SLI 660ti on z77 help

[relworPstar]

I am running:

8GB RAM 1600MHz

3570k @ stock

900W PSU

p8z77-m pro

^^thats really all that matters

 

I have dual 660ti's

I put them in and they run I guess... but I open up a game and GPU Core will say both GPU's are running, when I try to setup a benchmark like unigine, it will only run the first gpu and the second will be at 0.  Even if I make it a dedicated PhysX.  Other people seem to be able to benchmark and get results from both GPU's.

Also if I put my second card as my main card it will create artifacts and just slow the computer, or freeze it.  Everything is @ stock right now until I make sure 100% the cards are indeed working.

I go to NVidia control panel > 3D settings > Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX > Set the following: > SLI Configuration --- and I click activate all displays then apply and the words underneath still say SLI disabled.  I try it with Maximize 3D performance with a dedicated PhysX card and it says the same thing.  So I am wondering if I am indeed disabled still but enabled... idk!

 

Also, please tell me, is my CPU bottlenecking my GPU?  Is it bottlenecking a lot or a little, shouldnt be too much to worry about right?  My buddy runs a single 550 ti and gets the same fps as me with sli 660 ti.

 

Please help.

[Mentalguy]

are you doing the tests in full screen? if not try doing that.

[ryan9298b2]

This is one of those "turn it off for 10 seconds" type of questions, but did you put the SLI bridge on?  If so, try to set PhysX to CPU and then enable SLI.  You might have to close some applications for the nVidia control panel to activate SLI.

[Godlygamer23]

When's the last time you installed the drivers or updated them?

[Godlygamer23]

This is one of those "turn it off for 10 seconds" type of questions, but did you put the SLI bridge on?  If so, try to set PhysX to CPU and then enable SLI.  You might have to close some applications for the nVidia control panel to activate SLI.

It tells you when something needs to be closed in order to continue.

[ryan9298b2]

Yes it does...

[relworPstar]

Yes all benchmarks run in fullscreen, i tried both just to double check and it says 1 GPU 99% 2 GPU 0%

I will try the second SLI slots on the videocards, but yes the bridge is connected.

I just reinstalled clean, i then uninstalled everything and reinstalled again with the 620.13 i believe it is, whatever the latest version is as of yesterday.  It told me to close applications when I pressed apply in the NVidia console but it still says SLI disabled.  ::cries::

 

I really not liking this ASUS z77 board, have had nothing but problems since day 1.  This is my second board and they are sending me a third.  Im wondering if its just messed up or not because I cant start the computer without clearing cmos, maybe it has this problem too... but this seems more of a video card problem than motherboard, since the board is seeing both cards.  Either way im mad at this board.

[ryan9298b2]

The Cards need to be in the top blue slot and the white slot.  Try switching the cards and reinstalling the drivers.  Whichever one is on bottom now, put it on top, and put the top on the bottom.  This will tell you if there is an issue with the cards.  If it still shows that GPU1 is at 99%, try one gpu in the white slot of the board to see if that PCIe slot is dead.  Trust me, troubleshooting is a bitch.

[relworPstar]

I had it like that before.  My other GPU makes artifacts and freezes up when I bench it... but when this one is in the top slot it works fine except this problem that im having.

[ryan9298b2]

Yeah, that is a most likely a problem with the graphics cards.  What is the exact model number of the card.  An MSI one will look like this: 

N660TI PE 2GD5/OC

An ASUS one will look like this:

ASUS GTX660 TI-DC2O-2GD5

A Gigabite one will look like this:

GIGABYTE GV-N66TWF2-2GD

If it isn't one of those, just try to find something similar on the box or the list from where you bought it from.  EVGA is another one that looks similar to ASUS's

[Mentalguy]

I had it like that before.  My other GPU makes artifacts and freezes up when I bench it... but when this one is in the top slot it works fine except this problem that im having.

if it works fine in games, dont stress too much about it.

[R4STABAN]

'activate all displays' is not SLI. GPUs operate independently in this mode.

 

you have to select 'maximise 3d performance' to turn SLI on.

 

I moan about this all the time, nvidia need to rename that option.

 

Set physx to auto.

[ryan9298b2]

OK: Lets review the steps for enabling SLI:

 

1. Right Click on Desktop-->nVidia Control Panel-->3D Settings-->Manage 3D Settings-->Global Settings-->Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration-->Multiple display performance mode (If you have 2 or more monitors)|Single display performance mode (If you only have 1 monitor)

 

2. Right Click on Desktop-->nVidia Control Panel-->3D Settings-->Manage 3D Settings-->Global Settings-->Power management mode-->Adaptive

 

3. Right Click on Desktop-->nVidia Control Panel-->3D Settings-->Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX-->SLI configuration-->Maximize 3D performance

 

4.Right Click on Desktop-->nVidia Control Panel-->3D Settings-->Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX-->PhysX settings-->Auto-select (recommended)

 

5.Right Click on Desktop-->nVidia Control Panel-->3D Settings-->Manage 3D settings-->SLI rendering mode-->NVIDIA recommended

 

Are you running an SLI compatible benchmark?

And there aren't any outstanding bottlenecks in your system, btw.

[relworPstar]

Thank you ryan, i will do this when i get home from work. First time for SLI, I thought it was as easy as connecting a bridge and enabling a setting... when I get home I will check the model number. It is a Geforce 660ti superclocked 78Hz. (I know I shouldnt have wasted my money on the superclocked, I didnt realize when I bought my first card that they all oc the same, I thought my card was 78MHz better of an OC. I know now not to spend the extra money but I had to get the identical card for best performance.)

Thanks NRG for clarifying, obviously I did not know this lol.

Mentalguy, I just got both cards so neither should be doing this, even if it is by itself it does this, and it isnt OC'd so my card definitely has a minor defect, its been less than 30 days since I got it so I am gonna exchange it.

[Mentalguy]

Mentalguy, I just got both cards so neither should be doing this, even if it is by itself it does this, and it isnt OC'd so my card definitely has a minor defect, its been less than 30 days since I got it so I am gonna exchange it.

Thats fine too, but for me, i would have not bothered with sli

[Godlygamer23]

OK: Lets review the steps for enabling SLI:

 

1. Right Click on Desktop-->nVidia Control Panel-->3D Settings-->Manage 3D Settings-->Global Settings-->Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration-->Multiple display performance mode (If you have 2 or more monitors)|Single display performance mode (If you only have 1 monitor)

This is only if you have two different video cards in your computer. He does not.

More info on this setting: https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/449234/mulit-display-mixed-gpu-acceleration-how-to-use-/

[relworPstar]

Thank you guys, it just created artifacts when I had games on both screens... im gonna exchange this video card cuz the warranty is still good... and if its not -  ::COUGH::ill switch the stickers

[ryan9298b2]

You have this card (2GB): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130812

 

Or this one, (3GB): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130810

[relworPstar]

2gb one.

[relworPstar]

started with (2) 2gb gtx superclocked 78mhz 660ti's.  I just kept enchanging them until they worked ;) I now have the regular 660ti without the factory oc.  Same thing anyway, and they are brand new :) again - Thanks for all the help guys!!  SLI enabled!