Problems with SLi Cards

[Dodge]

Hi Guys,

I have just fitted a pair of XFX 6800GS SLi cards in my Asus A8N SLI Premium. I have fitted the monitor cable in the lower DVI port (as per the XFX manual) and get nothing on the monitor, although sometimes after a few restarts It tells me that the system is SLi ready and promps me to check the appropriate boxes in the Nvidia dialogue box to enable SLi. All is OK until I restart and I get tothing on the monitor, although the machine is booting.

If I plug the monitor in the top DVI its OK but does not recognise that there are two 6800GS (in device manager) and the Nvidia software does not offer the 'enable SLi' dialogue. This suggests to me that either one card is not being recognised or that (as the manual says) you must use the botom DVI socket. The mobo\Gfx cards\X2 4400\Raptors were bought from Overclockers within the last 7-10 days.

I now have been unable to get anything on the botom DVI socket.

The system is as per my signature, and is running XP Pro.

Any help or suggestions would be most welcome.

Roger

 

[Olly]

when i had problems with my SLI setup, I took the bottom card out....and booted into windows (keeping the monitor cable in the top)

then i shut down, inserted the 2nd card and booted up (again, keeping the monitor cable in the top card.)

see how that goes

 

[Jimi]

Are you sure the jumpers on the motherboard are set correctly for SLI? Also, have you connected the little PCB onto the two GFX cards?

 

[Dodge]

SLI 6800GS

Thats a good idea, I will try that as soon as I get home!

Yes the PCB link is installed between the cards, although I an usure about jumpers on the mother board? I shall have to check that. The mobo manual does refer to having a molex pluged in to a molex socket on the mobo for SLi.

Thanks for the advice Guys,

 

[MeatLoaf]

With your board there are no jumpers its all done in the bios. There should be an option to enable sli in the bios.

 

[pastymuncher]

The monitor needs to be connected to the 1st connector on the top card as thats in the primary slot.

 

[Dodge]

Those 6800GS card noe dead!!!

I have tried the various things you have all suggested bu now I get absolutley nothing!

I get POST beeps which are "system failed VGA test", do you think the cards have failed? I have tried each one in the primary PCi E slot and get exactly the same POST message and , of course a blank screen. Perhaps I shoud get a cheap PCiE grafx card and see if that works.

It could be PSU or Mobo I suppose. These are both new cards and the mobo, I dont think you would get two cards both duff????

End of tether - good job I kept the old PC intact.

Rog

 

[Olly]

i wouldnt of thought both cards are duff. more likely the mobo.
Bit of a silly question, i dont even know if your cards have the extra power connector on them....have you plugged them in ?
Try resetting the BIOS back to defaults....and try again, with one card 1st.....them the other in its place....then both together.
Also try booting up with neither card in.....does it give you the same error code/beeps?

 

[Dodge]

SLi's

Yes both the cards had the PCie power cable connected. I would love to reset the BIOS to default settings, but I cant get as far as a POST screen!

I do agree that its odd to have 2 grfx cards go on you. If it is the mobo, at least its cheaper than the grafx cards or CPU, but I wonder what caused it. Its not as if I have not built PC's before. This is number 48, I keep a log of them, sad is'nt it!!!

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[Dodge]

Reset BIOS

Here I am boasting on how many PC's I've built, and did'nt even think of removing the boards battery!!

I'm a bit hacked off at the moment, so I shall approach it tommorrow when I am in a better frame of mind!!!!!

Thanks guys.

Roger