SLI with different VRAM

[denimjeanes]

Hello, I bought a second GTX 960 Asus Strix 2GB card off someone from offerup for 45$. I bought it thinking it was 4GB, in fact, he told me it was, my plan was SLI so I could boost my frames for a bit. However, windows does not give you an option to SLI cards with different VRAM. is it possible at all to pull it off? at all custom BIOS anything. any help is appreciated. :)

[rcmaehl]

You might be able to flash a 2GB VBIOS onto the 4GB card but honestly, anything under 4GB isn't worth it.

[denimjeanes]

Just now, rcmaehl said:

You might be able to flash a 2GB VBIOS onto the 4GB card but honestly, anything under 4GB isn't worth it.

how would one flash a 2GB VBIOS onto the 4GB card. and what would happen if i Flashed a 4GB VBIOS to the 2 GB card?

[rcmaehl]

4 minutes ago, denimjeanes said:

how would one flash a 2GB VBIOS onto the 4GB card. and what would happen if i Flashed a 4GB VBIOS to the 2 GB card?

nvflash and the closest VBIOS from the VGA VBIOS collection. If you flashed a 4GB VBIOS to a 2GB card you would have the card crash after 2GB of VRAM usage as it thinks it has more when in reality it doesn't

[denimjeanes]

12 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

nvflash and the closest VBIOS from the VGA VBIOS collection. If you flashed a 4GB VBIOS to a 2GB card you would have the card crash after 2GB of VRAM usage as it thinks it has more when in reality it doesn't

anyway you cloud link me a good video or somthing to help me out with this?

[Tristerin]

As long as its the same GPU chip you can SLI them.  It will just pick the lowest common denominator (clock speeds and VRAM) so you will basically be SLI'ing the lowest Clock speed GPU and downgrade your master GPU to a 2gb GPU as it will be unable to fully utilize its 4gb. 

 

Don't do it.

[denimjeanes]

Just now, Tristerin said:

As long as its the same GPU chip you can SLI them.  It will just pick the lowest common denominator (clock speeds and VRAM) so you will basically be SLI'ing the lowest Clock speed GPU and downgrade your master GPU to a 2gb GPU as it will be unable to fully utilize its 4gb. 

 

Don't do it.

The Nvidia control panel will not let me enable SLI in fact the option is not even there.

[Tristerin]

23 minutes ago, denimjeanes said:

The Nvidia control panel will not let me enable SLI in fact the option is not even there.

First thing I would do is uninstall drivers with DDU completely and reinstall. Also that generation of card requires a bridge, correct?  Is that installed?

 

Oh and don't do it - 2gb of RAM isn't enough and you will lose performance on any modernish game.  Unless you are doing it for the learning experience - then I am 100% for it!

[denimjeanes]

10 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

First thing I would do is uninstall drivers with DDU completely and reinstall. Also that generation of card requires a bridge, correct?  Is that installed?

 

Oh and don't do it - 2gb of RAM isn't enough and you will lose performance on any modernish game.  Unless you are doing it for the learning experience - then I am 100% for it!

I am going more for the learning experience. so I am going to do it. and would it not be 4gb total 2gb per GPU? also whats DDU? yes, I have a bridge installed. from what I understand from my research the GPU'S must have the same amount of VRAM

 

[Tristerin]

6 minutes ago, denimjeanes said:

I am going more for the learning experience. so I am going to do it. and would it not be 4gb total 2gb per GPU? also whats DDU? yes, I have a bridge installed. from what I understand from my research the GPU'S must have the same amount of VRAM

 

1.) Awesome, that's why I crossfired a few years back

2.) No, its only 1 GPU worth of VRAM that can be/will be/ever be used.  And it will only use the smallest denominator between the two cards.  You will use only 2gb of VRAM with both cards installed and SLI'd.

3.) DDU is a driver cleaning program that guarantees to remove all the old drivers off the system ensuring no ill communication between the different driver sets.

4.) From my understanding of SLI (I am a Crossfire guy, did it in the past will do it in the future for fun) and research, that is not the case about VRAM.  I see many many more posts agreeing to what I have mentioned in number 2.  And Im positive its JUST 1 cards VRAM that can be used no matter if its Xfire or SLI.

 

Start with downloading and doing the Safe Mode cleanup.  Reinstall drivers AFTER both cards are physically installed with the bridge.  Then check your options.

[denimjeanes]

42 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

1.) Awesome, that's why I crossfired a few years back

2.) No, its only 1 GPU worth of VRAM that can be/will be/ever be used.  And it will only use the smallest denominator between the two cards.  You will use only 2gb of VRAM with both cards installed and SLI'd.

3.) DDU is a driver cleaning program that guarantees to remove all the old drivers off the system ensuring no ill communication between the different driver sets.

4.) From my understanding of SLI (I am a Crossfire guy, did it in the past will do it in the future for fun) and research, that is not the case about VRAM.  I see many many more posts agreeing to what I have mentioned in number 2.  And Im positive its JUST 1 cards VRAM that can be used no matter if its Xfire or SLI.

 

Start with downloading and doing the Safe Mode cleanup.  Reinstall drivers AFTER both cards are physically installed with the bridge.  Then check your options.

shocker, I did it all and it won't work. from what I found you can crossfire different VRAM GPU's you just can't SLI them. it did not work I used DDU and then did a fresh reinstall

[Tristerin]

28 minutes ago, denimjeanes said:

shocker, I did it all and it won't work. from what I found you can crossfire different VRAM GPU's you just can't SLI them. it did not work I used DDU and then did a fresh reinstall

Dug deeper because of my understanding of SLI says this is okay - seems that it USED to be okay and no longer is.  The information Im reading is from 2016 saying it is NO longer viable as you are finding out (and I as well).

 

Sell them both, get a better single GPU   Or figure out how to make the second card in non SLI work the physics portion if that's even a thing in this day and age.

[denimjeanes]

7 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

Dug deeper because of my understanding of SLI says this is okay - seems that it USED to be okay and no longer is.  The information Im reading is from 2016 saying it is NO longer viable as you are finding out (and I as well).

 

Sell them both, get a better single GPU   Or figure out how to make the second card in non SLI work the physics portion if that's even a thing in this day and age.

when I  sell them both. with what little money i get, what card should i purchase im thinking GTX 1060 (used) or an RX580 (used as well) thanks for the time

[Tristerin]

28 minutes ago, denimjeanes said:

when I  sell them both. with what little money i get, what card should i purchase im thinking GTX 1060 (used) or an RX580 (used as well) thanks for the time

RX 570 or RX 580 - kings right now in the realms of Affordable Performance.  If I were to pick between 1060 or 580 - I wouldn't go with the 3gb 1060 or 4gb 580 btw - would be the 580 8gb.  Never get the 3gb 1060 model you will be disappoint.