# SLI mobo with 2 video cards NOT in SLI mode



## icehero417 (Apr 7, 2007)

I recently purchased a new Jetway 939GT4-SLI-G motherboard. On the motherboard, there are 3 slots designated for video cards. One x16 slot if you are using only one video card, and then 2 x8 PCI slots if you are running SLI mode with 2 video cards. I have two Nvidia 7900 GT video cards, and at the moment I only have one in the x16 slot. I am always using 2 displays at once, and that is why I do not just leave my computer in SLI mode if I have two video cards, and I switch it to SLI mode when I want to play games. Is it bad for the computer/motherboard to have the two video cards in the SLI slots, but not run SLI? Is it bad if I have one monitor plugged into each video card? Recently I bought a new game called "Supreme Commander", which is an RTS that utilizes dual display set ups, and I was thinking I would gain a graphic advantage if I had each monitor running on a different video card. However, is this not true? Is it better for me to just run both on one video card in the x16 slot instead of two non-SLI linked video cards?

Thanks in advance!


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

Ive got Vista x64 with 2x Nvidia 7900GTO's with drivers 100.65... At the moment there is no SLi for series 6/7.. But ive left both in.. And i can still use both graphics cards with dual monitors... On either cards.. I can have 4 monitors up at the same time.. But when i play games only the default monitor stays on....

But no there is no harm having both graphics cards in and only using one... The only downside is you require extra power for a graphics card ur not using....


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## icehero417 (Apr 7, 2007)

Yea. The power loss sucks and so does the extra noise. Anybody know if when running two monitors in non-SLI mode with 2 video cards is it better to plug both monitors into one video card or one monitor in each? Does the second option slow down the comp at all?

Also any reccomendations for a effective and quiet way to cool a 7900 GT?

Thanks.


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

hmm both my cards are almost silent... You may need to clean them out... But from what ive found out... Using two monitors on two different cards has no difference in quality or performance when using just the one


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## icehero417 (Apr 7, 2007)

Ok so I put in the two cards, and had one monitor connected to each, but when my Windows is loading up or at any point during the boot up process when the screen would normally be blank, the screen fills with many different color pixels, lines, and artifacts. Does this mean I have one/two bad video cards?


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

Have you got the Sli bridge installed between the cards... And is the little card chip thing set to Sli mode (on the motherboard)... If you dont have these done correctly then screen corruption will happen.. You disable Sli in the Nvidia control panel so you can use dual monitor on both cards


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## icehero417 (Apr 7, 2007)

I've got a bridge (although maybe I should get a new one just to be sure) and I don't think my motherboard has a chip to change when doing SLI mode altho I will check. Any other suggestions?


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

All motherboard with Sli have this... There are 2 sides to this card one side is normal which means only 1 PCI-E is set to x16 and the other is at x1...
Then there is sli mode which sets both PCI-E to x8..

Other options...
Install older drivers for the graphics card...
Update motherboard drivers..
Update BIOS
Clear CMOS
Test both graphic cards in a different machine (1 at a time) if the screen corruption continues on the other machine then one of the cards may be damaged.


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## icehero417 (Apr 7, 2007)

I couldn't find it on my current motherboard, and I don't think my old motherboard (Asus A8N32-Sli) had one. I've attached a picture of my current mobo. Can you point out where on it this card is located?


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## Aus_Karlos (Mar 10, 2007)

Ive gone to your motherboards manufacturer and i found out that the 2 green PCI-E are the SLi slots they both run at x8 while the middle yellow slot is a PCI-E at x16 designed for the use of only one graphics card.. The BIOS will automatically detect both cards and enable SLi...
So if you think its a bad card then only put one in the middle yellow slot and test it.. Then do the same for the other.. If both cards have no display corruption you may need to update your BIOS to the current version..

Also check your BIOS for any options you may need to enable or disable for SLi to work..


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