Installing Lucidlogix Virtu on Z68X-UD3H-B3

[kapoww]

I've been trying to get this feature to work for hours now with no success. I'm currently running an i5-2500k, Gigabyte Z68X-UD3H-B3, Radeon HD6870, 8GB G.Skill 1600, Windows 7 x64, 2 HDDs in AHCI mode (not RAID).

I basically can't get into Windows with the Intel HD graphics and GPU enabled simultaneously. I have the IGP option set to always enable and display onboard first with the DVI cable hooked into the motherboard (tried hooking up to GPU but still the same). It will post but then immediately reboots itself when it goes to the loading Windows screen.

I also tried removing the video card completely, which did allow me to install the Intel drivers and Virtu, but as soon as I put the GPU back in, it reboot before Windows could load. It's not possible to install either programs if onboard is not enabled in BIOS.

I updated to the latest beta BIOS for my board, same results.

Has anyone with this board been able to get Virtu to run?

[Rolo42]

I have on that same board but with a 560Ti with nary a hitch.

Have you tried using the PEG display first?  That's how I configured it by default.

[dikal]

Has anyone with this board been able to get Virtu to run?

Yes, no problems (but I don't use it in my current setup).

Have you tried using another VGA, or putting your VGA in another system?
What exact type is your PSU?

[kapoww]

I have on that same board but with a 560Ti with nary a hitch.

Have you tried using the PEG display first?  That's how I configured it by default.

I do not see that option in BIOS. Is that just a term for PCI Express? If so, yes. Setting init display first to 16x, 8x or onboard results in immediate reboots just before the Windows loading screen pops up. Setting onboard VGA to always enable or auto with my monitor hooked into the board does the same. Since I can't even get to the Windows loading screen it seems like it might be a problem running in AHCI. Can you recall if you used IDE mode, AHCI or Raid?

Have you tried using another VGA, or putting your VGA in another system?
What exact type is your PSU?

I tried another 6870, same brand, still reboots.
Using an Antec 650w. I ran 6870s in Crossfire with my 2500k at 4.5 GHz, so PSU is not very likely since I'm only running 1 now.
 
 I'll probably make one more effort by reformatting before I give up on it. If I can find a VGA cable I'll try that; maybe my DVI and HDMI ports have issues. I tried updating the INF and Intel Matrix Storage Manager, but no go.

At least it's not the cold boot issue I guess. Probably the last Gigabyte board for me either way.

[Rolo42]

So far, I'd suspect drivers.  Are you building this for the first time now or changing an existing build to AHCI?

I probably had the HDC set to RAID since that has AHCI features anyway and if the user wants RAID later, no driver changes are necessary.

Many seem to have issues with AHCI (I've never run it, so cannot speak to it) on this forum.  Does setting the HDC to RAID or IDE change anything?  (Do you have a different disk or unallocated partition space to change it and try a test install?)

Does the Windows boot disc work?  (or other OS "live" disc?)

[dikal]

I also tried removing the video card completely, which did allow me to install the Intel drivers and Virtu, but as soon as I put the GPU back in, it reboot before Windows could load. It's not possible to install either programs if onboard is not enabled in BIOS.

I believe it is not AHCI problem, because you are able to boot without the expansion VGA.
Remove your VGA, load windows and disable Automatically restart http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,8065.msg64246.html#msg64246
Then go to Control Panel/System and Security/Administrative Tools/View Event Logs/Windows Logs/System.
Check the Critical Errors in column "Level" to see what is recorded.
Put back your VGA and check again.
If you have restarts without BSOD, then the problem is power/hardware.
If you have BSODs, check the error code/message.

Have you tried to put your VGA in the PCI-E x8 slot?

[Rolo42]

I believe it is not AHCI problem, because you are able to boot without the expansion VGA.

To clarify: the problem doesn't have to be with AHCI itself but when AHCI is enabled, driver conflicts/misconfiguration (namely, memory mapping and interrupt assignment) can occur with the add-on video card (or any device when its all reshuffled).  Clearing CMOS DMI data could resolve this.

[kapoww]

Reformatting solved whatever was causing the problem. I've no idea what the issue was, unfortunately, as I did not change anything in BIOS aside from enabling the onboard video before reinstalling. Works great now though. Thanks for the tips; I'm sure it would've been solved if I weren't so impatient

[Rolo42]

Driver conflict, hence, "Plug'n'Pray"  (albeit, not nearly as bad as it used to be)

[Dark Mantis]

Driver conflict, hence, "Plug'n'Pray"  (albeit, not nearly as bad as it used to be)

Quite! Now that really was a "Black Art". It's so much easier nowadays.

[belier]

I'll take advantage of this previously opened thread about VIRTU, as I currently own same MoBo.
I've enable integrated graphics card on Bios. Then installed VIRTU, and finally connected the display to the DVI connector of the MoBo.
My dedicated graphics card is an ASUS GTX570.
Everything seems to work fine, as the Intel card is used when I'm on the desktop.
When I launch a game, I can see the VIRTU logo indicating that is commuting to the dedicated card.
Game starts and I can play well till it begin to drop frames.
If I connect the display to the dedicated card, everything works well again.

Any hint?

Thanks in advance.

[Rolo42]

I thought you had to connect the display to the dedicated card (or is it configurable with the Virtu app?)

[belier]

I thought you had to connect the display to the dedicated card (or is it configurable with the Virtu app?)

Friends of mine using it on Asus MoBo, connect the display to the integrated card.
One of the basis of this technology, is to use the integrated card on a day to day basis, and only use the dedicated when gaming.
Even the Virtu application is configured, by default, to boot from the integrated and use the discrete with some given applications.
Yesterday I gave it a new opportunity with BF3. It works well during about 10 minutes, with no frame drop.
But then it degrades, with gradual drops till complete freeze.
I've checked cpu temperature and it doesn't go beyond 75ºC.
All graphics drivers are installed and the bios is the latest stable version.

I leave here an article about testing Virtu on this board:

http://www.channelpro.co.uk/case-study/6545/what-intel-z68-chipset/page/0/2

[Lsdmeasap]

For gaming such as what you mainly seem to be interested in using this feature for, you want to use d-Mode, so you should connect the monitor to your graphics card not the motherboard

i-Mode provides user with Intel Sandy special features and power saving options when no 3D gaming is used.

d-Mode is provided for demanding 3D gamers to achieve uncompromised 3D performance of discrete GPU installed in the system. In this mode, Virtu allows user to utilize Intel special features such as trascoding, while display is connected to discrete GPU.
 
Note:   We recommend you use d-Mode for better 3D performance unless you use Intel Insider feature or the power saving i-Mode. 
 

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/19993/eng/Lucid%20Virtu%20Users%20Guide%20v1%202%20Universal.pdf

Latest drivers are here in case you need them
http://www.lucidlogix.com/driverdownloads-virtu.html

ftp://174.142.97.10/manual/virtu/Z68%20Extreme4/English.pdf

[Rolo42]

Potential quirkiness and fps loss is why I avoided it; mine is a gaming machine first.

I only installed it on a temporary test build to look at it; the client didn't need it (running both displays independently) and I don't transcode; if I did, I have an older machine, mostly idle, for mundane tasks anyway.