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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!
 
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?
 
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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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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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.
 
Don't think it's a power issue - it's a great 1200watt corsair psu, which I got incase I wanted to add anything at a later date. I will try and add the system specs later when I can..is there a command line thing I can type (like dxdiag) to create a list?
 
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