

is about to change.

Since the release of 186 graphics drivers Nvidia has decided to disable PhysX anytime a Non-Nvidia GPU is even present in the same PC. Nvidia again has shot themselves in the foot here and showed they are not customer oriented. Since they are pushing Physx this will not win over any ATI fanboys with this latest decision.

Here is a copy of the email I received from Nvidia support confirming what they have done.

"Hello JC,

Ill explain why this function was disabled.

Physx is an open software standard any company can freely develop hardware or software that supports it. Nvidia supports GPU accelerated Physx on NVIDIA GPUs while using NVIDIA GPUs for graphics. NVIDIA performs extensive Engineering, Development, and QA work that makes Physx a great experience for customers. For a variety of reasons - some development expense some quality assurance and some business reasons NVIDIA will not support GPU accelerated Physx with NVIDIA GPUs while GPU rendering is happening on non- NVIDIA GPUs. I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused but I hope you can understand.

Best Regards,
Troy
NVIDIA Customer Care"

NGOHQ

dante6491 · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:23

So am I correct in thinking that once I install windows 7 I will be able to throw my old 8800 in and use it for Physx? Awesome.

Final8y · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:25

Not if you use that ATI card as well.
You used to be able to in windows 7 but not no more.

Rroff · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:32

Sheeesh I usually stick up for nVidia but this is just the most retarded and senseless decision ever... someone thinking so hard with their wallet they can't even see they are hurting themselves let alone anyone else.

Lightnix · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:34

So let me get this straight, if you buy an Nvidia GPU exclusively for running PhysX, whilst having another vendor's card do the rendering - despite the fact, as proven by previous drivers, the system is capable of doing so - they have actively gone in and disabled this ability for non nvidia-exclusive setups?

Well ****, didn't see that one coming. Well, not if you discount my previous ranting on Nvidia's potential to screw over the industry if they get a foothold with PhysX like they are now.

Rroff · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:35

lol I'm still somewhat in disbelief on this even tho I'm not blind to nVidias tactics... they've just shot themselves in the head and don't even realise it.

EDIT: Kinda glad this has come out at this point tho, I was about to start implementing physx into a project I'm working on... guess its back to the drawing board.

Final8y · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:40

Im not the least bit surprised by this.

Perfect_Chaos · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:40

Dumb, but is it that big of a deal?, PhysX is kinda useless isn't it?

someone will just find a way to enable it anyway..

Monkeynut · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:43

Rroff said:
lol I'm still somewhat in disbelief on this even tho I'm not blind to nVidias tactics... they've just shot themselves in the head and don't even realise it.

EDIT: Kinda glad this has come out at this point tho, I was about to start implementing physx into a project I'm working on... guess its back to the drawing board.

Could you not use Havok or Bullet for Physics? Or develop something on OpenCL?

Rroff · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:44

and get sued out the ass...

its not useless - infact far from it... but nvidia just killed it dead in teh water...

which is kinda ironic - didn't even get to the point where open cl/havok had a chance to even challenge it.

Rroff · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:45

Monkeynut said:
Could you not use Havok or Bullet for Physics? Or develop something on OpenCL?

I could but physx would be much much quicker to implement, has better performance for what I'm doing - especially if you have GPU support and is much better polished than bullet...

Havok will also be a more expensive implementation.

Lightnix · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:50

Perfect_Chaos said:
Dumb, but is it that big of a deal?, PhysX is kinda useless isn't it?

That's just the thing - usually at the moment hardware accelerated PhysX is just incidental effects but it has the potential to introduce game-changing mechanics on a larger scale than is possible with current software physics implementations. What this incident shows is that Nvidia are perfectly willing to disable this ability even when it's being run on their own hardware if they detect a competitor's hardware in the same system.

We, as consumers, shouldn't allow a situation where either graphics vendor can manipulate our experience in such a way.

jigger · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:54

Rroff Nvidia is run by slimy, cheap little men, I think most of the old Intel team ended up working for them.

They could be a great company if they cut out the rotten wood and concentrated on making Graphics cards.

Edit:Sorry morons was the wrong word.

Tom|Nbk · 8 Aug 2009 at 21:00

They already killed off the PPU a while back

AMG · 8 Aug 2009 at 21:16

oh forgot gods sack nvida

oh well physicsX is not worth getting annoyed about, and I was going to get another X48 (use my current as backup) cos i need it, with 3 PCIe slots so i can have a 9600 has a physics X card for win 7 now i won't bother

Monkeynut · 8 Aug 2009 at 21:19

jigger said:
Rroff Nvidia is run by complete morons. I think most of the old Intel team ended up working for them.

They could be a great company if they cut out the rotten wood and concentrated on making Graphics cards.

The engineers themselves and software developers can produce amazing tech, it's just there seems to be so much beauracracy (sp?) and management getting involved.

mmj_uk · 8 Aug 2009 at 21:23

You could always start a petition for AMD to add Physx support to their hardware if it bothers you all that much?

From what I've seen Catalyst drivers often fall flat on their face even after you've fully removed all trace of NVidia drivers, so I can certainly understand the compatiblity implications with both running alongside one another.

In all likelihood there will probably be a 3rd party "hack" meaning that ATI owners still have support unoffically but NVidia won't get idiots contacting them with ATI based problems.

Final8y · 8 Aug 2009 at 21:26

mmj_uk said:
You could always start a petition for AMD to add Physx support to their hardware if it bothers you all that much?

From what I've seen Catalyst drivers often fall flat on their face even after you've fully removed all trace of NVidia drivers, so I can certainly understand the compatiblity implications with both running alongside one another.

In all likelihood there will probably be a 3rd party "hack" meaning that ATI owners still have support unoffically but NVidia won't get idiots contacting them with ATI based problems.

No logic at all with that there is no trace of NV drivers because they must have changed something that was not put back to as it was.
Hey i don't understand why people are dying after drinking that batch of coca cola , all traces of arsenic was removed from those reused bottles.
And :rolleyes:

for everything else.

JediFragger · 8 Aug 2009 at 21:30

Ahhhhhh nVidia, proving once again that you are indeed petty & vile. Keep up the good work!

Tute · 8 Aug 2009 at 21:31

Worst bit of this is that it just screams "toys out of the pram".

Not that it will ever affect me anyway, I think PhysX was, is, and always will be, an unnecessary gimmick. It's a hell of a slap in the face for those who bought cards specifically though.