# Nvidia GeForce 8600gt SLI



## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

Dear Techies,

I just bought a pair of 8600gt video cards, 512mb x16 and want to run them in SLI mode. The directions in my nvidia control panel say to go to 3-D settings, select 'set sli configuration' and go from there. Only thing is, "set sli configuration is not an option. In my system information window found within the nividia control panel, it shows card #1 as bus x 16, and card #2 as bus x1. I assume this means card #1 is doing all the work and SLI mode is not working? Niether card came with any kind of bridge to link them together, so I had to use the one off my old ati radeon x1650 card, which was not in an SLI configuration. Can I not use the ATI bridge with an Nvidia card? Is is possible to put the bridge on backwards? I know both cards are installed on the mobo because my hardware profile has it listed 2x under display devices. I know I installed the right driver package from the included CD. I see know improvment in my game, (flight sim x) probably because SLI mode is not working. So how do I get it into SLI mode or test SLI functionality? I'd like to set it up so that each card draws every-other frame. Does anyone else here run 8600's in SLI? I have an ASUS P5N series mobo if that helps. Thanks for any help you can give.


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

First remove the ati crossfire bridge from your nvidia cards, hope you didn't fry the cards at all. Next buy an nvidia sli bridge for maybe 2 or 3$ then post back if it doesn't work.

Also this is just offhand , I would take that out of your sig , because no matter what firewall you have its already out of date to a hacker , not only would a hacker have a motive to hack you , but he has your ip too.


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## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks for the advice, ill get an nvidia bridge and see if that helps. Thats pretty crappy that nvidia doesnt send one with their cards. My ATI card came as a single card pack and it even came with one. You'd think Nvidia would send them, too! Oh well. Thanks for the help! I'll keep us updated.


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## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

Well, this can of worms just got blown back WIDE open. ATI did NOT send me an SLI bridge, it came with my MOBO. It is an ASUS bridge. Guess I should have checked my stuff before I wrote about it... Anyways, why do you reckon my SLI is inaccessible now? Is it the asus bridge? Both cards are installed still, even the nvidia control panel shows them both. I just cant for the life of me make them go into SLI mode. Anyone else here run dual 8600 gt's?


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

are you sure the provided bridge isn't a crossfire bridge and tht your mobo is sli compatible and not crossfire?


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## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

I did not know there was a difference b/t SLI and crossfire. I just thought crossfire was a catchy name ATI used to advertise SLI cards. Good thing I decided to go with nvidia instead of getting a second ATI 512mb! I'm 99% sure it is SLI compatible. The name of the motherboard is the P5nSLI, so it'd make sense that it is SLI compatible. I just checked to confirm, my motherboard user guide says "This motherboard supports one PCI express x16 graphics card or two SLI-ready PCI express x16 graphic cards that comply with the PCI express specifications." I bought the cards from the same company that I got my computer built from, and it came as a two-pack of cards, I did not buy two single seperate ones, so I'm pretty sure they were intended to be bridged and SLI'd.

I got to looking at this manual here, and I think I have found the problem. There is a component between my video cards called SLI_CON on the diagram. In my manual, it reads like this:

10. ASUS EZ selector card connector (144-pin SLI_CON)
This connector is for the ASUS proprietary ASUS EZ selector card that allows you to set the SLI mode to either single video card or dual video cards. 

*The EZ Selector card is set to single video card by default.

SO thats why I'm on single card, now I just have to figure out what this EZ selector card is...


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## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

Well, I can officialy say this problem is resolved. THere is a chip on the motherboard (the ez selector card) which must be removed, turned around, and then reinserted. THe flexible bridge is not needed. I have never heard of a set up like this, but hey, it works. Just a few more kinks to work out and it will be up and running nicely. Thanks guys for nudging me in the right direction, inadvertent as it may have been.


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## bobdole776 (Nov 15, 2008)

yes yes, i have the same problem but i have a different mobo, its an asus m2n-sli chipset nvidia nforce 560 sli. i cant get these cards to work in sli either; i have the asus sli bridge on and everything and the settings in bios are set to sli two graphics cards, i have all the latest drivers, and the cards are duplicate of each other. i took alook at my mobo and there is no nvidia sli ez connector to remove, i dont know what to do at this point and i'm pretty desperate for help, if you can, help.


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## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

Im looking at a pic of your MOBO and I dont see an EZ selector card either. Look at the board carefully, especially around the slots and see if there isnt a small two way switch. Some boards have jumper-type switches that must be thrown to turn on the second port. 

Read your MOBO user guide about SLI

Check your hardware profile to make sure the computer is recognizing both cards.

Check your Nvidia control panel settings.

I'm betting its something on your motherboard. Remember - google is your friend!


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## Valdeam (Nov 24, 2008)

So how is it running?  Give us the cheese man!

Valdeam


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## Cheshire333 (Jan 9, 2009)

Quick Question; I also have 2x 8600 GT's BUT they DO NOT have the little chip on them to connect your bridge together. Does this mean that I do not need the bridge in order to achieve SLI? I mean, apparently my computer verifies it because the "Balloon" message in the corner says that it detects it and I'm able to turn it off and on in the Nvidia Control Panel. I was just curious if any of you knew or have a similar experience. And, BTW, my MoBo is also a M2n-SLI


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## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

Cheshire333 said:


> Quick Question; I also have 2x 8600 GT's BUT they DO NOT have the little chip on them to connect your bridge together. Does this mean that I do not need the bridge in order to achieve SLI? I mean, apparently my computer verifies it because the "Balloon" message in the corner says that it detects it and I'm able to turn it off and on in the Nvidia Control Panel. I was just curious if any of you knew or have a similar experience. And, BTW, my MoBo is also a M2n-SLI


On some motherboards, the bridge is not required, although it is definately not right that you can not attach the bridge. However, i too do not require the use of the bridge beacuse of the reversible chip on my motherboard. Once you get the balloon that says you may enable SLI, you are good to go. Just enable it in your Nvidia control panel. If your system is not currently compatible for SLI performance, the SLI options will not be available in your nvidia control panel and you will not have the option of turning it on or off.

Edit: I recommend (but get another opinoin, too) that you do NOT connect your bridge. That is obviously not how your motherboard is designed to handle SLI. Im not sure what would happen if you did connect it, but if it aint broke, dont fix it!


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## Cheshire333 (Jan 9, 2009)

Yeah my Video Cards literally have nothing on them for me to put the bridge anywhere, yet when I ordered my computer, they still give me the bridge connector. Don't make any sense to me? But yeah the Nvidia Control Panel let's me decide to turn SLI and/or PhysX on/off, but I honestly can't tell the difference in performance or graphics.


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## flightsimmer (Sep 18, 2007)

I agree. SLI is completely overrated and a waste of money. I read an article about SLI vs Crossfire recently, thinking I might go back to ATI, and they said if you have no specific need for either one, then don't get either. Its much better to fork over for a single card that is extremely good than to buy a duplicate one and SLI/Crossfire them together. My next computer will hopefully have a single ATI 2GB card in it. 1GB at the least anyways.


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## bobdole776 (Nov 15, 2008)

still dont have sli working. guy at xfx says its the device instance id for both cards has to be the same for sli to work, for which mine are not. hopefully there is a way to still get sli to work. fallout 3 can play on high setting for me but after like 30 mins it starts to lag horribly and i eventually have to quit. this is why i want my sli to work, for games like that. so hopefully the xfx guy replies me with an answer to my problem soon, it still says the post is with technition, they take so long to reply.


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