0% GPU Usage

[AustinF]

Hi guys/girls,

 

I recently upgraded FROM a FX-8350/some AM3+ board/g skill ddr3 16gb TO a ryzen 1600/Asus x370 F gaming mobo/corsair lpx 3200 ddr4 16gb.

 

I am continuing to use my dual GTX 970 Strix's, but i've noticed my GPU usage on GPU 0 (card 1) is always 0%, GPU 1 (Card 2) always takes the load regardless of what is running. Everything is plugged into the 0% card, and I've tried every iteration of cable connections. I generally have my primary monitor on my 144Hz monitor, and my other 2 monitors on the other card. I've tested both cards by themselves in this system and each work fine, except for when they are both connected at the same time. I don't generally use SLI because I play esports games, but I have the bridge connected incase I play some games that actually need graphics. 

 

The 0% usage comes from windows task manager and gpuZ and other programs. All video card drivers are current, BIOS is updated to most recent version and all mobo drivers are updated.

 

Looking for any advice,

 

Thanks!

[Theguywhobea]

4 minutes ago, AustinF said:

I don't generally use SLI because I play esports games, but I have the bridge connected incase I play some games that actually need graphics.

Do you have SLI enabled in the Nvidia control panel?

[BarackOBatman]

@AustinF

 

This may be a dumb question, but is this the same game you played on the FX platform ? and did SLI run successfully (no 0% usage)? if not.. test a game that will for sure work with SLI.

[Princess Luna]

Are you using the same Windows you were from the FX days or did you reinstall it?

[AustinF]

9 minutes ago, Theguywhobea said:

Do you have SLI enabled in the Nvidia control panel?

Forgot to mention, No, I currently do not. However when I enable it, and run a Heaven benchmark or something, BOTH GPU's have usage on them. When SLI disabled, all load goes to 2nd card.

 

8 minutes ago, BarackOBatman said:

@AustinF

 

This may be a dumb question, but is this the same game you played on the FX platform ? and did SLI run successfully (no 0% usage)? if not.. test a game that will for sure work with SLI.

Regardless of whether there is a game running or not, all load goes to 2nd card. 

[AustinF]

1 minute ago, Princess Cadence said:

Are you using the same Windows you were from the FX days or did you reinstall it?

Well im using the same storage, I did not re-install, however it is Win10 and fully updated 

[Princess Luna]

Just now, AustinF said:

Well im using the same storage, I did not re-install, however it is Win10 and fully updated 

You did a very meaningful jump, whole new platform, it is possible you have an issue with the SLI configuration because of it, I'd personally at least DDU in safe mode and reinstall nVidia drivers fresh new.

[AustinF]

Just now, Princess Cadence said:

You did a very meaningful jump, whole new platform, it is possible you have an issue with the SLI configuration because of it, I'd personally at least DDU in safe mode and reinstall nVidia drivers fresh new.

I did just re-install drivers in safe mode with DDU. The issue presents itself when SLI is not enabled, when it IS enabled, both cards take the load relatively equally as expected.

[tarfeef101]

25 minutes ago, AustinF said:

Forgot to mention, No, I currently do not. However when I enable it, and run a Heaven benchmark or something, BOTH GPU's have usage on them. When SLI disabled, all load goes to 2nd card.

 

Regardless of whether there is a game running or not, all load goes to 2nd card. 

Well the load will go to whatever is the monitor being used for the task at hand. Are you running these benchmarks on a monitor plugged into your 2nd card?

[TheRandomness]

27 minutes ago, AustinF said:

Forgot to mention, No, I currently do not. However when I enable it, and run a Heaven benchmark or something, BOTH GPU's have usage on them. When SLI disabled, all load goes to 2nd card.

Well, yeah. That's how SLI works. You need to have SLI enabled to have both cards used in games.

[AustinF]

24 minutes ago, tarfeef101 said:

Well the load will go to whatever is the monitor being used for the task at hand. Are you running these benchmarks on a monitor plugged into your 2nd card?

The monitor is plugged into card 1, when I run heaven the load goes to 100% on card 2. When I run the benchmark on card 2 (with monitor in card 2) the load goes to card 2.

22 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

Well, yeah. That's how SLI works. You need to have SLI enabled to have both cards used in games.

The concern isn’t that I can’t get SLI to work, the issue is that when SLI is disabled and I have a monitor plugged into card 1, and I run a benchmark on the monitor plugged into card 1, the load on card 2 goes to full load 

[TheRandomness]

16 minutes ago, AustinF said:

The monitor is plugged into card 1, when I run heaven the load goes to 100% on card 2. When I run the benchmark on card 2 (with monitor in card 2) the load goes to card 2.

The concern isn’t that I can’t get SLI to work, the issue is that when SLI is disabled and I have a monitor plugged into card 1, and I run a benchmark on the monitor plugged into card 1, the load on card 2 goes to full load 

Why is that a concern if nothing is screwing up? It's just how Nvidia drivers work and such. You cannot get the load to balance evenly between the cards without SLI enabled, and it isn't an issue if nothing bad is noticed. And you need to enable SLI for the benchmark to realise both cards exist.

[AustinF]

2 hours ago, TheRandomness said:

Why is that a concern if nothing is screwing up? It's just how Nvidia drivers work and such. You cannot get the load to balance evenly between the cards without SLI enabled, and it isn't an issue if nothing bad is noticed. And you need to enable SLI for the benchmark to realise both cards exist.

Ok, so what you’re saying is that it’s perfectly normal? I was curious because before my upgrades this never occurred. Card 1 had a gaming monitor only and was running maybe 40-60% in games, card 2 had 2 standard monitors and was always around 5-10% because it was only webpages/YouTube etc. SLI not enabled. 

 

thanks for for your help 

[TheRandomness]

3 minutes ago, AustinF said:

Ok, so what you’re saying is that it’s perfectly normal? I was curious because before my upgrades this never occurred. Card 1 had a gaming monitor only and was running maybe 40-60% in games, card 2 had 2 standard monitors and was always around 5-10% because it was only webpages/YouTube etc. SLI not enabled. 

 

thanks for for your help 

So long as you're not noticing any lag, or having FPS issues, there's no need to questioning it.