Problem with SLI on MSI K8N Diamond

Ginger

Hi

I am not too sure what happened but hopefully you will be able to help me out...

I reinstalled Windows on my machine (XP-Pro SP2) onto 2 new hard-disks. Installed the NVidia drivers for the chipset and GFX. Noticed that only 1 of my 7800GTs was showing up in the Device manager. Thought nothing of it as continued to get the rest of the devices installed. Still there was no sign of the second card in the Device Manager and there are no banged out devices in Device manager either.

Checked the SLI switch on the motherboard and it was in SLI mode. Checked the SLI Bridge and the cards to make sure that they were seated correctly. Swapped the cards and they still work.

Decided in case it was a driver issue, to put back in the old drives and they only see 1 card as well. So I am trying now to figure out if its the SLI switch or the PCI-E slot. I dont know if its a power issue either as the both cards fans spin up as well.

Any ideas on what to do next?

BIOS version is 1.7

System Details:

MB: K8N Diamond
CPU: AMD 64X2 4400+
RAM: 4 * 1GB
GFX: 2 * 7800GT
Sound: Terratec DMX Fire 24/96
HDD: 2 IDE 160GB 4 SATA 300GB
PSU: Thermaltake Purepower 680W

TIA

N

8T8

Did you recently perform a bios update to the MSI motherboard ?

If so MSI boards need to have their CMOS reset otherwise funky stuff starts to happen so that is what I would try first. Also do MSI have a switch in the bios for SLI support if so don't forget to enable that as well, {edit} apparently they don't after checking the manual.

Double check the SLI bridge make sure nothing is messing with the contacts like dust/dirt etc. same goes for the slots.

Latest bios on MSI's site is 1.A for the K8N Diamond might be worth a try.

Ginger

Didnt update the BIOS with a newer version have been using 1.7 since I got the board.

I updated the settings in the BIOS to renable the RAID controllers so I could install the correct drivers for them.

Must check the slots of dust, it could be just that... if it is (shakes fist at <insert random item here>)

Cuddlesworth

Ginger wrote:

Must check the slots of dust, it could be just that... if it is (shakes fist at signed picture of the Teletubbies!)

Done and done.

On a side note, just use 1 card in the bottom slot, should rule out that slot as a dud.

Ginger

Will check that this evening so the second card.. THere is a setting in the BIOS for the GFX that says first PCIE card so hopefully that means the first slot that there is actually a card in.

If not and I need to replace the board what is this board like http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfullat.asp?productcode=MMEB991534#spec (I have always used MSI boards and I am very familiar with them)

8T8

If the second slot turns out to be faulty in some manner & you intend to replace it then I would still clear of Asus nForce 4 boards {just asking for trouble} in my opinion.

You should try updating the bios to the 1.A just to see what happens, it sounds very unusual for the systems second PCI-E slot to just stop working and everything else is okay.

Ginger

Turned out to be something very simple.. the SLI switch on the board and it was loose so i reseated it and we have SLI again..

8T8

disaster averted.

By the way if your using SLI you should really check out nHancer if you haven't used it before, extremely useful for adding IQ to game profiles.

DonkeyRhubarb

Just noticed you have almost the exact same comp as me. all thats different is I went for a GTX as opposed to a GT. Komplett? Bloody noisy power supply at times isnt it?:D

Ginger

Yeah but i blew one up already.. think it was something got in the fans or something?

But the machine itself works very well at the moment and yup Komplett sourced for most of it (Dell & Overclockers for Monitor * Case respectively)