SLI option not showing up

[Turbow5]

I'm trying to do GTX 1080 sli, and so I have two cards, and 2 bridges (more on that) but I cant get the sli option to show up (see pictures).  I have confirmed both cards working individually in any slot, but interestingly enough, when together, only the bottom card is active regardless if the bridge is on the cards or not (display will not show when plugged into the top card, only the bottom, does not matter the order of the card). I thought maybe this MSI bridge is broke, so I bought another sli ribbon. Still no option for sli. I've confirmed the bios sees them both. I've reinstalled drivers, Googled the crap out of this issue but I'm not having luck. Does anyone have ideas?

 

Specs:

2x EVGA GTX 1080 ftw

Mobo: Asrock Z170

Ram: 32 gig ddr4

Sli bridge: MSI hard bridge and x1 asrock ribbon that came with the mobo.

Windows 10 Home edition.

[Lurick]

Which Asrock Z170 board exactly? Is it listed as SLI capable? Do you have another card in a slot that could be forcing one x16 slot down to x4?

[Moonzy]

3 minutes ago, Turbow5 said:

Mobo: Asrock Z170

SLI capable board?

[Turbow5]

The mobo is SLI capadible (or at least...it advertises it on the board).

It is the Asrock z170 Fatal1ty. How would I check if one card is forcing the other one down to a x4?

 

[TomvanWijnen]

37 minutes ago, Turbow5 said:

The mobo is SLI capadible (or at least...it advertises it on the board).

It is the Asrock z170 Fatal1ty. How would I check if one card is forcing the other one down to a x4?

Are you putting them in the two top PCI-e slots? The bottom PCI-e slot seems to be x4.

 

If I remember correctly, I could see the x16/x8/x4-ness of my GPU somewhere in the bios. If not, I would just google this question, I'm sure there's some program out there that knows it.

[Turbow5]

I've tried every slot combination, and it doesn't have an issue seeing the cards. In device manager or Nvidia control panel.

 

I looked in the bios, there isn't that much detail about the slots but it says the red ones are x16 and the black x1. I downloaded gpuz and it even see's both cards and says SLI disabled.

[Mick Naughty]

Do you have another monitor? No reason you shouldnt be able to use either card for display bit it requires a restart, cant just go to the other one directly all the time.

Also may want to try another bridge if possible.

Are you using the m.2 slot? Have you reseated the cpu?

[Turbow5]

That's just it, it doesn't matter which card is on top, it's always at 0%, and doesn't output a display. It's always the bottom one that outputs something. I've restarted several times swapping things around. I've tried the MSI bridge and the ASRock bridge that came with the mobo. Nothing.

I do use a m.2. What would reseating the CPU do? I'd rather not do that because I don't have thermal paste nearby.

[Mick Naughty]

2 minutes ago, Turbow5 said:

That's just it, it doesn't matter which card is on top, it's always at 0%, and doesn't output a display. It's always the bottom one that outputs something. I've restarted several times swapping things around. I've tried the MSI bridge and the ASRock bridge that came with the mobo. Nothing.

I do use a m.2. What would reseating the CPU do? I'd rather not do that because I don't have thermal paste nearby.

Does the m.2 share lanes with the top card?

If the pins arent making proper contact it wont work as intended. Dont need new paste, should be fine unless your temps are borderline now.

[Turbow5]

1 minute ago, Mick Naughty said:

Does the m.2 share lanes with the top card?

If the pins arent making proper contact it wont work as intended. Dont need new paste, should be fine unless your temps are borderline now.

Does not say that the M.2 shares lanes. I have to assume the pins are working because both cards come up in device manager and nvidia control panel.

https://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K6/index.asp

[Mick Naughty]

3 minutes ago, Turbow5 said:

Does not say that the M.2 shares lanes. I have to assume the pins are working because both cards come up in device manager and nvidia control panel.

https://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming K6/index.asp

Well if you arent going to check, then we are gonna assume its software. Even though the card doesnt display in the top slot with both of them. 

[Turbow5]

The CPU doesn't haven't pins. It's zero force insertion. So there aren't any pins to check. Unless you mean the GPUs then yes they're fine.

[Mick Naughty]

Just now, Turbow5 said:

The CPU doesn't haven't pins. It's zero force insertion. So there aren't any pins to check. Unless you mean the GPUs then yes they're fine.

The mobo has pins. Like I said, if all the steps arent gonna be taken for trouble shooting, Ill assume software.

[Turbow5]

If the pins were bent, then wouldn't the GPUs just not work?

[Mick Naughty]

Not saying they're bent. And the gpu isnt working as youve said when they are both in. So something isnt communicating. 

[Turbow5]

Bought a new mobo and it works flawlessly now.