SLI board/triple monitor question

[Pollock]

I have a P6N SLI-FI (2.3 BIOS) and 8800GTS, and I'm trying to add a PCIe 6200LE to my system in order to add a third/fourth monitor. I currently have the SLI selector set to 16x/1x, but the 6200LE doesn't seem to be recognized by Vista (163.69 drivers). No dice when set to 8x/8x, either. Is there some trick to get this to work?

I vaguely remember that N7 has some experience with triple monitors?

 

[n7]

Let me guess, it shows in the device manager as "Device cannot be started" or something to that effect?

 

[Pollock]

Assuming it's not anywhere else than under display adapters, it shows nothing at all. Just lists the 8800GTS, and no unknown devices.

 

[n7]

I don't know if it was you who'd posted about this before, but it's why i always say it's pretty much a YMMV/luck situation.

Is 16x/1x & 8x/8x the only settings you have available regarding video cards in your bios?

If so, TBH, you're likely screwed, just like i am on my current mobo.

 

[Arkaign]

Fwiw, I've not been able to get multi-monitor to work anywhere near the way I am able to do so with XP. I have an XP box with an X1900XTX in one slot, and a 7900GTX in the other, and I can run four monitors with no issue. With Vista, I can't even use a 8800GTS alongside a 7800GS.

 

[Pollock]

It's one of the paddle selector things, not an option in the BIOS. I assumed at first that I was screwed as well (don't want to have to buy a PCI 6200 for ~$60), but I found this thread and figured maybe it is possible, some way or other.

Do you think maybe a 7300LE would have any better compatibility?

Also, does the GF4MX even have driver support for Vista? I have a PCI one I used with XP, for the most part successfully, but driver support was sketchy even then, and I'm not holding my breath. I guess I'll have to tool around on MSI's forums some.

And nope, haven't posted about this before.

 

[n7]

Heh, i've never tried dual cards in Vista yet actually.

Had one mobo where i could use one PCI-e/one PCI card fine (in XP).

Current mobo, nope, no PCI-e + PCI-e or PCI-e + PCI combo of any kind worked (in XP).

 

[Arkaign]

GF4MX is natively supported in Vista. It should be sufficient for anything short of : Aero/HD Video/Gaming.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: n7
Heh, i've never tried dual cards in Vista yet actually.

Had one mobo where i could use one PCI-e/one PCI card fine (in XP).

Current mobo, nope, no PCI-e + PCI-e or PCI-e + PCI combo of any kind worked (in XP).

For me, it's an old DFI Lanparty NF4-SLI + Opteron 175 @ 2.6ghz. XP happily buzzes away with 4 displays, Vista throws a shitfit. These days, the only times I boot to it is to show customers that it's not as bad as they heard, and when they leave, I boot back into XP.

 

[chrome0011]

I'm actually trying to figure out this same issue. Going to be switching from AGP soon, and I'm trying to figure an inexpensive way to power 3 screens in both Vista and XP. Please keep us updated if you find a way to make this work. I'd prefer not to have to buy 2 expensive cards (I'd like to get an 8800 and something cheaper to run the 3rd screen, not 2x8800s).

 

[Pollock]

I switched out the 6200LE and put in the GF4MX, which was at least detected, and Vista installed the Microsoft driver. Of course, when I restart though, it says it won't work because of some driver problem or other. That's not normal, I'm assuming?

 

[chrome0011]

I'm pretty sure that won't work because that card uses a different driver than your other card. Vista requires multi-video card setups to use the same driver.

 

[aka1nas]

I've been playing around with an 8500 and my SLI setup and, unfortunately, it will still disable the 8500 when you try to enable SLI as well.

The GF4MX is just going to complicate things as you won't be able to use Aero or WDDM with that card installed. I doubt you will be able to get SLI working on Vista using the XPDM.

 

[Pollock]

Well, I bought a PCI 6200, so we'll see if that solution works any better.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Pollock
Well, I bought a PCI 6200, so we'll see if that solution works any better.

Update?

 

[Pollock]

I got it today, installed it quickly, and low and behold, it works! Vista automatically installed the driver, so I'm assuming it used the 163.69 drivers. Performance isn't exceptional on my third screen at the moment, but I'll give it some time.

 

[n7]

Nice.

That gives me hope that maybe i could try running another card on this machine...didn't work in XP, but i might try it w/ Vista.