3 video cards.. what are my options?!?

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hows3r

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#1 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

Ok, I have 2 9800gt's and 1 gtx 260...

I couldnt find the other 9800 until now so I was running the one 9800 for PHYSX..

Should I continue doing that or what??? run the 2 for sli and the 260 for physx? would that even work?.. A little help would be great, Thanks

-Chris

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#2 Gambler_3
Member since 2009 • 7736 Posts

Ok, I have 2 9800gt's and 1 gtx 260...

I couldnt find the other 9800 until now so I was running the one 9800 for PHYSX..

Should I continue doing that or what??? run the 2 for sli and the 260 for physx? would that even work?.. A little help would be great, Thanks

-Chris

hows3r

I think you can do it. 9800GT SLI is obviously better than GTX 260 but if I were you I would try to sell the 9800GTs and get a GTX 460 1GB and use the GTX 260 for physx.

Or you could sell 1 9800GT and GTX 260 and keep 1 9800GT for physx, that way you might not have to spend anything extra at all and still the overall performance would be better from what you currently have.

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hows3r

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#3 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

Ok, Im going to install the 2 9800's

2 questions..

What type of drivers do I install and Is it possible to run the 2 sli and the 260 for Phsx?

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hows3r

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#4 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

And thanks for the response :)

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neatfeatguy

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#5 neatfeatguy
Member since 2005 • 4415 Posts

Ok, Im going to install the 2 9800's

2 questions..

What type of drivers do I install and Is it possible to run the 2 sli and the 260 for Phsx?

hows3r
just install the latest driver for your OS and GPU type. After that, go into the Nvidia control panel, should be an option for SLI/Physx, just set the 260 for the physx card
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hows3r

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#6 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts
[QUOTE="hows3r"]

Ok, Im going to install the 2 9800's

2 questions..

What type of drivers do I install and Is it possible to run the 2 sli and the 260 for Phsx?

neatfeatguy
just install the latest driver for your OS and GPU type. After that, go into the Nvidia control panel, should be an option for SLI/Physx, just set the 260 for the physx card

I have to install new drivers for my OS ??? and as for the graphics drivers do I just install the 9800gt drivers??? Iv had this pc for a year now and never updated my os drivers?? Didnt even know you could do that :X
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#7 Serioussamik
Member since 2010 • 773 Posts

I reckon you should sell a 9800GT and the GTX260 and retain the other 9800gt for physx instead as in that way you will can extract a little more cash and invest in the GTX 460 1gb you wish to purchase.A 9800gt sould be more than enough an then some to handle the physx part while GTX260 can just be an overkill.Just an opinion though,but as other thread members suggested you can even sell of the 9800gt's and retain the GTX260.

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middle-earth88

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#8 middle-earth88
Member since 2006 • 1262 Posts

Or just sell everything and get a single graphics card that can handle physx and video card duty.

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#9 neatfeatguy
Member since 2005 • 4415 Posts
[QUOTE="neatfeatguy"][QUOTE="hows3r"]

Ok, Im going to install the 2 9800's

2 questions..

What type of drivers do I install and Is it possible to run the 2 sli and the 260 for Phsx?

hows3r
just install the latest driver for your OS and GPU type. After that, go into the Nvidia control panel, should be an option for SLI/Physx, just set the 260 for the physx card

I have to install new drivers for my OS ??? and as for the graphics drivers do I just install the 9800gt drivers??? Iv had this pc for a year now and never updated my os drivers?? Didnt even know you could do that :X

No, I mean just make sure you install the correct drivers for your GPU type, for your current OS. You don't need to install any OS updates or anything; I suppose I just mis-typed what I meant to say. So: 1) Download drivers for the 9800GT 2) Uninstall your current driver (do a clean sweep of driver in safe made if you want) 3) Make sure both 9800GT cards are installed with the SLI bridge, also put in your 260 in 4) Install current GPU driver 5) access Nvidia control panel and set up SLI to enabled and set the 260 for dedicated physx
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hows3r

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#10 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

Ok... so this is were im at...

Iv put all 3 cards in.. hooked up the SLI with the 9800gt's and put the 260 in as well.. I asume I plug in the 1st slot for the 1st 9800gt for the monitor.. My monitor is reading no signal?? Should I just take out the 260 and try it? do I need to install the drivers 1st???

I figured it would of atleast shown up, just everything been distorted..

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hows3r

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#11 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

Ok, so I put the 260 back in... going to do what you recomend Neat, thanks.. lets see how this goes...

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hows3r

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#12 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

Hmm How do I unistall the 260 drivers?

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hows3r

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#13 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

I installed the 2 9800's and skipped out on putting in the 260 and im getting no signal to the monitor.. UGHHHHHHH!

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hows3r

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#14 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

Im going to try to install the drivers with 1 9800 and then plug the 2nd in and reboot... NOTE* when starting the pc turns on then shuts off then turn onn again and loads...

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hows3r

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#15 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

Ok, I installed the drivers.. Hooked up both cards.. and still it says no signal..I give up... Geek squad here I come!.. (im kidding)

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#16 Gambler_3
Member since 2009 • 7736 Posts

I really cant help you here as I have no experience with installing multiple cards....

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hows3r

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#17 hows3r
Member since 2004 • 151 Posts

I really cant help you here as I have no experience with installing multiple cards....

Gambler_3
No worries, I just got to do a little more homework :)
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middle-earth88

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#18 middle-earth88
Member since 2006 • 1262 Posts

Try a complete reformat. That may be the only way to get all the drivers working properly. Then try installing everything at once, hooking up the cable to the first 9800 GT and installing the drivers from there.

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#19 neatfeatguy
Member since 2005 • 4415 Posts
1) Go into Add/Remove Programs (XP) or Programs and Features (Vista) - not sure if Win 7 calls it something different - and find the installation called "Nvidia Display Driver" or something similar - uninstall it 2) If you have a program like Driver Sweeper installed, then boot into safe mode and be sure to run the program to remove any lingering Nvidia Display driver files 3) After you've restarted your computer (might want to disable your internet connection - pull the ethernet cable out or unplug your router - ONLY if you have Vista or Win 7, they're notorious for installing drivers for GPUs that might cause issues if you want to install your own) install the latest driver you downloaded 4) After you install the latest driver and you get back into Windows after the restart (if it has to restart....I can't recall at the moment), right click on the desktop and there should be an option for Nvidia Control Panel 5) In the Nvidia Control Panel, there's an option on the left menu bar for "Set SLI and PhysX configuration", click on it 6) Enable SLI or choose "Maximize 3D peformance" 7) To the right of that, you'll see a box called "PhysX settings", choose what card you want to dedicate towards PhysX and click on the "Dedicate to PhysX" check box If you don't get a signal from one plug in adapter on your 9800GT, try the other one....as long as you have enough power from your PSU (probably should be a decent 750W or better), you shouldn't have any issues running dual 9800GT and a single GTX 260 for PhsyX. Make sure all cards works individually, if you're having problems getting a signal. Also be sure to double check that your MB does indeed support SLI. If you can't get things going from there....I'm at a loss for ideas. As for if you need to install drivers for the GTX 260, that I couldn't tell you. Hopefully someone can. Good luck!