z68x-ud7-b3 Problems with PCI slots in SLI

[lev]

Hi all,

Forgive me if this is posted elsewhere.  I've been looking for days and can't find anything.  I can't run my cards in anything other than the two 16 slots.  I wanted to try it to keep the heat on the top card down.  I've also tried shifting the initial monitor to the bottom card in the BIOS to relieve some heat.  It won't work.  The only place the monitor will take a signal is the top 16 slot.

Is my board defective or did I miss something terribly stupid?  First time with SLI so it wouldn't surprise me.  Any help would be appreciated.  Tech support still hasn't answered me.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome.

You are probably stuck wioth it as it is but some motherboard BIOSes will allow you to choose which card is treated as the primary graphics adapter. I would just suggest looking in the BIOS and see if this option is there.

[lev]

Thanks for responding,

I've looked in the BIOS and it will let me change the primary.  The problem is it doesn't work.  I've even tried running just one card in a PCI 8 slot.  It won't run the monitor in that slot nor recognize the card.

[mr_raven]

Just picked up my new pc build and am having issues somewhat similar.
I have two asus gtx 570 dc II's, which are triple width cards, so that means one in PCIEx16_1, and the other in PCIEx8_2, but I cannot get the system to recognize the second card, and the first card runs in 16x (should drop to 8x).
Running F8 bios.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome.

I think you are wrong about the first card dropping down to 8x as the second card isn't in the linked slot but PCIEx8_2 from what you have said. PCIEx16_1 and PCIEx8_1 are linked together and if the 8x slot is filled the 16x reverts to 8x as well. I am wondering if it is because of this speed difference that you are having the trouble.

You could try removing the top card and then seeing if the other card is recoognised. You will of course need to make the PCIEx8_2 slot the primary graphics adapter for it to work though.

[mr_raven]

Cheers for the quick response.
I'll attempt this and report back. Is there anywhere in the bios, or a gigabyte utility that shows that both cards are are in their respective slots correctly, ie not depending on windows driver issues, I would like to know that the second card is functioning?

[Dark Mantis]

I think the easiest way is to just try it out. You know the PCIEx16_1 is working so try it in that slot.

[mr_raven]

I believe that there are some serious BIOS issues still to be ironed out.
The option for Init Display First does not do anything, its always outputs to 16_1 regardless of setting:


I have been coming across this in many other forums. I can't say if it directly relates to my sli issues (which I am yet to resolve) but as an option in ref 8 of the bios is does not change the primary display.

I have confirmed that both of my cards work fine in the pci16_1 slot, so it's not the graphics card.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

It would indeed seem to be a BIOS problem then. I would advise contacting GGTS to make sure that they know there is this particular issue.

Just enter your email address and click on the language of choice.
GGTS   http://ggts.gigabyte.com/

Please expect several days for a reply.

[mr_raven]

OK I have filled that out. Cheers.

[Dark Mantis]

Please come back and let us know what happens in the end.

[mr_raven]

Update


Getting Closer

So I Uninstalled all drivers,
unplugged both cards,
put the card that I had in PCIEX8_2 into slot PCIEX16_1,
booted windows and installed drivers (280.19 this time)
then powered off and put my first initial card into slot PCIEX8_2,
booted and now I get to see two separate vga adapters in device manager, BUT the second one is now being only recognized as generic VGA adapter, with a status code of 10 (couldn't start)


I will now attempt without the bridge and see what happens, then attempt new set of driver installs.

[Dark Mantis]

Have you made sure that you have installed the drivers for each card ?

[lev]

If he's having the same issues I am... the card isn't recognized to even install drivers.  I'm still working on mine.  Last response from tech support was that I should be able to see the card, but please use the 2 16 slots.  Sounds suspiciously like "no" to me.  If I can't get it to work it'll be time to go to a different board.  My top card hit 97 today.. I have to separate them.

[Dark Mantis]

It really shouldn't make any difference what slot you use for the second card. It should work fine in a x8 slot as well as a x16 slot. The first thing to check is whether both cards work when placed in the top slot on their own. If they do then it is purely a case of the slots or configuration being the problem.