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Could really use some help with this...

Evil Harb

Evil Harb

Evil Harb

Associate
Joined
3 Oct 2011
Posts
26
Hi folks...

I'm really hoping someone can help me out here as I'm starting to lose it with this issue. I got a 970gtx card back in December (see first item listed below) - love it so far - and decided to get a second one for an SLI setup, something I've not done before. I did try and get an exact copy for the SLI setup but it wasn't avaliable on the OCUK website anymore. After chatting to the sales guys I was told to grab the second card listed below and that it would no issue using it for SLI mode (I really hope that was correct). I tried most of Monday to set it up - didn't succeed for whatever reason. Gave up trying on Tuesday and tried again most of Wednesday with no success either. I tried chatting the tech guys (said they weren't able to support me directly but did try their best pointing me in the right direction). I have tried everything I can think of...removing and reinstalling both cards - deleting and reinstalling the drivers...using one card alone and then the other...nothing. My motherboard is an Asrock Z77 Extreme4 - the system was built at the of the summer in 2013. I have not ever updated the bios if that is what needs to do be done...I've never updated a bios before...scares the crap out of me.

EVGA GeForce GTX 970 FTW ACX 2.0 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card

EVGA GeForce GTX 970 FTW "Plus Edition" ACX 2.0 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card

My system is running on Windows 7 64bit.

When I check in the control panel (and the nvidia control panel) both cards are shown and my monitor work in both...after a reinstallation of the cards it does mention that an SLI bridge is missing, which is strange as I have tried 2 bridges on both connectors from each card. The option for setting up the SLI mode is visible in the nvidia control panel but everything is greyed out and I can't change or set anything up...could it be the bridges that are faulty?

If there is someone that can help me out here I would be eternally greatful. I'm hoping that because the cards are being shown in both control panels that that means I do not have to update the bios, but if I do I could really use some help doing this...as I said before I've never done it before and I don't want to risk damaging anything. I guess I could copy down any overclock settings and set those up again later...I think my mobo has the option on the back to click a button to restore a previous bios but I'm unsure about that.

So, if anyone can help please do! I'm now officially stumped as to how to solve this and I would like to get this sorted out soon.

Thanks in advance for any help received!
 
Don't quote me but I think the Plus edition can only be SLI'd with the same type of card, I think I read it on the evga forums
 
Really? The OCUK tech guys said it would work. I now have the issue of whether or not to RMA both cards back to OCUK (someone has set this up for me already) or now maybe get a second Plus Edition card which is annoying...I don't know anyone I could sell this other 970gtx to sadly...what would you folks do? Go for a second Plus Edition card?
 
Get some confirmation first fella, check the booklet/manual that came with the card as I may have read it in there

Just seen your post on the evga forums, hopefully someone will give you the correct answer there
 
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Just did. It says (and I quote...)...

"please note that in SLI setups both cards must be the same model".

Damn...not very happy that the OCUK tech guy said it would work for me...guess I need to return/refund the newer card and try to purchase a second one of that, or maybe just buy a second Plus Edition card and try to sell the older one (old...only got it in December... :) ). GAH! Thanks for the help though.
 
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Bugger, I got the + edition the other week and for some reason that stuck in my head as I saw a B'grade one appear for £225 and was tempted by it for that reason. I'd still get someone to confirm it, Ben from EVGA often posts on here I think you can pm once you have 10 posts, maybe he can help
 
far as I remember to sli with Nvidia the cards have to be the same. AMD allows different brands to crossfire....
 
Well, atleast I know now that it looks like I need a secondary card of the exact same model of one of these cards. I just wish I had been told that when I spoke to the tech guys in the first place :(
 
Yeah...escpcially as I'm not working right now - sole carer for my elderly mum (recovering from first of 2 knee replacement ops...) - was looking forward to some sli fun - money ain't easy to come by right now.

It's just weird that these 2 cards, even though the same basic spec, don't work together. But I guess that would explain why I can use either seperately, they both show in the windows and nvidia control panels, but I can't change anything in the nvidia one. Would you know if it was right about the part where in that nividia control panel I should be able to see a green line or something linking both cards which I presume would show it set up and working?
 
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meldarthx said:
far as I remember to sli with Nvidia the cards have to be the same. AMD allows different brands to crossfire....
Click to expand...

That is wrong. For sli you can mix&match GPU manufacturers but you cannot mix&match different GPU models ie you can't sli a GTX 970 with a 980.

Technically you should still be able to sli those two cards you have, the only difference I can tell is the upgraded cooler and backplate??

There's something else causing your problems. I would suggest updating your motherboard BIOs. I have no clue about Asrock motherboards so I can't help you there. Make sure you have "Maximise 3D Settings" checked in the Nvidia control panel. And try another sli bridge if possible.
 
I wonder if flashing the same bios on each card would work? I mean on my 980 EVGA 2.0 AX SC GTX it comes with the reference bios.
 
I've tried 2 different bridges on both connectors on the card - still doesn't work. I love this system but really don't want to crew this up if I can help it...could it really be the bios stopping this from working? I just spoke to the tech guys again and they recommended getting a copy of either of these cards first to see if that eliminates needing to fiddle with the bios.
 
Have you tried using just the new PLUS edition card by itself? If that works just fine in single config then it probably isn't the GPUs

edit: can you list your full system specs?
 
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