How To: Enable SLI on pre-i7/i5 hardware

[aXeL_UK]

use safe mode to boot and uninstall driver

Yup just done that thanks. Now back into Administrator mode and about to re-install 260.99. Then I'll reboot and re-install patch 0.91. After that I'll go back into the previous routine of booting into the Administrator account and then logging out and logging in as my normal user account. Cumbersome but worked flawlessly all week with one exception where I played Evochron Mercenary while still in Administrator mode. The next time I powered up the system - Freeze. Could just be a coincidence but it was the one and only time I broke the routine all week and after the reboot it was fine again.

 

[anatolymik]

Yup just done that thanks. Now back into Administrator mode and about to re-install 260.99. Then I'll reboot and re-install patch 0.91. After that I'll go back into the previous routine of booting into the Administrator account and then logging out and logging in as my normal user account. Cumbersome but worked flawlessly all week with one exception where I played Evochron Mercenary while still in Administrator mode. The next time I powered up the system - Freeze. Could just be a coincidence but it was the one and only time I broke the routine all week and after the reboot it was fine again.

what you windows version is?
I sent you PM

 

[K.S.]

Just wanted to say thanks on the 1.0 final patch, it works great! Running 265.90 in SLI mode. Note: Upon installing 1.0 my system froze on first boot, so I reset the system and tried again, hasn't frozen since, and the 1.0 patch performs best by far (for me at least). Thanks again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

[anatolymik]

Just wanted to say thanks on the 1.0 final patch, it works great! Running 265.90 in SLI mode. Note: Upon installing 1.0 my system froze on first boot, so I reset the system and tried again, hasn't frozen since, and the 1.0 patch performs best by far (for me at least). Thanks again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

how your system froze? and on which step?

 

[buttkick]

Hi!
I also have problems getting system booted with sli patch 1.0

First try:
Was in SLI Mode with 0.91. Then I updated to 1.0, reboot.
System came up in VGA. I looked into the device Manager and it says 2GTX295 with no Error and the other 2 with the Error "... can not be started...error on starup"
Then I reinstalled 260.99 directly with booted SLI Patch 1.0 - Driver installed, but System froze with black screen when setup starts the drivers. The Cards were powered on (I here that, because the fans go up) but there was no picture.

I booted into save mode and removed all nvidia components.

next try:
Booted into NonSLI and installed 260.99 again. It ran through the setup WITHOUT a try to switch cards on and ask about a reboot at the end. Reboot to SLI. Now the system froze the moment the driver switched cards on, fans go up and black screen. Back to non SLI, picture came up with no errors.

Now I will try some different drivers, but they are all unofficial for GTX295.

 

[anatolymik]

Hi!
I also have problems getting system booted with sli patch 1.0

First try:
Was in SLI Mode with 0.91. Then I updated to 1.0, reboot.
System came up in VGA. I looked into the device Manager and it says 2GTX295 with no Error and the other 2 with the Error "... can not be started...error on starup"
Then I reinstalled 260.99 directly with booted SLI Patch 1.0 - Driver installed, but System froze with black screen when setup starts the drivers. The Cards were powered on (I here that, because the fans go up) but there was no picture.

I booted into save mode and removed all nvidia components.

next try:
Booted into NonSLI and installed 260.99 again. It ran through the setup WITHOUT a try to switch cards on and ask about a reboot at the end. Reboot to SLI. Now the system froze the moment the driver switched cards on, fans go up and black screen. Back to non SLI, picture came up with no errors.

Now I will try some different drivers, but they are all unofficial for GTX295.

do you have problems with 0.91b patch?

 

[aXeL_UK]

Hi!
I also have problems getting system booted with sli patch 1.0

First try:
Was in SLI Mode with 0.91. Then I updated to 1.0, reboot.
System came up in VGA. I looked into the device Manager and it says 2GTX295 with no Error and the other 2 with the Error "... can not be started...error on starup"
Then I reinstalled 260.99 directly with booted SLI Patch 1.0 - Driver installed, but System froze with black screen when setup starts the drivers. The Cards were powered on (I here that, because the fans go up) but there was no picture.

I booted into save mode and removed all nvidia components.

next try:
Booted into NonSLI and installed 260.99 again. It ran through the setup WITHOUT a try to switch cards on and ask about a reboot at the end. Reboot to SLI. Now the system froze the moment the driver switched cards on, fans go up and black screen. Back to non SLI, picture came up with no errors.

Now I will try some different drivers, but they are all unofficial for GTX295.

buttkick, NVidia cards have a quirk where if something kicks them into an 'error state', you sometimes see one/both of the cards reporting an error in Device Manager whereby they cannot start. To reset them, power off the PC and disconnect from the mains for a few seconds. When you switch back on the errors should be cleared and you won't need to reinstall the drivers. This has worked for me so far....

 

[buttkick]

do you have problems with 0.91b patch?

Hi Anatolymik,

yes, freezing when switching 3D from full to windowed - but only with drivers higher 257.21.
I have no problems booting my system with 0.91 and also no problem with detection of quad/three way sli by the drivers.

Now with patch 1.0 I can´t boot.
If other driver won´t work, I will go back to 0.91/257.21

 

[anatolymik]

Hi Anatolymik,

yes, freezing when switching 3D from full to windowed - but only with drivers higher 257.21.
I have no problems booting my system with 0.91 and also no problem with detection of quad/three way sli by the drivers.

Now with patch 1.0 I can´t boot.
If other driver won´t work, I will go back to 0.91/257.21

"freezing when switching 3D from full to windowed" perhaprs it's not slipatch problem
your system freeze at boot time? tell everything
you can't boot with sli at all?
which drivers you use with latest patch?

 

[buttkick]

"freezing when switching 3D from full to windowed" perhaprs it's not slipatch problem
your system freeze at boot time? tell everything
you can't boot with sli at all?
which drivers you use with latest patch?

Hi Anatolymik,

I think my system is someway other then the others, I use 2xGTX295, the driver allows only one card in SLI (MultiGPU) without patching, but your patch allowes me to use full QUAD Sli or ThreeWay SLI.
Everything worked fine until 260.99 came up.

First, please go back a few pages, I told everything about the switch Problem (full to windowed or starting directly in windowed). You answered, that i should reinstall my system - I did twice, with no luck, and posted everything again.

With 257.21 and patch 0.90/091 everything works!
So I think it´s a problem how Nvidia reacts on your patch.

You asked me to wait for your new version.

Now - with this new version - I can not boot with sli patch.
Every driver 260 and above crashes on boot (Display goes black after Win7 Startlogo,system non reactive, can´t even shut down with power switch). The "Black screen" occures directly after Windows activates USB devices - I think its directly at display driver starttime. Only ONE time it started without crash, but with Nvidia Devices in Error (Device Manager Code 43) - This happens when I installed Patch 1.0 the first time. At this time there was 0.91 installed and booted. I updated to Patch 1.0 and rebooted. It came up with Std. VGA and Code 43 in Device Manager.
I started non SLI, but drivers won´t start either, so I had to reinstall the drivers.


I found a new thing about your 1.0 Patch. It does not work with 257.21 on my system, but 0.91 works fine! System boots fine with 1.0 patch, but SLI options are missing in nv control panel, only Physics is available.

I´m now back to 0.91 with 257.21. I only unistalled 1.0 and installed patch 091 again. Now every thing is fine again. SLI+Physics are available, active and Quad SLI is working.

See also my Screenshots.

So, 3 Problems:
- Patch 0.9,0.91beta and Driver >260 - no Windowed Gaming possible (I tried 5 games)
- Patch 1.0final and Driver >260 - Crash while Windows starts Display on Boot (Display stays black)
- Patch 1.0final and Driver =257.21 - No SLI options available

bye and thx for your great work!

 

[buttkick]

"
which drivers you use with latest patch?

Sorry I forgot answering this at my last post:
I tried 257.21 (No more SLI in nv Panel), all others no booting possible: 260.99, 263.00, patched 265.90 (Qattro drivers)

 

[anatolymik]

Sorry I forgot answering this at my last post:
I tried 257.21 (No more SLI in nv Panel), all others no booting possible: 260.99, 263.00, patched 265.90 (Qattro drivers)

let's get to work. i sent PM to you

 

[Velvet Wafer]

screenshots with german language

Ach schau an, Deutsche findet man in diesen Foren ja nicht viele

 

[anatolymik]

bug fixed. a little later i'll give a link to fixed version. the issue was only you have dual-chip cards, like gtx295. very HUGE THANKS to buttkick. it's priceless help. now i'm trying to sort out window mode(switching to desktop) issue.

 

[ThePig]

Hi guys
First my Config:
Win7 Prof. 64
Board: GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-DS4H (AMD 790GX)
Graphics: 2x Gainward GeForce GTX 460 GLH


I've tried everything but I receive no sli

is in the boot menu shown me the sli option so I think that the SLI patch was installed correctly. PCIe is also down from 16x to 8x

Also i tried this method:

1. ) Deleted current drivers in control panel.
2. ) Restarted
3. ) Boot in safe mod
4. ) clean all nvidia sections with driver sweeper.
5. ) rebooted
6. ) installed 260.99 drivers
7. ) restarted
8. ) installed SLIPatch_v1.0_final
9. ) restarted
10 .) and enabled SLI <---no Sli Option for me

*edit* i have no SLI-Bridge installed, just for info

 

[RagingCain]

I am back Anatoly, I gave it my all, I tested every single way I could imagine. I can enable SLi, but its BSOD with just anything or corrupt graphics display and looks like bad VRAM issues. Everything works fine with a single-GPU (both GPUs tested). I have tried with 3 different SLi-bridges, and various PCI-E slots. No dice I am affraid It only worked for about the first hour (I had to reboot) and upon reboot I have been unable to get it working. At first I thought it was second GPU (it was under water that leaked) so I RMAed it, but the replacement does the exact same thing (its a different brand new card.)

The BSOD is a STOP 7E code, with the associated nVidia driver the cause.

Anything graphically intense or just Aero is enough to BSOD. I can cause the crash just resizing a notepad (no joke.)

Any suggestions?

Tried SLI-Hack 0.9b, 0.91b, and the new 1.0.

Only drivers tested are the 263.09 Forceware. I will try others and report back later.

Hardware:
ASUS Crosshair IV Extreme
PNY GTX 580s

 

[anatolymik]

Hi guys
First my Config:
Win7 Prof. 64
Board: GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-DS4H (AMD 790GX)
Graphics: 2x Gainward GeForce GTX 460 GLH


I've tried everything but I receive no sli
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9545/slix.jpg

is in the boot menu shown me the sli option so I think that the SLI patch was installed correctly. PCIe is also down from 16x to 8x

Also i tried this method:

1. ) Deleted current drivers in control panel.
2. ) Restarted
3. ) Boot in safe mod
4. ) clean all nvidia sections with driver sweeper.
5. ) rebooted
6. ) installed 260.99 drivers
7. ) restarted
8. ) installed SLIPatch_v1.0_final
9. ) restarted
10 .) and enabled SLI <---no Sli Option for me

*edit* i have no SLI-Bridge installed, just for info

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9463/sli2.jpg

put SLI bridge

 

[anatolymik]

I am back Anatoly, I gave it my all, I tested every single way I could imagine. I can enable SLi, but its BSOD with just anything or corrupt graphics display and looks like bad VRAM issues. Everything works fine with a single-GPU (both GPUs tested). I have tried with 3 different SLi-bridges, and various PCI-E slots. No dice I am affraid It only worked for about the first hour (I had to reboot) and upon reboot I have been unable to get it working. At first I thought it was second GPU (it was under water that leaked) so I RMAed it, but the replacement does the exact same thing (its a different brand new card.)

The BSOD is a STOP 7E code, with the associated nVidia driver the cause.

Anything graphically intense or just Aero is enough to BSOD. I can cause the crash just resizing a notepad (no joke.)

Any suggestions?

Tried SLI-Hack 0.9b, 0.91b, and the new 1.0.

Only drivers tested are the 263.09 Forceware. I will try others and report back later.

Hardware:
ASUS Crosshair IV Extreme
PNY GTX 580s

try 260.99

 

[mpb]

gtx 460 windowed

anatolymik, had to register and give feedback because your work is awesome.

I am running the sli patch and have run into some issues while using 3d applications.

mobo - ASUS p5q turbo
vga - GTX 460 1gb
os - Win7 Pro x64

I was unable to get 260.99 to run stably. Everytime I attempted to boot the screen would go black and stay that way. No safe mode or bios changes helped. Luckily, I imaged my machine right before start the install so I could recover quickly.

I did a fresh install of drivers and am using 258.96 with 1.0 patch. Everything appears to work and I can enable SLI, however if any 3d games or application is not running in fullscreen, my screen will go black same as above. I must hard power down and back up to recover. I have since disabled sli, enabled full screen in all apps, and re-enabled sli. Of interest: I am getting an "out of range error" on my monitor just before the screen goes black, perhaps this could be helpful to you.

I also have a question about verifying sli (beyond the enabled checkbox). My benchmarks don't seem to show much more than a 15-20% increase when running with sli enabled, and my gpu 2 usage never goes above 20% in 3d apps, whereas gpu 1 can be maxed out at times. Is this reporting using MSI Afterburner correct? Is there a possibility SLI is enabled but not being recognized or utilized by a number of my games and benchmarks.

Thanks for the work you do, having sli on this board with a q9450 @4.0ghz is going to be sweet.

 

[ThePig]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePig View Post
Hi guys
First my Config:
Win7 Prof. 64
Board: GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-DS4H (AMD 790GX)
Graphics: 2x Gainward GeForce GTX 460 GLH


I've tried everything but I receive no sli
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9545/slix.jpg

is in the boot menu shown me the sli option so I think that the SLI patch was installed correctly. PCIe is also down from 16x to 8x

Also i tried this method:

1. ) Deleted current drivers in control panel.
2. ) Restarted
3. ) Boot in safe mod
4. ) clean all nvidia sections with driver sweeper.
5. ) rebooted
6. ) installed 260.99 drivers
7. ) restarted
8. ) installed SLIPatch_v1.0_final
9. ) restarted
10 .) and enabled SLI <---no Sli Option for me

*edit* i have no SLI-Bridge installed, just for info

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9463/sli2.jpg
put SLI bridge

Ok,small Update. Now SLI is Working (without SLI Bridge... X-Mas Holidays -.-)

It Work´s with 258.96 and SLIPatch_v0.9_beta
is it normal that either accepts no sli 3dmark06?
I have only %-use on a graphics card not on both (see it with G19 app)

 

[anatolymik]

Ok,small Update. Now SLI is Working (without SLI Bridge... X-Mas Holidays -.-)

It Work´s with 258.96 and SLIPatch_v0.9_beta
is it normal that either accepts no sli 3dmark06?
I have only %-use on a graphics card not on both (see it with G19 app)

try 260.99 drivers please

 

[anatolymik]

anatolymik, had to register and give feedback because your work is awesome.

I am running the sli patch and have run into some issues while using 3d applications.

mobo - ASUS p5q turbo
vga - GTX 460 1gb
os - Win7 Pro x64

I was unable to get 260.99 to run stably. Everytime I attempted to boot the screen would go black and stay that way. No safe mode or bios changes helped. Luckily, I imaged my machine right before start the install so I could recover quickly.

I did a fresh install of drivers and am using 258.96 with 1.0 patch. Everything appears to work and I can enable SLI, however if any 3d games or application is not running in fullscreen, my screen will go black same as above. I must hard power down and back up to recover. I have since disabled sli, enabled full screen in all apps, and re-enabled sli. Of interest: I am getting an "out of range error" on my monitor just before the screen goes black, perhaps this could be helpful to you.

I also have a question about verifying sli (beyond the enabled checkbox). My benchmarks don't seem to show much more than a 15-20% increase when running with sli enabled, and my gpu 2 usage never goes above 20% in 3d apps, whereas gpu 1 can be maxed out at times. Is this reporting using MSI Afterburner correct? Is there a possibility SLI is enabled but not being recognized or utilized by a number of my games and benchmarks.

Thanks for the work you do, having sli on this board with a q9450 @4.0ghz is going to be sweet.

try 258.96 drivers + 0.91b patch

 

[mpb]

works

did the uninstall of drivers and patch, with a driver sweep.
fresh install of 258.96 with 0.91b, windowed mode working in all 3d apps and ~70% increase in benchmark numbers, definitely works. i will stick with this for now until the patch is stable for 260.xx driver iterations.

thanks anatolymik.

 

[AHMED SAMI]

thnxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Lethalrise750]

Wanted to say thanks for the patch! It works wonders but I don't think my GTX 460s like 265.90 lol