Quick G80/motherboard question

ugly ferret · 16 Nov 2006 at 13:25

My dfi ultra d has two pcie slots. Does the bottom pcie slot provide a full 16 lanes in non sli mode or is it restricted 8 lanes at all times. I want to know if I can use a 8800gts in the lower slot since the main slot is blocked by the zalman NB heatsink.

Thanks.

oweneades · 16 Nov 2006 at 13:33

In SLI mode the original DFI NF4 SLI boards ran 8x PCI-e lanes.

I used to have a SLI-D model which is the one up from the model you have and can confirm it ran twin 8x lanes in SLI mode.

ugly ferret · 16 Nov 2006 at 13:36

Thanks but I'm interested in non sli mode. Can both slots provide a full 16 lanes on their own?

oweneades · 16 Nov 2006 at 13:41

Sorry didn't see that, No I don't think so, I believe the top slot is full 16x but the lower slot is only 8x regardless of using SLI or not.

TBH though I can't remember.

EDIT - Just found this: (and looks as though I was wrong)

review said:
SLI / Single VGA Mode
* SLI mode
- 2 SLI-ready graphics cards (use identical cards) on the PCI Express x16 slots.
- The graphics cards are connected via the SLI bridge.
- The bandwidth of each slot is x8; when the graphics cards are connected
via the SLI bridge, it runs at x16 bandwidth.
* Single VGA mode
- 1 PCI Express graphics card on the PCIE1 slot will run at x16 bandwidth.
- The other PCI Express x16 slot (PCIE4) will run at x2 bandwidth.

Taken from here:

http://www.planetamd64.com/lofiversion/index.php/t12699.html

ugly ferret · 16 Nov 2006 at 13:53

So all this time I've been using a 2x pcie slot!! That's awful, I suppose I'll have to go back to my old NB heatsink and hope it doesn't overheat.

Thanks for the help anyway.