Components

How to connect cards in sli. How to set up Nvidia SLI technology

Today we'll take a look at building SLI or CrossFireX configuration on ASUS ROG Maximus V motherboards.

In this manual, we will consider an example of building an SLI and CrossFireX system based on the ASUS ROG Maximus V Formula motherboard.

Install the first video card in the top red PCI-Express slot (x16).
Since we are interested in installing two video cards, the second must be installed in the middle (also red) slot. In this case, the mode of operation of each slot will be PCI-E 3.0 x8. This bandwidth is enough (given the 3.0 standard), so there will be no performance loss.
It remains to make sure that the latches on the slots hold the cards and that we have connected additional power.

Installing a second video card.
The second card should be as similar as possible to the first. For NVIDIA, everything is simple - you need to install two identical video cards (you need to install a second GTX 670 to the first GTX 670). In this case, the driver will synchronize the frequencies of the GPU and video memory for correct operation.
And for AMD, the situation is more interesting - you can use several different video cards. For example, you can use the HD 7950 with the HD 7970. We also prepared special table to simplify the selection:

Note that you cannot install SLI or CrossFireX video cards from NVIDIA + AMD.

On the Maximus V Formula board, the first and second PCI-Express slots (x16 size) are arranged in such a way that you can easily install even three-slot video cards, such as ASUS DirectCU II.

You should not install a video card in the lowest PCI-Express slot, since its bandwidth is always limited to x4 mode.

Well, when we have installed two video cards, it is worth connecting them with a special bridge. SLI bridges usually come with motherboards, while CrossFire bridges come with graphics cards. Bridges must be installed on the same contact pad of both cards.

When using a single monitor, it must be connected to the video output of the top card. If you have a configuration of three monitors, then, when using AMD cards, the third one must be connected to the DisplayPort output, while, as in the case of NVIDIA cards, all three can be connected via DVI outputs.

When we have everything connected, it remains only to configure something in the BIOS and drivers.
We need the Advanced tab, then System Agent Configuration and in this menu NB PCIe Configuration. It is necessary to change the values of "Auto" to "Gen 3".

Now you can boot the operating system and install the drivers.
When the installation is completed and the system is rebooted, we need to get into the graphics card control panel.
It needs to enable SLI or CrossFire, depending on our configuration.

And you need to make sure that everything works as it should. For example, using the Unigen Heaven 3.0 benchmark.
The increase from the second GTX 670 is obvious (for different systems, the results may vary):

For one and two HD 7970s respectively:

I must say that the increase from installing a second video card may not be in every game. This may be due to both the game itself and the drivers. Therefore, you need to follow the updates of the drivers and the game itself (patches).

It remains only to add that you need a high-quality and powerful power supply. For a system with two graphics cards, we recommend a minimum power supply of 700W.

This material is a free translation

AMD Radeon came the turn of Nvidia. Its GeForce GPUs are just as popular with gamers as their competitors. Both companies go hand in hand in the market, offering customers solutions that are similar in terms of performance and price. Therefore, it would be unfair to devote material to building a CrossFire configuration, but to bypass the similar capabilities of Nvidia products.

A bit of history

The beginning of the SLI era can be considered 1998. Then the company 3dfx for the first time managed to realize the possibility of combining several video cards to solve one problem. However, the development of the AGP interface slowed down developments in this direction, since all motherboards of that time were equipped with only one slot for a video card.

SLI from 3DFX - the "grandfather" of modern technology

After 3dfx was bought by Nvidia in 2001, all developments in this direction were waiting in the wings, which came only in 2004. It was then, in the GeForce 6000 series (the first video cards designed specifically for the latest PCI-Express interface at that time), that the existing developments were improved and introduced into mass consumption products.

SLI from two GeForce 6600GT

At first, it was possible to combine two video cards GeForce 6600 or 6800, with the release of the 7000 series (in which the first full-fledged dual-processor board from Nvidia, 7900GX2 was presented), it became possible to build a four-processor configuration (from 2 cards), and later it became possible to combine 3 or 4 separate GPUs.

How to combine video cards in SLI: requirements

As with CrossFire, it's not enough to buy two Nvidia graphics cards to configure them in SLI. There are a number of computer requirements that must be met to ensure the normal functioning of the bundle.

What video cards can be combined in SLI

Connecting two SLI graphics cards-bridge is only possible if there is an interface on the board for this bridge. You can also try to combine them with software tools, but in this case you can’t do without “dances with a tambourine”. And it makes no sense to build a tandem of two GT610 or GT720. One card, the performance of which will be 2 or 3 times faster than that of a similar bundle, will cost less than a set of a pair of office cards and a compatible motherboard. That is, the lack of an SLI interface on the younger representatives of graphic accelerators is not at all caused by the manufacturer's greed. Nobody puts bridges, because it will make the map more expensive, but there will be no sense from them. Thus,connection of two video cards SLI is possible for models of the middle and top class. These include GPUs whose second digit is 5 or higher (GTX55 0Ti, GTX96 , GTX6 7 0, GTX7 8 0, etc.).

GeForce GT 720 does not have an SLI bridge

Before how to connect SLI two video cards, you should make sure that they are built on the same version of the GPU. For example, the GeForce GTX650 and GTX650Ti, despite the similarity of names, operate on the basis of completely different GPUs and therefore cannot work in tandem.

Is there any practical use for SLI?

Before, how to combine video cards in SLI,it is advisable to get acquainted with the experience of using such configurations by other gamers and study the specifications of their cards, as well as the characteristics of more productive solutions in the line. Often, neither in terms of savings, nor in terms of performance, a two-card configuration gives a win. For example, two GTX950s in SLI show results comparable to one GTX970. The difference in price (about $200 and $400, respectively) of the cards themselves is justified, but if you take into account the additional costs for a powerful PSU, a two-slot motherboard, a high-quality and well-ventilated case, it looks doubtful.

The situation is quite different if- an integral part of the upgrade procedure for an existing PC, bought a couple of years ago. Cards of the GTX650Ti or GTX750 level can still be found on sale at a reasonable price (the difference with the new models is approximately equivalent to the differences in speed), and technical progress for 3 years has not brought anything revolutionary for video cards (except for the HBM memory introduced by AMD, but Nvidia is until it touches). Therefore, adding another GPU is a completely rational step for such players.

SLI: connecting video cards

If the computer meets the requirements for creating an SLI configuration, a suitable second video card has been purchased - you can proceed to the assembly. After turning off the PC, remove the cover system block, install the second card in the corresponding slot, connect an additional power cable (if required) to it and connect the two cards with the bridge provided in the kit. Hardwareconnecting two video cards in SLIthis is completed and you can proceed to the program settings.

Power cables connected to the SLI bundle

Connecting two SLI graphics cards in Windows

In order for a bunch of two GPUs to function normally, you need to install on a PC Windows versions Vista or newer (7, 8, 8.1 or 10). It is also recommended to download the latest graphics card driver from the Nvidia website. After that, you can proceed to the setting.

After applying the settings, the bundle is ready to work. You may need to set specific settings in the Software Settings submenu to properly configure SLI for some games. But, as a rule, most modern software does not need this.

If you have a desire to combine two nVidia GeForce video cards to improve performance in games and it turned out that the system unit on motherboard although there are two (or more) connectors for video cards, but it does not support nVidia SLI technology, you should not immediately despair.

Thanks to developer Ember Vulpix, we now have the ability to run GeForce graphics cards in SLI mode on motherboards that support only ATi/AMD CrossFireX or no official ability to combine graphics cards for better 3D performance at all. Moreover, in an SLI tandem, it will be possible to combine two different video cards from nVidia (from the same or similar generations), such functionality is not provided even on motherboards with official SLI support. In general, download the DifferentSLIAuto 1.4 patch from the github (or from our website), unpack and strictly follow detailed instructions from the README.md file.

Let's test it in combat conditions on a system from the "bins" of "pieces of iron": let's take an old ECS P965T-A motherboard based on the Intel P965 chipset with two PCI-Ex16 slots (the second one functions in x4 mode), in the specifications of which there is no mention of configuration support SLI or CrossFireX, it only says "Unique ECS S.D.G.E (Scalable Dual Graphic Engines) architecture", whatever that means. Let's add to it Intel processor Core 2 Duo E4500 overclocked to 2.93GHz and 6GB random access memory DDR2 PC6400. All this will spin operating system windows 7 HP x64 SP1.

In the same "bins" :) we found several video cards from nVidia:

GeForce 9800GT Green 512MB GDDR3 256bit (Palit)
GeForce 9800GT 1024MB GDDR3 256bit (Galaxy)
GeForce GT240 1024MB GDDR3 128bit (Gigabyte)
GeForce GT440 1024MB GDDR5 128bit (PNY, G108 chip)
GeForce GT630 2048MB GDDR3 128bit (Palit, G108 chip)
GeForce GT630 1024MB GDDR3 64bit (Palit, Kepler chip)
GeForce GT730 2048MB GDDR3 64bit (Palit, Kepler chip)

For the first five video cards, driver version 331.82 was used, for the last two - 364.51.

The 9800GT Green 512MB and 9800GT 1024MB, GT440 1024MB (G108) and GT630 2048MB (G108) made friends without any problems, they also worked in a pair of GT630 1024MB (Kepler) and GT730 2048MB (Kepler).

To check the performance, the benchmarks Unigine Tropics 1.3 and Unigine Heaven 4.0 were launched with the "thermometer" of SLI activity activated in the driver settings.

But the 9800GT + GT240, GT240 + GT440/GT630 and GT630 (G108) + GT630 (Kepler) refused to work - when trying to enable SLI in the driver settings, the computer hung or threw it into a BSOD.

Another caveat - a video card with less memory must be installed in the main PCI-E slot. It is also worth remembering that only an overlapping amount of RAM will be used on 3D accelerators - at 1024MB and 2048MB, only 1024MB will be available for games on the cards.

dxpc.ru

How to enable SLI anti-aliasing

How to enable SLI anti-aliasing mode:

Step 1. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting "NVIDIA Control Panel"

Step 2. Select "3D Settings"

Step 3: Select "Manage 3D Preferences"

Step 4. Click on "Anti-Aliasing Settings" and select the mode you need.

Step 5. Click "Apply". SLI anti-aliasing enabled!

Remember, when using one of the anti-aliasing modes, the SLI performance mode will not be active. Both modes cannot be used at the same time.

www.nvidia.ru

SLI mode with two GeForce GTX 260 video cards… setup, performance testing.

Introduction. In view of the fact that NVIDIA allowed Intel to organize SLI mode on motherboards with the Intel X58 chipset, it increased the popularity of video cards from this manufacturer. Let me remind you that earlier I had to resort to modifying drivers in order to activate the SLI mode on motherboards with Intel chipsets, which are quite popular lately.

AT this review I decided to present you the level of performance achieved when installing two video cards GeForce GTX 260. At the moment, this series is the best choice for organizing SLI mode.

Test participants.

The test participants are two XFX GeForce GTX 260 XXX video cards, which we have been considering for quite a long time and you can get acquainted with a detailed review on our portal. Here I also consider to recall the specifications of the video card: -GPU: GeForce GTX 260 -Interface: PCI-Express x16 -ROPs / Shaders frequencies: 576/1242 MHz -Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1000 (2000) MHz - Bus width memory exchange: 448bit - Number of universal processors: 192 - Number of texture processors: 80 (BLF/TLF) - Number of ROPs: 32 - Dimensions: 270x100x33 mm (the last value is the maximum thickness of the video card). - Output sockets: 2xDVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), TV-out.

Multiprocessor support: SLI (Hardware), 3-Way SLI

"XXX" in the name of the video card means increased frequencies relative to the nominal ones and are: 1. The core frequency is 640 Mhz.

2. Memory frequency 2300 Mhz.

Overclocking results.

It was decided to overclock video cards and evaluate the performance gain from overclocking when using two video cards. These video cards agreed to operate at the following frequency: 1. Core 732 Mhz. 2. From memory 1233 Mhz. 3. According to the shader unit 1560 Mhz.

It was decided to set the same stable frequencies for each video card, otherwise this increases the risk of friezes during the game.

Setting SLI mode.

First of all, on video cards we find ports for SLI mode.

We open them and try on the cables, so that after installing the video card it does not "swarm" there for a long time.

After assembling the system, install the drivers. Then, through the control panel, go to the video card driver settings and enable SLI mode, as shown in the screenshot. That's all - you can enjoy all the benefits of SLI mode.

Test configuration. 1. Core I7 920. 2. GA-X58-DQ6. 3. 2x2 Gb Samsung DDR-800 Original. Tests in which the system participated: 1. Crysis. 2. Call of Duty 4. 3. 3Dmark 06.

Evaluation of the results: 1. As you can see, this option SLI mode provides the highest performance. 2. Overclocking adds 20% performance boost.

2. Call of Duty 4.

Evaluation of results: 1. In this game, the performance is also the highest. 2. Performance gain from overclocking dropped to 11%.

Results evaluation: 1. Dual-core video cards from AMD HD4850X2 and HD4870X2 are selected ahead in the synthetic test.

2. The performance gain from overclocking is 16%.

Conclusion. Of course, the SLI mode of two GeForce GTX260 video cards looks very tempting. But do not forget in testing, I used video cards already with factory overclocking, and in order to achieve confident leadership, even they had to be overclocked to the frequencies indicated above. The cost of a set of two video cards is: 260*2=520$.

Considering the cost, you shouldn't miss out on dual-chip video cards from AMD, which show good results.

The article was prepared by FireAiD specifically for Mega Obzor.

www.megaobzor.com

SLI, windows 7

For multi-processor video cards, such as the GeForce 7950 GX2, 9800 GX2, GTX 295, each of the GPUs has its own amount of video memory and it is not combined with the memory of another processor. Only half of the 3D volume declared for the entire map is available to applications - the memory of the second GPU duplicates the data for multiprocessor SLI rendering. A definite exception to the rule are some CUDA applications (OpenCL, DirectCompute), which, when the MultiGPU mode is disabled in the driver panel, can use the video memory of each GPU regardless of the memory of the other, thus loading the full amount of memory on the video card.
In Windows Vista and newer operating systems, the mechanism for determining the amount of video memory has been changed. Instead of reporting the video card driver/BIOS, the operating system itself calculates the amount of video memory when using a video card driver that is compatible with the WDDM architecture. Regardless of the amount of video memory on the video card, a certain amount of RAM is added to it according to the formula:
(RAM - 512) / 2, Mb
"Excessive" video memory is allocated from RAM only for the time of immediate need for it. All applications, including many system ones, are reported as the amount of video memory on the video card, fixed for the video card RAM (for integrated / mobile solutions) and added according to the formula above the RAM. To determine the amount of memory on the video card, the application must use the new DirectX 10 calls (Performance Information and Tools control panel applet) or direct hardware access (RivaTuner). For applications using older versions of DirectX, no software ways determine the physical amount of video memory in a given operating system.
On windows Vista and 7 operating systems, the NVIDIA driver limits the total amount of video memory that is reported to applications through legacy DirectX interfaces to avoid errors in processing large values. When using graphics cards with a large buffer (such as Quadro), this behavior can also limit the amount of physical video memory available to applications. To disable this driver behavior, enable the "Maximum memory" option in the TAG Memory Tool, however, some programs may stop working.
For integrated GPUs and graphics cards with Turbo Cache technology with 64 MB or less local video memory, the driver always reports the maximum possible amount of memory, taking into account the use system memory. Determining the actual amount of video memory installed on a video card with Turbo Cache technology with a local video memory of 64 MB or less is possible only with the help of low-level utilities such as RivaTuner.
When determining the available amount of video memory through DirectX calls, it is quite difficult to allocate the local memory of the video card from the total amount along with the AGP aperture or the system memory added using Turbo Cache technology. Such errors in determining the amount of video memory are typical for most games.
The algorithm for determining the amount of video memory in the dialog for displaying computer performance in windows Vista and 7 does not work correctly for video cards with a non-standard amount of video memory. Thus, a GeForce 8800 GTS with 640 MB of video memory will be defined as having 512 MB of video memory, and an 8800 GTS with 320 MB of video memory as having 256 or 384 MB. This is an officially recognized error.
If you bought a video card from your hands, then you could become a victim of scammers. The amount of memory string displayed by the videoBIOS when the computer is turned on can be easily faked by editing the BIOS, while the driver determines the true amount.
There were cases when this was observed with video cards that physically (chips) had the declared volume. In addition to cases of marriage in the layout of the board, a number of victims noted that with a different version of the driver, the full volume was recognized. Presumably, the driver reinitializes the video card at system boot by doing some sort of memory test. Try lowering the operating frequencies of the video memory using RivaTuner or install additional cooling for the video card memory (heatsinks for chips). Try other driver versions. If possible, update the graphics card's BIOS.
Insufficient level The card's power supply can also cause this problem. This is especially true for cards based on GeForce 2, GeForce 2 MX and GeForce 4 MX chips, which use video memory with +3.3V internal circuit supply voltage. In many of these cards, the memory is powered directly from the power lines in the AGP connector. If the power supply or stabilizer on the motherboard "sinks" at + 3.3V, the memory may no longer be detected.

CUDA, DirectX, GeForce 2, GeForce 2 MX, GeForce 4 MX, GeForce 7950 GX2, GeForce 8800 GTS, GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce GTX 295, RivaTuner, SLI, TAG Memory Tool, Turbo Cache, VRAM, windows 7, windows Vista, video memory, driver, power supply

Check that the video card is firmly seated in the bus slot and that the connector is fully seated in the slot. Check the video card connector and motherboard bus slot for missing mechanical damage.
You should pay attention to the number of PCI Express lines supported by the motherboard chipset and to the configuration of PCIE x16 slots on a particular motherboard instance. First of all, most chipsets do not support a sufficient number of channels to implement two, and even more so three or four full-fledged x16 slots. 16 lines (channels) of the bus are usually allocated only to the first slot, the rest get a smaller number (x8 or x4). Therefore, you should install the video card in the x16 bus slot closest to the CPU. Or, when installing a second video card, the lines are redistributed from the first bus slot to the second, and both start working in x8 mode ( this mode typical for SLI configurations). A number of entry-level chipsets, such as Intel 910/915GL, 945/946GZ and NVIDIA nForce 405/400, in principle, do not support a sufficient number of lanes for a PCI Express x16 slot, however, motherboard manufacturers on these chipsets sometimes implement such a slot, but physically it has a small number of lines.
Another reason for reducing the bus width may be an erroneous inclusion in the BIOS Setup of the motherboard of options that control the number of lines (channels) in the bus slots. These options usually look like "PEG Force X1" or "PCI-E Lanes". See your motherboard documentation for information on the meaning and disabling of these options.
In laptops, PowerMizer technology can change the number of active lines as a measure to reduce the power consumption of the video card PCI bus express. For information about PowerMizer, please refer to the dedicated FAQ.
One of possible causes reducing the width of the bus can be the power management system for the PCI Express bus that appeared in windows Vista and windows 7. In panel windows control go to power management and edit additional settings selected power plan by setting the Link State Power Management option to off.

In general, reducing the number of lines to x8 has little effect on the performance of video cards, except for dual-processor solutions, but with a bus width of x2 or x1, even cards of the lowest price range work very slowly.

BIOS, Intel, nForce 400, nForce 405, PCI Express, PowerMizer, SLI, windows 7, windows Vista, laptops

If the game crashes with a blue screen with an error in nv4_disp.dll, update the NVIDIA driver to the latest official version. You should not force FSAA and AF from the driver panel or RivaTuner, enable these functions only from the settings of the game itself. When using a video card based on GeForce 8X00 or newer, do not use full-screen anti-aliasing above 2x. If all else fails, try setting your game to use OpenGL. To do this, either run the Launcher.exe application with the -opengl key, or in the config.wtf file in the WTF subfolder of the game folder in the SET gxApi line, replace the direct3d value with opengl
Systems with GeForce 4 MX based graphics cards may experience severe graphical corruption caused by poor performance of the geometry block of this GPU. You can disable some of the acceleration features by creating or modifying a SET M2UseShaders line with a value of 0 in the config.wtf file. If that's not enough, you can have the game do all the geometry calculations programmatically. To do this, run the Launcher.exe application with the -swtnl switch. Forum members report that this can also help with issues with GeForce FX 5200 and GeForce 2 graphics cards. On systems with other graphics cards, try setting the game to use OpenGL as described above. You can also try to run the game in a window, to do this, run the Launcher.exe application with the -windowed key
Slow performance on SLI systems may be due to problems with the game's interface. It is recommended to turn off vertical synchronization (V-sync), turn on hardware acceleration of the mouse cursor and turn off smoothing of mouse movements (smooth) in the game settings. An additional effect can be obtained by disabling interface acceleration (panels and menus). To do this, in the config.wtf file, create or modify the Set UIFaster line. Try line values of 2 or 0. In windows Vista, performance drops dramatically when running a game in a window.
If character portraits disappear in SLI mode, update the NVIDIA driver to version 93.71 or later.
Enabling the Glow effect in the game settings prevents the game from using high levels of FSAA.
Poor performance with modern versions of the NVIDIA driver is often caused by the game's UI scaling feature being enabled. Try turning off the "Use UI Scale" option in the game settings.
On a DirectX 11 capable system (windows 7 or Vista updated with an NVIDIA GTX 400 or higher graphics card) and installed add-on Cataclysm can increase FPS in the game by enabling Direct3D 11 rendering, for which the config.wtf file in the WTF subfolder of the game folder in the SET gxApi line replace the direct3d value with d3d11

BSOD, DirectX, FPS, FSAA, GeForce 2, GeForce 4 MX, GeForce FX 5200, OpenGL, SLI, Vsync, windows 7, windows Vista, World of Warcraft, artifacts, driver, games, anti-aliasing

No. SLI support is available in NVIDIA drivers for windows XP, Vista, 7 (32- and 64-bit versions), 2003/2008 Server (32- and 64-bit versions, except for Itanium platform), Linux with kernel version 2.4.7 and above, Solaris x86. On other systems or when using non-NVIDIA drivers (nv, nouveau, snap), the SLI bundle will work as two separate video cards.

Linux, MacOS, SLI, windows 7, windows 9x, windows NT4, windows Server, windows Vista, windows XP, driver

nvworld.ru

SLI mode and solutions to problems associated with this mode

Hello, today we will talk about Nvidia video cards working in SLI mode, namely about their problems and how to solve them, but first we will figure out what SLI mode is. Nvidia SLI is a technology that allows you to use multiple video cards at the same time and at the same time significantly increase system performance. One of the main requirements is to use the same GPU on the used graphics cards. More detailed requirements for building a computer that will work with this technology will be listed below.

The motherboard must have two or more connectors that support this technology;
A good PSU that can power our system (SLI-Ready units are recommended);
Video cards that support this technology;
A bridge that can connect video cards;
Processor with high clock frequency, which can unlock the potential of video cards so that there is no drop in frame rate and performance in general.

From the above, it turns out that building NVIDIA SLI is not something unattainable, but on the contrary, it practically does not differ from building a regular home computer.

Problems

Well, the information was presented above, why SLI is needed, its advantages, and now let's move on to the problems and their solutions.

The first problem is the dependence on drivers, drivers need to be updated very often, since serious changes are made and optimizations for specific games or applications are released;
The second problem is that not all games/applications support this technology and in some games/applications it is necessary to force several of your video cards to work;
The third problem of this technology is in the same updates, since with each driver update it is necessary to carry out some manipulations in order for all video cards to work, and this is not always convenient and not all owners of this technology are ready to “rummage through” the settings and deal with their problems.

Problem solving:

The first problem is solved quite simply. We download the utility from the official NVIDIA GeForce Experience website, register to use this program, log into our account, and click the "Check for Updates" mouse button. If there is a more recent driver, it will be downloaded and you will be prompted to install it.
The second problem is not always solvable, since not all application manufacturers optimize their applications for this technology, but you can still try to fix performance problems with some simple manipulations in the settings of the driver itself for your SLI system.

Below I will give you an example of setting up The Sims 2 game, which is not optimized for SLI by default.

Open the "Nvidia Control Panel" - manage 3D settings - software settings and click on the "Add" button - specify the path to the file that launches our game - look at the second section "Specify settings for this program" - SLI rendering mode, if there is "Nvidia recommends (SLI)", then select this item if no, then select "Run alternative construction frames 2".

We still need to configure power management, and for this we go to "Power management mode" and select the item "Maximum performance mode is preferred".

The last paragraph we will have the “CUDA - GPUs” setting in this setting, absolutely all of your video cards that you want to use in this application should be ticked.

The third problem is solved quite simply, but it appears every time we update the driver and it takes a few clicks to fix it. Since we have not exited the Nvidia control panel yet, we need to click on the "Setting SLI, Surround, PhysX" tab and click on "Update Settings" then on the "Apply" button and this problem will be resolved.

Before describing the modification, we note that this method has been tested in detail on the following systems:

Intel P965 (ASUS P5B Deluxe) + 2 x GeForce 6600LE by xDevs.com
Intel P45 (ASUS MAXIMUS II Formula) + 2 x GeForce 9800GTX + by sveetsnelda
Intel X48 (Gigabyte X48T-DQ6) + 2 x GeForce GTX 260 216sp by DeDaL
Intel X48 (ASUS P5E64WS Evolution) + 2 x GeForce 7900GS by Xtremelabs.org
Intel X38 (ABIT IX38QuadGT) + 2 x GeForce GTX 260 by TheWolf
Intel P55 (ASUS MAXIMUS III Formula) + 2 x GeForce 6600LE by xDevs.com
Intel P45 (ASUS P5Q Deluxe) + 2 x GeForce GTX 285 by Death or Glory
Intel X48 (ASUS Rampage Extreme) + 2 x GeForce 6800Ultra by Turrican
Intel P45 (Gigabyte EP45-UD3P) + 2 x GeForce 8800GT (Win7 32bit)
Intel P45 (Gigabyte EP45-DS4) + 2 x GeForce GTX 260 by cxghjcqr
Intel P965 (Gigabyte P965-DQ6) + 2 x GeForce 6600LE by TiN
Intel X48 (DFI LP LT X48) + 2 x GeForce 7900GS by TiN
Intel X48 (ASUS Rampage Formula) + 2 x GeForce 9800GTX by Ghostleader
AMD 790X (Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P)
AMD 790X (DFI LP DK 790FXB-M2RS) + 2 x GeForce 9800GT by aGeoM
Intel P35 (Abit IP35ProXE) + 2 x GeForce GTX 260 (192sp + 216sp) by TheWolf
Intel 5520 (Supermicro X8DAH+) + 2 x Quadro FX 4800 (GT200GL) on Windows 2008 R2 by derGhostrider
AMD 790FX (ASUS Crosshair III Formula) + 2 x GeForce 9800GT by aGeoM

Despite the small (so far) list - the modification allows you to run SLI on ANY chipset, not just Intel. It's just that there are no owners of two or more NVIDIA video cards with other chipsets willing to try SLI yet. But technically SLI can be enabled even on motherboards with AMD chipset, as long as there are enough PCI-Express slots.

The method has been successfully tested and implemented on operating systems:

Microsoft Windows XP 32 bit
Microsoft Windows Vista/7 32 bit
Microsoft Windows Vista/7 64 bit

Now it is possible to combine several NVIDIA video cards in SLI mode on any motherboards. This has become a reality thanks to the introduction of a simplified verification procedure, which is implemented for SLI support on the Intel X58 platform. The technology described in the article and the modified driver have been successfully tested on systems with Intel P45 (ASUS Maximus II Formula + 2 x 9800GTX+, XP) and Intel P965 (ASUS P5B Deluxe + 2 x 6600LE, XP) chipsets, but there are no restrictions on chipset support, therefore, in the near future, the list of tested chipsets will be updated as enthusiasts test it.

encrypted "allowed" list in the NVIDIA driver. In the case of the "foreign" Intel X58, a simplified compatibility check scheme was developed that uses text identifier strings, or otherwise SLIC certificates for all X58 boards.

The essence of the modification is to force the NVIDIA video driver to identify the "Intel X58" chipset, regardless of the actual set of logic used in the hardware. After receiving X58 authentication, the video driver checks for the correct SLI compliance certificate, which should be in the ACPI system tables. Initially, the table data is loaded from Computer BIOS, but the entry in the Windows registry is used later.

At the current stage of installation, only a patched driver with a changed chipset identifier is not enough to activate SLI, you must also manually enter the appropriate certificate into the ACPI configuration tables. Fortunately, to make changes, it is not necessary to adjust the BIOS and put the motherboard at risk with unnecessary flashing. Let's use the method easier, thanks to the storage of the DSDT table we need in the Windows registry. At the moment, all certificates are associated with the name of the motherboard manufacturer, and are checked by the driver for correctness. This means that for ASUS motherboards (any models), you can only use a certificate from ASUS X58-based motherboards, such as Rampage III Extreme. For EVGA boards, similar to EVGA Classified.

To work, you need two utilities: Intel ASL Optimizing Compiler and Microsoft ASL 3.0

The whole procedure for adding a certificate for the Windows XP 32bit operating system looks something like this:

Procedure for adding X58 SLI certificate for Gigabyte P965-DQ6 board.

Step 0 We check the presence of the board of our manufacturer (Gigabyte) X58 in the list of certificates below. We use the string "" in this case.

Step 1. Reading the ACPI table from Windows Registry and disassemble. To do this, create the c:/ACPI directory and copy the IASL and ASL 3.0 utilities into it. AT command line run iasl -g. If everything went well, something like the following will be displayed:

The table we are interested in is disassembled and stored in the dsdt_GBTUACPI.dsl file. Open this file with any text editor.

Step 2 Insert the certificate into the table. The essence of editing is to find a block similar to:

Scope(\_SB_)
{
Various code not of interest to us
}

And inserting a block with a certificate immediately after this block. In our example, it looks like this:

original file

Device (\_SB.PCI0.EXPL)
{
Code not of interest to us ....
}
}
}
}

The file with the added certificate.

Device (\_SB.PCI0.EXPL)
{
Code not of interest to us ....
}

Scope(\_SB.PCI0)
{
Name (SLIC, Buffer (0x9E)
{
"987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for GIGABYTE GA EX58-UD38432-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)"
})
Device (WMI1)
{
Name(_HID, "pnp0c14")
Name(_UID, "MXM2")
Name(_WDG, Buffer(0x14)
{
/* 0000 */ 0x3C, 0x5C, 0xCB, 0xF6, 0xAE, 0x9C, 0xBD, 0x4E,
/* 0008 */ 0xB5, 0x77, 0x93, 0x1E, 0xA3, 0x2A, 0x2C, 0xC0,
/* 0010 */ 0x4D, 0x58, 0x01, 0x02
})
Method(WMMX, 3, NotSerialized)
{
CreateDWordField(Arg2, 0x00, FUNC)
If(LEqual(FUNC, 0x41494C53))
{
Return(\_SB.PCI0.SLIC)
}

Return (0x00)
}
}
}

We save the final text file with table and added certificate named sli.dsl.

Step 3 We compile the final table into a binary file. To do this, we will use the Microsoft ASL 3.0 utility, the link to which was given earlier.

If the compilation is successful, a DSDL.aml file will appear in the folder, in which the certificate string will already be embedded. This can be seen with any file viewer, the string is not encrypted.

Step 4 We load the modified DSDT table into the computer registry.

Step 5 We reboot the system, and in case of successful loading, install the modified driver, as usual. If everything went right, your system immediately reports the presence of SLI support and the driver activates the SLI control tab. If, due to some error, the system does not boot, or it gives errors and blue screens, when booting, press F8 and select "Load last working configuration".

If you need to return the original state of the DSDT table, canceling all changes, use the command asl /localtable DSDT.aml -d

A similar principle applies to the ASUS P5B Deluxe board. Let's just focus on the differences.

Step 0 Use the string "987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for ASUS RAMPAGE II EXT 3287-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)".
Step 1. We read the tables from the registry and disassemble using iasl –g. The resulting file name is dsdt_A0483035.dsl.
Step 2 We are looking for the _SB block and immediately after it we insert the SLIC block.
Step 3 We compile the file using the asl command dsdt_A0483035.dsl, we get DSDT.aml
Step 4. Load asl.exe /loadtable DSDT.aml
Step 5. Reboot and install the modified driver.

Despite the apparent complexity, all these steps are performed in 5 minutes with a break for tea, there is nothing complicated in the procedure, the main thing is to do everything carefully and without errors. Note that these operations interact with the PC hardware at a low level, so in case of failure of your PC, data loss, or any other negative phenomena, the responsibility lies solely with you. All transactions are presented for informational purposes, and no one except you is responsible for possible losses.

However, we did not notice any problems on various systems, everything went without a single error.

And now the results after modifications, and activation of SLI in popular benchmarks

P5B Deluxe (Intel 965 chipset) + two GeForce 6600LE video cards in SLI:

3D"03: one graphics card, QX9650 @ 4200MHz, 6600LE DDR3 660/670: 10044
3D"03: two graphics cards in SLI, Q6700 @ 3000MHz, 6600LE DDR3 580/522: 11087
3D"05: one graphics card, QX9650 @ 4213MHz, 6600LE DDR3 646/660: 3729
3D"05: two graphics cards in SLI, Q6700 @ 3000MHz, 6600LE DDR3 580/522: 4975
3D"06: one graphics card, Q6700 @ 3600MHz, 6600LE DDR3 580/585: 1510
3D"06: two graphics cards in SLI, Q6700 @ 3000MHz, 6600LE DDR3 580/522: 1808
Aqua: One graphics card, QX9650 @ 4200MHz, 6600LE DDR3 670/670: 71435
Aqua: two graphics cards in SLI, Q6700 @ 3000MHz, 6600LE DDR3 580/522: 88185

A detailed description of the procedure for more popular and modern Windows 7 and Windows Vista 32 bit and 64 bit variants will also be described here in the coming days.

In the meantime, screenshots confirming the operability of the method for them:

987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for GIGABYTE GA EX58-UD38432-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)
987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for ASUS RAMPAGE II EXT 3287-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)
987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for ASUS P6T Deluxe 0101-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)
987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for GIGABYTE GA EX58-UD38432-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)
987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for GIGABYTE GA EX58UD4P3287-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)
987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for DFI LP UT X58 T3EH8 0101-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)
987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for MSI X58 PLATINUM 0101-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)
987134512781Genuine NVIDIA Certified SLI Ready Motherboard for FOXCONN BLOODRAGE 3287-Copyright 2008 NVIDIA Corporation All Rights Reserved-765289891023(R)

At the moment, work is underway to eliminate the check for the presence of a certificate in the ACPI tables, so perhaps in a few days this entire procedure will not be required, it will be enough to install only the corrected driver.

Updated:

The ability to activate SLI on the original unmodified Forceware drivers of any versions that support SLI on the X58 has already been implemented. This is possible after patching the OS system library to the following versions:

The original file in the /windows/system32 directory must be replaced with the corrected one. After that, the chipset in the system will always be identified as X58, regardless of the drivers. This is also reported by the CPU-Z utility

An example of using the original Forceware 185.85 WHQL driver on an XP 32-bit system with a modified HAL.dll and a pair of GeForce 6600LE video cards.

The need for a SLIC certificate in the ACPI tables is still there.

Updated:

Modified Forceware 190.62 driver (Windows XP 32 bit) is available for download:
http://www.xdevs.com/sli/Forceware_XP32_19062_SLImod.rar - 79 MB

Modified file for Forceware 190.62 driver (Windows XP 32 bit) with forced use of ASUS certificate:
http://www.xdevs.com/sli/nv4_mini_rev2asus.rar - 2.1 Mb t - for this driver you need to use the ASUS certificate, regardless of the real manufacturer of the motherboard. This will allow SLI to be enabled even on boards from manufacturers that do not have X58 solutions.

Modified file for Forceware 190.62 driver (Windows Vista/7 32 bit) is available for download:
http://www.xdevs.com/sli/nvlddmkm.rar - 2.6 MB

Modified file for Forceware 190.62 (Windows Vista/7 64 bit):
http://www.xdevs.com/sli/nvlddmkm-64bit_rev_2.rar - 3 MB

Modified HAL.DLL file for Windows XP 32 bit:
http://www.xdevs.com/sli/hal.dll - 130 KB- copy to the /% windows% / system32 folder, keeping the original.

Now that the principle is clear, finding similar code sections and modifying them in any modern drivers before NVIDIA releases new protection methods is a matter of technique and time.

This material would not be possible without the participation of:

If you love playing PC games, you probably want your games to perform as well as possible. One of key features a gaming computer is its video card; in the case of Nvidia, you can pair two or more identical graphics cards together to get a huge performance boost. Follow our tips to find out how.

Steps

Part 1

Installing maps

Make sure your operating system supports SLI technology. Two cards in SLI mode are supported Windows systems 7, Vista, 8, or Linux. Three and four cards in SLI mode are only supported in Windows Vista, 7 and 8, not in Linux OS.

Check installed hardware. SLI technology requires a motherboard with multiple PCI-Express slots, as well as a power supply with enough connectors. You will need a power supply that provides at least 800 watts of power.

Some cards allow four graphics cards to run in parallel in SLI mode. Most cards are made to work in dual video card mode.
The more video cards, the more power will be required.

Take video cards that support SLI technology. Almost all modern Nvidia cards support SLI configuration. To do this, you need at least two identical card models with the same amount of video memory.
- The cards do not have to be made by the same manufacturer, it is enough that they are the same models with the same amount of memory.
- The cards don't have to have the same frequencies, but then you might see a slight drop in performance.
- For achievement best results, use identical graphics cards.
Install video cards. Install cards in two PCI-Express slots on your motherboard. Graphics cards are installed in slots in the usual way. Be careful not to damage the mounts, or install the cards at the wrong angle. Once the cards are in place, secure them with special fasteners, or screws.

Install an SLI bridge. All cards that support SLI mode usually come with a special SLI "bridge". This connector connects to upper parts video cards, thus connecting them together. This allows the cards to transfer data directly to each other.
- A bridge is not required to connect cards in SLI mode. Without a bridge, the cards will work together using the PCI-Express slots on the motherboard. This type of connection will result in reduced performance.
Part 2
Setting the SLI mode
1. Turn on your computer. After installing the video cards, close the computer case and restart it. You do not need to make any settings changes until the system is fully powered on.
2. Install drivers. Your operating system should automatically detect the graphics cards and try to install the appropriate drivers for them. This process may take longer than installing video cards because the drivers will be installed separately for each card.
  - If the installation does not start on its own, download latest drivers from the Nvidia website and run setup files at the end of the download.
3. Set up SLI. Once the drivers are installed, right-click on the desktop and select "Nvidia Control Panel". A new window will open where you can change graphic settings. Find the menu item called "Configure SLI, Physx".
  - Select "Maximum 3D Performance" and select Apply.
  - The screen will blink several times while the SLI settings are being applied. You will be asked if you want to save the new settings.
  - If there is no control panel desired function, then your system most likely did not recognize one or more of your cards. Open Device Manager in Control Panel and check if everything is graphics adapters present in the list of Video Adapters. If your video cards are not in the list, check the connection, as well as the installed drivers.
4. Enable SLI technology. Select Change 3D Image Settings from the menu on the left. AT general settings Scroll down the list until you find the SLI Performance Mode option. Change the setting from "One GPU to "Alternative Processing 2". This way you enable SLI mode for all your applications.
  - You can make separate settings for different video games by opening the Application Settings tab and selecting SLI Performance Mode.